SAN ANTONIO | Projects and Construction - Page 4

Llyod Banks · #61 Posted **Jun 5, 2005, 8:52 AM**

nice pics man

texboy · #62 Posted **Jun 6, 2005, 11:34 PM**

I just thought this was an interesting little blurb.

San Antonio named among best U.S. cities for summer fun

San Antonio has been ranked the 10th most fun city in America for summer travel, according to Verizon superpages.com

Verizon superpages.com, the online yellow pages directory published by Verizon Information Services, on Monday released a list of the Top 25 Most Fun U.S. Cities.

Verizon compiled the list from more than 1,000 locations where the company publishes yellow page directories.

Cities were then ranked by the number of "fun" places listed in the company's phone book -- including amusement parks, nightclubs, casinos, zoos, aquariums, museums, historical places, botanical gardens, observatories, golf courses, movie theaters and performing arts halls.

Dallas is the most fun city to visit for summer travelers, according to the list. Dallas is followed by Phoenix; Miami; Boston; Portland, Ore.; Denver; Atlanta; Minneapolis; Fort Worth; and San Antonio.

Florida is the most fun state on the list with five cites there making the cut.

"Everybody has his own idea of what's fun," says Eric Chandler, vice president of e-commerce marketing for superpages.com. "But we think these listings are representative of the places where a tourist or local resident could have a really good time."

Verizon Information Services is a division of Verizon Communications Corp. (NYSE: VZ) in New York. The directory publishing division earns $3.6 billion in revenues from Verizon SuperPages, superpages.com and superpages.com/espanol.

texboy · #63 Posted **Jun 10, 2005, 5:23 AM**

This was on the council agenda today....

Deliberations regarding the proposed construction of residential condominiums by a Texas limited partnership to be organized by Faulkner USA and built above the convention center headquarters hotel as contemplated in project agreement previously approved by City Council, pursuant to Texas Government Code Section 551.072 (deliberation regarding real property); and discussion of related legal issues, pursuant to Texas Government Code Section 551.071 (consultation with attorney).

DerekfrmSA · #64 Posted **Jun 10, 2005, 6:39 AM**

Mixed-use developer eyes site by Quarry

Meena Thiruvengadam
Express-News Business Writer

Most apartment dwellers in San Antonio don't have upscale restaurants and shops at their doorsteps. But that could change in the Quarry Market area.

Developers are planning to turn a piece of land sandwiched between Basse Road and the Quarry Golf Course into an upscale apartment or condo complex with restaurants and a shopping center.

The development at the northeast corner of Jones Maltsberger and Basse roads — tentatively dubbed the Village at Quarry Market — is slated to have 280 residential units and nearly 82,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space, according to a project summary by Reata Real Estate Services, the group handling the property's commercial leasing.

Developers, citing a changing preliminary plan, wouldn't discuss the project. The multistory complex must still gain city approval of its storm-water system before construction can begin. And no leases have been signed yet on any restaurant or retail spaces.

More than 240,000 people work within 5 miles of the location, and average income in the surrounding one-mile area is nearly $94,000.

The project, if completed as planned, would be part of a nationwide trend toward mixed-use developments, said Nathan Cherry, vice president of RTKL Associates, an international architecture, engineering and planning firm.

"The land values in the metropolitan areas are just now justifying the costs of these types of projects," he said. "In metro areas, the first wave of development was the downtown core, the second was the suburbs. Now that those two opportunities are largely built out, this is sort of a third wave of development."

The projects require greater cooperation between developers and governmental organizations and more consideration for things such as zoning and parking, he said.

Such mixed-use projects, Cherry said, generally cater to a more affluent crowd accustomed to an urban village type of lifestyle.

"A great deal of mixed-use developments are fueled by demand by two demographics," Cherry said — "empty nesters looking to simplify their lifestyles and young up-and-comers wanting to live close to work and the cool places."

Link Here

jaga185 · #65 Posted **Jun 10, 2005, 6:59 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaga185

I'm thinkin we should direct this to the development thread...

oops, looks like we already did, my bad

texboy · #66 Posted **Jun 10, 2005, 4:19 PM**

I wonder what exactly "multistory" means?

jaga185 · #67 Posted **Jun 10, 2005, 11:55 PM**

280 condos...hmmm, I dont think it will be that tall, probably about 4 stories like the Meridian, separated into about 4 buildings

texboy · #68 Posted **Jun 11, 2005, 1:23 AM**

So the groundbreaking for the convention center hotel was today. Its confirmed that it IS the second tallest in SA and the design stays almost exactly the same! I am currently looking for renderings. They had a REALLY good one on the news that had a side view of the hotel with the tower of the Americas in the background kinda comparing the heights! Its gonna be Awesome!

texboy · #69 Posted **Jun 11, 2005, 1:28 AM**

FaulknerUSA breaks ground on new $285 million hotel

Developer FaulkerUSA on Friday broke ground on a new $285 million, 1,000-room hotel next to the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in Downtown San Antonio.

New York investment group Marathon Real Estate also announced that it is the lead equity investor in the 885,000-square foot project along with Austin-based FaulknerUSA. The hotel should be complete by 2008.

Marathon Real Estate is a division of Marathon Asset Management LLC, a global investment firm with $9 billion in assets.

The balance will be financed with $208 million in revenue bonds that will include a combination of Empowerment Zone Bonds and Taxable Bonds.

The city of San Antonio will own the site. However, Hotel Investments LP -- a partnership made up of Marathon Real Estate and FaulknerUSA -- will lease the site from the city under a 75-year ground lease, with an option to extend the lease an additional 15 years. Chicago-based Hyatt Corp. will manage the property.

"San Antonio enjoys a vibrant market with great opportunities, and is one of the top 10 cities for overnight leisure travel in the U.S.," says Jon Halpern, managing director and head of the real estate group at Marathon Asset Management. "We are proud to be a part of this historic undertaking and are impressed with the city's vision and hospitality."

Halpern adds, "We work hard to leverage our developer experience and flexibility to deliver creative financing solutions for complex transactions, and we are pleased to see that this uniquely structured public/private partnership has come together after much due diligence and hard work."

The hotel will have a grand ballroom consisting of 32,700 square feet of space, a junior ballroom of 21,600 square feet of space and 62,765 square feet of adaptable space.

texboy · #70 Posted **Jun 11, 2005, 1:32 AM**

Honestly, all I have to say is wow to this one! ...... WOW

New retailers and restaurants announced at The Shops at La Cantera

Tricia Lynn Silva

With just 100 days left before the opening of the first phase of The Shops at La Cantera, General Growth Properties Inc. announced the lineup of new retailers and restaurants that will be coming to the Alamo City.

More than 100 retailers will be officially opening on Friday, Sept. 16, including 25 percent that are brand new to San Antonio.

"We are on schedule to debut an exciting, first-class retail project to San Antonio -- in just 100 days," says John Bucksbaum, chief executive officer of General Growth Properties (NYSE: GGP), a Chicago-based real estate investment trust (REIT). "The merchandising mix and quality of retailers and restaurants make The Shops at La Cantera a wonderfully unique retail destination in San Antonio -- and the nation."

Dillard's, Foley's, Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom have already announced plans to open stores to anchor the shopping center. Meanwhile, fashion stores such as Betsey Johnson, Hugo Boss, LaCoste, and Tommy Bahama also will be making their local debut courtesy of The Shops -- as well as high-end apparel firm Burberry and jeweler Tiffany & Co.

The Shops at La Cantera will also feature new restaurants and stores by: Aldo, Anthropologie, BCBG/Max Azria, Brooks Brothers, Bravo Cucina Italiana, Club Libby Lu, Kona Grill, Landau, Lilly Pulitzer, L'Occitane, Lucky Brand, Paradise Pen, Puma, Ralph Lauren, Sigrid Olsen, Sole Mio, Sony, Fossil, Stuart Weitzman and Tumi.

And work has already begun on the next phase of The Shops, which will be anchored by the new AMC La Cantera 12 -- a new movie theater to be operated by Kansas City-based AMC Entertainment Inc. (AMEX: AEN).

Phase two will sit on 34 acres of land just east of the first phase of The Shops. In addition to bringing in more destination retail and restaurants, the second phase also will include some office development.

The Shops at La Cantera is a joint development between GGP and locally based USAA Real Estate Co. The project is expected to generate roughly 2,600 full-time jobs. The construction phase alone has generated approximately 1,500 jobs, with about 80 percent of the subcontractors and work force hailing from San Antonio.

The general contractor of The Shops at La Cantera is Whiting-Turner Contracting Co., which is located in Baltimore, Md. Locally based firms Alamo Architects and Pape-Dawson Engineers Inc. are the architect and engineer of record, respectively, for the development.

davinSA · #71 Posted **Jun 11, 2005, 2:24 AM**

Any word on the condos atop the convention center hotel? Ground breaking ceremony was great! La Cantara development sounds awesome!!

elmariachi · #72 Posted **Jun 11, 2005, 2:25 AM**

What happened at the groundbreaking, any models or renderings?

texboy · #73 Posted **Jun 11, 2005, 2:50 AM**

Ground breaking was today, and they had (supposedly) a few models. The condos ARE going ontop! the total height of the building is 525ft. (as of right now at least, the garage may be moved to above ground and if that happens the hotel will be taller)

davinSA · #74 Posted **Jun 11, 2005, 3:14 PM**

So here is the latest on the Hyatt: Seems that the hotel will be on 34 floors, with an addition of 144 luxury residences and 8 penthouse units. Total number of floors was not disclosed at groundbreadking, as the total number or stories the building will have in the end. My guess, maybe 45-50 stories when all is said and constructed??? Any more information on this??

texboy · #75 Posted **Jun 11, 2005, 4:22 PM**

The Hotel is 45 stories. Thats word from the VP of Yate Construction

starvinggryphon · #76 Posted **Jun 11, 2005, 6:27 PM**

Why the lack of renderings? They have already broke ground yet they offer no sources online...what's up with that?

JACKinBeantown · #77 Posted **Jun 11, 2005, 9:02 PM**

My guess is it's either the same design and doesn't need a new rendering, or it's a redesign and the new design isn't finalized yet.

texboy · #78 Posted **Jun 11, 2005, 11:11 PM**

Its been tweaked a little. The design as a whole has been kept majorly under raps though, bc its "controversial".

davinSA · #79 Posted **Jun 12, 2005, 7:28 AM**

Texboy, Whatever do you mean by "controversial?" Hoping they stick with the first design of the building. It was awesome and one of a kind!!!!!

jaga185 · #80 Posted **Jun 12, 2005, 7:40 AM**

he means like because its not beige and its glass, which is not what san antonio is used to seeing downtown