River extension project to feature fairy tale come true
Web Posted: 04/11/2008 11:39 PM CDT
email]dgoddard@express-news.net[/email]
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/met...2.3ad4189.html
Dan R. Goddard
Express-News
Designed to look like the setting for a romantic fairy tale, a cavelike grotto is planned for a bend along the upper reach of the San Antonio River.
Carlos Cortés, San Antonio's master of concrete faux bois — or false wood — style, has been commissioned to create the $3 million project for the Museum Reach of the San Antonio River Improvements Project.
The grotto — which will feature waterfalls and realistic-looking stalactites and stalagmites molded and carved in concrete, as well as benches and walkways — is being funded by the San Antonio River Foundation, which unveiled the plans this week. It will be located in a bend of the river where Camden and Newell streets intersect a few blocks north of the San Antonio Museum of Art.
"This will be my biggest project so far," Cortés said "I'll probably add some follies, too, which I haven't decided on yet. I may have some shell work and mosaic murals. Basically, I've been studying cave formations and the old grottos of Europe and Latin America looking for ideas. Once I start working on a project, I like to be able to improvise."
Construction isn't scheduled to begin until the fall, and Cortés said it probably would take him between 12 and 14 months to finish the project.
"We expect this to be one of the nicest and most popular amenities along the urban segment of the Museum Reach. ... The grotto is likely to be one of our biggest projects," said Kim Abernethy, River Foundation deputy director.
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The foundation is working to raise $50 million from private sources for enhancements to the river improvements project.
Overall, the $250 million public/private project is designed to create a linear park extending from the Acequia Madre near Hildebrand Avenue to Mission Espada near Loop 410 South. The urban segment of the Museum Reach, which includes the grotto, extends the River Walk from Lexington Avenue to Josephine Street.
Cortés, who built the H-E-B Science Treehouse at the Witte Museum, is carrying on a family tradition started by his uncle, Dionisio Rodriguez, who built the bus stop resembling a palapa, or thatched-roof hut, in Alamo Heights in the 1920s.
Following in his uncle's footsteps, Cortés in 2004 built the palapa-style bus stop at South Presa Street and Callaghan Avenue in Southtown.
Currently, he's working on a palapa-style pavilion for the Hannah Landa Memorial Library that is scheduled to be unveiled May 1. With a roof of what looks like palm fronds held up by what appears to be a small grove of oak trees, the 30-by-15 foot concrete structure is designed to be used as an outdoor stage and meeting area.
"His work is simply beautiful, and we expect this pavilion will be a destination for people to see because it is such a wonderful example of Carlos' work," said Monte Vista resident Ann Van Pelt, who has worked on the project for the Landa Gardens Conservancy.
Cortés also plans to build a palapa-style overlook across the river from the grotto. The grotto will be about 120 feet wide and about 30 feet deep. Stairs will lead down into the grotto from street level, and a river-level path will wind through the faux cave.
Beginning late this summer, the city will dig into the riverbank and build a retaining wall and foundation for the grotto, which Cortés then will mold and carve with the help of a small crew of expert concrete workers. He said some of the cave features, such as the stalactites and stalagmites, would be fashioned at his outdoor workshop and studio in Southtown.
"Mostly, we'll be working to make the concrete look like the inside of a cave, but there probably will be tree roots growing through it and the benches will look like wood," he said. "While this grotto won't be a Catholic grotto, I hope that it will give people a spiritual feeling."