SAN ANTONIO │ Joske's Tower │ 31 FLOORS │ 410 FEET │ Proposed

[FastFerrari82]

I really like the new renderings of this proposed building. It will certainly help fill in the "gap" from the front "3"(old Marriott/new Marriott/Hyatt) to the Weston and Drury lnn. The views would be great, and would create more competition with hotels.

This one possibly giving the best views of the Alamo and centered a little more central to downtown, thus it would be taller than some of the other centraly located hotels.

Really wish I could support in thr meeting, but took a sick day today

However, anyone ever think of maybe writing the mayor's office to help support the cause and as one of the fellow contributes said push thenfact of jobs/vibrant downtown??!

[21bl0wed]

Doubt it gets built as is. Hdrc can go blank themselves

[cole world11]

Let us know how it goes, Sir!

[UrbanTrance]

It was denied.

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/downtow...-joskes-hotel/

[JACKinBeantown]

WTF?! Why?

[audiomuse]

My hometown disappoints me way too much. People are complaining that this would detract from the historical integrity of the Alamo area. They say they want to "recreate" the original Alamo site as much as possible. Hello??? Things have changed, it's a built urban area now!! Also, what about Rivercenter Mall being so close to the Alamo area? Stupid idiots!!

I'm glad I moved to Austin. Things get built here and our downtown is progressing.

[Tornado]

What are the chances this gets overturned? It would be an awesome addition. The Alamo is a special place...but if they wanted to preserve it, then they shouldn't have allowed development across the street with such gems like ripleys haunted adventure....which is actually pretty fun.

In El Paso, our HLC decisions can be appealed to city council, how does it work in SA?

[sirkingwilliam]

Originally Posted by Tornado

What are the chances this gets overturned? It would be an awesome addition. The Alamo is a special place...but if they wanted to preserve it, then they shouldn't have allowed development across the street with such gems like ripleys haunted adventure....which is actually pretty fun.

In El Paso, our HLC decisions can be appealed to city council, how does it work in SA?

"The developer has the option of returning to the commission with a different design, or appealing to the Zoning Board of Adjustment."

[Dale]

Jeebus.

Is all I can say.

[Tornado]

What are the chances of the zoning board of adjustment overturning this?

[jaga185]

What are the legal fees if he just built it? I mean seriously.

[sakyle04]

Read more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/loc...#ixzz2S8xqojuD

"Longtime public administration college professor Heywood Sanders warned that the high-rise venture, like many San Antonio endeavors that once were highly touted, could fall short of promise, leaving a financially struggling enterprise within view of the Alamo shrine's front lawn."

Um, Rivercenter Mall? Idiots.

[FastFerrari82]

Why not propose a different site??

[stuntpuller]

Hopefully they will consider doing that but man this is frustrating to watch happen, right as Austin and Midland get consideration for buildings twice & three times the size of what this developer proposed. Ugh...

[oldmanshirt]

Some of the justification for denying the project seemed inappropriate, in my opinion. For instance, leaning on the SA 2020 initiative. Is it really the function of the HDRC to judge according broad-ranging economic and social planning goals? They should be a committee that regulates design and aethetics, experts on history and architecture. To give them a broad authority in other areas seems to both expect too much from one board and to centralize too much power in the hands of eight or so individuals. It shouldn't be for this body (unelected, I'm assuming) to judge whether SA "needs" residential more than it needs hotel rooms, let alone have broad judicial power to restrict or order development based on those factors. If the market decides the building should be residential a few years down the road, the building can be converted at that time.

If Sanders' opinion was also that of the Commission, i.e., this building should be denied because it "might be" or "probably will be" a disappointment like past SA projects, then that seems highly specious and speculative, as well, not to mention unfair. Seems to me there's a good case for the BZA to overturn this ruling if Ashkenazy wants to appeal.

[JACKinBeantown]

Originally Posted by oldmanshirt

Seems to me there's a good case for the BZA to overturn this ruling if Ashkenazy wants to appeal.

Somebody start a petition of support based on the rationalization you gave in the first paragraph, and I'll sign it.

[UrbanTrance]

Originally Posted by FastFerrari82

Why not propose a different site??

It's unfortunate that the first proposed high rise in a long time had to be so close to the Alamo. I hope the developer would still consider going to the zoning board.

[Tornado]

I would hope they would go to the zoning board of adjustment....we need the power players in the city to apply pressure in the right places

[WorldTexas]

Originally Posted by Tornado

I would hope they would go to the zoning board of adjustment....we need the power players in the city to apply pressure in the right places

I'd suggest applying pressure via social media. I tweeted my disappointment and tagged Mayor Castro in it. I'll do the same with the rest of the council, if I can find them.

With this being election season and all, they probably will be more responsive if there is a sudden uproar in the social media streams. And it's more powerful than writing letters (not to discount the idea) because it is much more public. Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. are all very powerful tools.

Can we tweet our way to a skyscraper? I think so.

[texboy]

What a joke the HDRC is. They need to get the backward thinking folks off that committee!