SAN ANTONIO | Downtown Development Updates [Archive] - Page 5

NBTX11

Oct 11, 2007, 2:57 AM

Here you go...

Sorry about the poor quality on these. Took with my 1MP camera phone, didn't have my good camera with me...

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/syersj/sa32.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/syersj/sa29.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/syersj/sa28.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/syersj/sa30.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/syersj/sa27.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/syersj/sa26.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/syersj/sa25.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/syersj/sa24.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/syersj/sa23.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/syersj/sa22.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/syersj/sa21.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/syersj/sa20.jpg

METALMiKE

Oct 11, 2007, 3:07 AM

Thanks bro, any pics are good pics.:tup:

KevinFromTexas

Oct 11, 2007, 3:59 AM

^ Agreed. I don't get down to San Antonio too terribly often, so anything is better than nothing!

kornbread

Oct 11, 2007, 4:28 AM

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/syersj/sa26.jpg

How appropriate that the pedestrian crossing sign landed over that side of this building since it looks like a sidewalk.

Maybe they can do like Vegas and advertise there?:jester:

adtobias

Oct 11, 2007, 4:54 AM

they are the 5th floor of which building

jaga185

Oct 11, 2007, 5:23 AM

^^^ Vidorra

adtobias

Oct 11, 2007, 8:22 PM

there is a lot of growth to that area of d/t

Complex01

Oct 15, 2007, 4:37 PM

This past weekend, i went to SA. I have to say seeing the GH in person, it really is very substantial. The length of it really is massive. I am still not sure how the top portion (Facade) will play out, or the colors for that fact, but its noticeable on the skyline. Vidorra was about 4 floors i think, i kept forgetting to look at it as i drove by, as my attention was on the hyatt for the most part. Sorry no pics...

:cool:

ydoc14

Oct 21, 2007, 3:54 AM

Taken on 10/20 by gesualdo @ Flickr

I think it looks great from this angle. The mechanical penthouse really makes a difference height wise imo.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2023/1662383976_c022fcd558_b.jpg

sirkingwilliam

Oct 21, 2007, 4:34 AM

Sorry but the flock of people running have my attention. WTF? Zombies?

KevinFromTexas

Oct 21, 2007, 4:38 AM

I know right? lol Bizarre. Concert maybe?

ydoc14

Oct 21, 2007, 6:27 AM

Alright you two, the focus is supposed to be on the building ;)
Maybe everyone's running from the Grand Hyatt hahahaha. Maybe it scared everyone with it's monstrous girth.

No, it's called Zombiewalk, some DT Halloween event.

sirkingwilliam

Oct 21, 2007, 6:55 AM

Did a little digging and found this.

http://www.myspace.com/sanantoniozombiewalk

Sounds[ed] cool. Sucks I missed it. I'd have loved to seen that.

KevinFromTexas

Oct 21, 2007, 7:14 AM

^ That's pretty cool.

chancla

Oct 21, 2007, 9:47 AM

Keep San Antonio...undead?

Paul in S.A TX

Oct 21, 2007, 6:26 PM

Why are they running not walking?

KevinFromTexas

Oct 21, 2007, 10:47 PM

I just noticed on our local news website that they did this in Austin today also. I had never heard of it. Keep San Antonio Undead, haha, I love Halloween.

ydoc14

Oct 22, 2007, 12:26 AM

Based on daytime views of MySA's web cam, it appears that the top of the mechanical penthouse is already at the same level as the base of the pyramids on the Marriott Rivercenter. I doubt it's because of the angle of the cam, because the Grand Hyatt is a block farther away from the camera than the Marriott Rivercenter, so technically if it was really shorter it shouldn't line up with the Marriott Rivercenter height wise right? So which is it? Is the Marriott shorter than thought? Is the Grand Hyatt taller than thought? Or is it just the web cam?

jaga185

Oct 22, 2007, 1:58 AM

No, the marriott roof is shorter than the mech house

KevinFromTexas

Oct 22, 2007, 2:14 AM

sirkingwilliam

Oct 22, 2007, 2:18 AM

FYI, apparently they do those Zombie Walks in a bunch of cities across the country. Quite bizarre but I can dig it during October.

sirkingwilliam

Oct 22, 2007, 2:33 AM

Any new news Andres can share with us?

ydoc14

Oct 22, 2007, 3:15 AM

Actually the Marriott's roof is higher than the mechanical penthouse of the Hyatt. 441 feet versus 424 feet. So are the pyramids that make of part of the spires on the Marriott. It's just because of the angle. A true test of this would be to see both buildings from the air at a level that is equal to their roofs. Then you could see which is higher than the other. You might also get a similar view from the Tower of the Americas. I'm not sure how much of the Marriott is blocked by the Hyatt though. You guys should go check it out! I also looked at the elevation of both of those blocks using GoogleEarth. Both are at 650 feet above sea level.

Can you post that web cam?

I posted the web cam orignially but even in forums the link still updates and so the cam would be at night right now so we wouldn't be able to tell anything. The best angle to do a comparison would be standing near the Torch of Friendship or on top the parking garage next to Casa Rio so that you could be in between Commerce and Market and have the buildings on the same angle.

I know the Marriott's roof is listed at 441', but can we be sure that's accurate? The reason I still wonder is because of the skyline view from the Botanical Gardens. The angle from here is much more linear than the MySA cam, and the Hyatt w/ the partial penthouse is as tall as the Marriott's roof even from this view.

Here's my reference: Taken on 10/13 by scribblegoblin @ Flickr

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2298/1599966205_c42ced97fd_o.jpg

And just to compare the difference in the skyline the Hyatt's made: Taken on 6/23 by max1west @ Flickr

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1178/616485517_70f220f064_b.jpg

Oh, and on a side note, WILL SOMEONE PLEASE PAINT THE PYRAMIDS AND SPIRES ON THE MARRIOTT SOMETHING OTHER THAN WHITE SO THEY WILL SHOW UP FROM A DISTANCE.

ydoc14

Oct 22, 2007, 3:56 AM

Attention everyone: click on this link http://www.flickr.com/photos/wereallsicboys/1679094920/ and be amazed by the building known as the Grand Hyatt. If you don't think the building from this view transforms the whole Convention/Rivercenter area...you're nuts! :banana:

Oh, and the penthouse is as tall as the Marriott from this view too. This is from the Holiday Inn btw.

KevinFromTexas

Oct 22, 2007, 4:09 AM

That does look taller, especially that flickr image. Well, we know for sure that the heights for the Grand Hyatt are correct since the guy who sent them to us works with the project.

I guess the question now is, is the Marriott height correct? It looks like it may be shorter than we all thought.

I've not had a lot of luck looking for building heights in San Antonio. Hotels are notoriously hard to get heights for for some reason.

ydoc14

Oct 22, 2007, 4:20 AM

KevinFromTexas

Oct 22, 2007, 4:36 AM

One thing I wonder about with some of these heights is if they're counting down to riverwalk level. I had gotten a height for the Hilton Palacio del Rio years ago, and they actually gave me two heights, one from street level and one to the riverwalk. 228 feet from the riverwalk, and 217 feet from street level. One thing is for sure, if one of them is counting riverwalk level and the other isn't, that can make it very difficult and confusing about which heights to trust.

ydoc14

Oct 22, 2007, 4:41 AM

^^^ Good point.

jaga185

Oct 22, 2007, 4:54 AM

That is exactly what I was thinking, I bet it is from river to roof. The heights for the Hyatt are from street to roof correct?

KevinFromTexas

Oct 22, 2007, 5:22 AM

That is exactly what I was thinking, I bet it is from river to roof. The heights for the Hyatt are from street to roof correct?

I'm not sure. Officially Emporis asks for heights from street level so that everything is equal. It's fine to have extra heights as a side note, just for more information, but the official heights should all be from street level since of course not all will border the river.

totheskies

Oct 22, 2007, 2:33 PM

I appreciate San Antonio's classic look, but it would be nice to get a few more futuristic additions to its skyline.

sirkingwilliam

Oct 24, 2007, 6:02 AM

Credit goes to Oldmanshirt for these pictures taken yesterday.

Grand Hyatt, Marriott, ToA[s] from one of the Alamodome parking lots
http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/1994/c1157jd5.jpg

Same spot now with Vidorra construction crane to the right
http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/8430/c1158yp9.jpg

Vidorra at five stories
http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/4537/c1168kz2.jpg

http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/6753/c1163lu4.jpg

Closer on Vidorra
http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/9722/c1176wc5.jpg

The Vistana construction site on the West end of downtown
http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/3598/c1185rz6.jpg

Paul in S.A TX

Oct 24, 2007, 6:23 AM

The GH is almost as tall is The M Rivercenter.I would say that make it at least 500 feet.The M rivercenter is 546 feet to the Spires or whatever those things are called.

KevinFromTexas

Oct 24, 2007, 2:03 PM

Great pictures!

I don't think it's 500 feet tall. We've already gotten the heights from the blueprints. Also if it was 500 feet tall, then the building should be a little less than half way up the spires of the Marriott. It just doesn't look like that. It looks like it's about level with the roof of the Marriott. If anything, at this point, I'm questioning the height to the roof for the Marriott.

Another thing I should mention is that I've seen a height for the Weston Centre that says it's 472 feet tall. The height we've been going with is 444 feet. In this picture, you can see that it looks slightly taller than the Marriott's roof. Another thing I should point out is that the elevation of the Weston Centre's block is 14 feet lower than the Marriott and Grand Hyatt's. So at just 3 feet taller than the Marriott's roof, but sitting 14 feet lower than the Marriott, it should not appear taller than the Marriott, but it does. So either the Weston Centre is taller, or the Marriott is shorter.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2298/1599966205_c42ced97fd_o.jpg

JACKinBeantown

Oct 24, 2007, 2:19 PM

First of all, nice shots, everyone.

The Weston has that "table" thing on top which is probably counted in the height. So is it possible to compare by roof height and structure height?

KevinFromTexas

Oct 24, 2007, 3:27 PM

Officially the "table" structure would be included in part of the height. I could easily see that structure being around 50 feet tall.

That height also has a 2nd height of 420 feet, which could be to the roof.

Complex01

Oct 24, 2007, 8:01 PM

Its amazing how those 2 new structures have such a dramatic effect on dt. Very nice...

:cool:

ydoc14

Oct 24, 2007, 10:19 PM

If you draw a straight line out from the top of the mechanical penthouse in that skyline shot, or hold a ruler up to it, it lines up very close to the roof of the Weston Centre. So that figure you have of the roof of the Weston Centre being 420' is probably close, real thing a little higher. If you study pictures of the Weston Centre, the box on top is about the same height as the setback portions of the Weston Centre. If you estimate the ceiling height of a floor on the WC to be 12', then a setback portion (which includes 2 floors and it looks like a 6' gap below the bottom windows, between the bottom and top windows, and above the top windows to the roof) would be around 42'. So we can guess that the box is also 42', which would make the total height of the Weston Centre around 462'. But, just the fact that I'm estimating could explain why my guessed figure is 10' shorter than the 472' figure Kevin has.

Also, if you draw a straight line out from the Hyatt's mech. penthouse, it does hit the Marriott's roof. So, it's quite obvious that the Marriott's roof is 20' shorter than listed. This is probably because the heights were indeed taken from the river. Therefore that would make the spires 20' shorter too - say 526'. The pyramids seem to rise to the midpoint between the spires and the roof, which with the revised heights of the Marriott would make them around 473'.

The spires give no visual heigth to the Marriott, but the pyramids do. So if all the mess I just said is somewhat true, then I would say that visually the Marriott and the Weston Centre are tied for the #2 spot (or #1 if you don't include ToA). Thoughts? :D

P.S. The Weston Centre seems very tall in person, and I've always wondered if it was higher than 444'.

Great pictures!

I don't think it's 500 feet tall. We've already gotten the heights from the blueprints. Also if it was 500 feet tall, then the building should be a little less than half way up the spires of the Marriott. It just doesn't look like that. It looks like it's about level with the roof of the Marriott. If anything, at this point, I'm questioning the height to the roof for the Marriott.

Another thing I should mention is that I've seen a height for the Weston Centre that says it's 472 feet tall. The height we've been going with is 444 feet. In this picture, you can see that it looks slightly taller than the Marriott's roof. Another thing I should point out is that the elevation of the Weston Centre's block is 14 feet lower than the Marriott and Grand Hyatt's. So at just 3 feet taller than the Marriott's roof, but sitting 14 feet lower than the Marriott, it should not appear taller than the Marriott, but it does. So either the Weston Centre is taller, or the Marriott is shorter.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2298/1599966205_c42ced97fd_o.jpg

ydoc14

Oct 24, 2007, 10:29 PM

Also, thanks to Google Earth :), the Weston Centre is about 3 miles away from the photographer in that skyline shot. The Marriott Rivercenter is also almost 3 miles away. So, in that picture, the Marriott and the Weston Centre are basically the same distance from the photographer, and the angle is fairly linear so it makes for a good comparison. If you draw a line straight out from the Weston Centre, you will see that it hits right where the top of the pyramids on the Marriott would be (if they were painted where you could see them). So, I think I'm right about the Weston and the Marriott being visually tied for #2. However technically the Marriott would be #2 because of the spires. But when I'm looking at buildings in person or in pictures, my eye deals with visual height and not technical height.

Hope I'm making sense :shrug:

ydoc14

Oct 24, 2007, 10:56 PM

Ok, I've taken the skyline image and drawn a line for everyone to see. It either comes right where the pyramids peak, or a little bit higher. Not as high as the spires though, but it really doesn't matter to the eye.

http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/2261/1599966205c42ced97fdocovd2.jpg

Schertz1

Oct 25, 2007, 12:11 AM

A Few photos from 21 Oct 07

Houston St Indigo Hotel

http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l164/schertz1/PA210067.jpg

Skyline

http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l164/schertz1/PA210066.jpg

DT streetview

http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l164/schertz1/PA210072.jpg

http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l164/schertz1/PA210071.jpg

http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l164/schertz1/PA210069.jpg

ydoc14

Oct 25, 2007, 1:18 AM

A Few photos from 21 Oct 07

Skyline

http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l164/schertz1/PA210066.jpg

WOW :banana:
The Grand Hyatt really makes a difference. I think that's the best angle of it I've seen yet.

michobq

Oct 25, 2007, 2:11 AM

Schertz,

Where did you take the skyline shot from?

KevinFromTexas

Oct 25, 2007, 7:13 AM

Good work with that ydoc14. I'd say that sounds about right with that 472 foot height for the Weston. The Bank of America Center is 387 feet tall. I've always thought the Weston Centre looked more than 57 feet taller than the Bank of America Center.

Great angle there, Schertz. I've never seen that angle before.

verbl

Oct 25, 2007, 7:23 AM

Looks great. but how much of the side of the hyatt will be glass? It seems that the small windows will come all the way to the top.... Oh well.

starvinggryphon

Oct 25, 2007, 1:01 PM

That angle is from Highway 90 from the overpass just above Frio City Rd. on the westside.

jaga185

Oct 25, 2007, 6:30 PM

http://www.grandsanantonio.hyatt.com/hyatt/images/hotels/satgh/signature.jpg

I'm sure this has been posted before, its from the Grand Hyatt SA website, but you can see all the glass here and where it supposed to fit in.

ydoc14

Oct 25, 2007, 10:45 PM

Taken on 10/21 by Ping & Wenji @ Flickr

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2251/1750627422_fbc97401cb_b.jpg

ydoc14

Oct 26, 2007, 12:51 AM

After doing some measurements on pictures of the Weston Centre, the box on top is the same height as a setback like I thought. If I knew the height of a window on the Weston Centre, then I could figure out how tall the building really is. I'm thinking 472' could be the height of the small antennas on top of the box.

What if we emailed Cambridge Seven & Associates, the architecture firm that did it? Think they'd give us the heights?

21bl0wed

Oct 26, 2007, 2:37 AM

that angle is on 90 over frio street. in the ghettoooooo lol :D

BigBird9

Oct 26, 2007, 3:54 AM

Skyline

http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l164/schertz1/PA210066.jpg

I see two cranes in this pic! Is the one on the left Vistana, and the right Vidorra?

KevinFromTexas

Oct 26, 2007, 3:58 AM

They could, yes. I've had some luck with that before. I've even been able to view the actual blueprints of buildings in Austin during their construction. Most of the new highrises in Austin that I've gathered heights for, either came through email exchanges with the developer, construction company, or the architects. On a few occasions, I even set down in their construction office and was allowed to write down all the heights straight from the blueprints. If you do happen to send them an email asking for the heights, be sure to ask for the height to the roof and to that "table" structure at the top. And make sure the heights are from the street.

JACKinBeantown

Oct 26, 2007, 2:04 PM

Nice shot.

NBTX11

Oct 27, 2007, 2:18 AM

The Hyatt sure looks taller than the Marriott roof. At least from this view. And it is a good distance away, so it is fairly accurate.

ydoc14

Oct 29, 2007, 4:56 AM

Taken on 10/28 by Traveling Fools of America @ Flickr

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2108/1794281415_926d2bd9b1_b.jpg

Complex01

Oct 29, 2007, 1:45 PM

You know its been years since i have been up to the tower. kewl pic...

:yes:

KevinFromTexas

Oct 29, 2007, 5:36 PM

Funny picture. I'm always used to being up in the tower with the tower shadow being over I-37, so it's funny seeing it there. I take it that was a morning shot, with the sun farther to the east, behind the tower. When you think about, that really is the best place on the skyline for the Tower of the Americas. Had it been on the other side of downtown all those gorgeous skyline photos we see would be looking into the sunlight instead and messing with the exposure.

You can see that the Hyatt is topped out here, except maybe another level or two on the mechanical penthouse. The main roof is finished however. Notice the thin roof above the building on the right side? That's the cabana level.

And it's really hard to say with the Marriott height. The mechanical penthouse on the Hyatt, and the roof of the Marriott look mighty close there. The Hyatt mechanical penthouse top is supposed to be 424 feet. The Marriott roof height 441 feet. I think 17 feet is probably too close to be able to eyeball it. You'd be surprised, 10 to 20 feet on a skyscraper isn't much height, which is the height of one to two floors. The Marriott height very well may be correct. Really the height that I question is the one for Weston Centre. I'm thinking it's taller than the 444 foot height we've been using. That 472 foot height I had seen seems more correct for that table structure on the roof.

Also I'm really glad the hotel was planned in such a way that it doesn't block the view of the Alamo from the Tower of the Americas. You'd be surprised how many times I hear tourists on the observation deck asking "Where is the Alamo?" Then someone would point it out. Good planning on their part for keeping that view.

adtobias

Oct 29, 2007, 8:43 PM

nice view from up there

jaga185

Oct 29, 2007, 9:12 PM

The Hyatt's mech house is taller than the roof of the Marriott. Driving down from N281 today, you can see the mech above the Marriott. The 441ft measurement is wrong, or 424ft for the mech house is incorrect and they went too high or something...

ydoc14

Oct 30, 2007, 1:55 AM

NBTX11

Oct 30, 2007, 3:33 AM

My only complaint is the MR is basically totally blocked out from the Tower. the MR is my favorite DT building, and it is almost completely blocked out from the tower views. Oh well

ydoc14

Oct 30, 2007, 4:44 AM

My only complaint is the MR is basically totally blocked out from the Tower. the MR is my favorite DT building, and it is almost completely blocked out from the tower views. Oh well

That's cool that it's your favorite building. I'm a big Weston Centre fan

jaga185

Oct 30, 2007, 5:17 AM

I would have to say I'm a big fan of Tower of Life, its just awesome to look at.

KevinFromTexas

Oct 30, 2007, 4:12 PM

My favorite is also the Tower Life Building. Day or night that is a beautiful building. I sort of have a love hate relationship with that antenna. It's cool because it adds height, but it's sort of a shame it had to be on such a beautiful building. It's like beauty and the beast!

There's others that I like a lot also. The US Post Office, The Municipal Auditorium, Emily Morgan Hotel, Bexar County Courthouse, Casino Club Building.

For function, I love the Tower of the Americas. I'd love to have a tower in Austin for the views. I'd probably move in. lol

JACKinBeantown

Oct 30, 2007, 8:40 PM

Tower Life is one of my favorite skyscrapers anywhere. How many hexagonals are there?

TXLove

Oct 31, 2007, 2:22 AM

Looks like Tower of Americas on Skyscraperpage's new banner.....or is it the one in Calgary?

ydoc14

Oct 31, 2007, 3:33 AM

If anyone watched the game on TNT tonight, did you see the helicopter shot of dt from the east after one of the commercial breaks? It was an old shot, the parking garage for the Hyatt had been cleared but it hadn't started construction yet. Anyway, when I saw it I was thinking how good the Hyatt is gonna look from the east.

NBTX11

Oct 31, 2007, 3:47 AM

Does anyone know who does the illustrations of the buildings on this website. The Grand Hyatt is wrong. The illustrations basically show the GH and smaller Marriott as the same size, and the GH is WAAAY taller than the smaller marriott. They show the Marriott Riverwalk roof as even with the shorter side roof of the GH, and you can see in any picture that that part of the GH is much taller...

See here...

http://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?c98

The GH is too short in this diagram, imo...

KevinFromTexas

Oct 31, 2007, 4:43 AM

matttwentyeight

Oct 31, 2007, 6:30 AM

My only complaint is the MR is basically totally blocked out from the Tower. the MR is my favorite DT building, and it is almost completely blocked out from the tower views. Oh well

the marriott rivercenter is my favorite building downtown, as well! when i was a little kid, like 6 or 8, i wanted to live in the marriott because i thought it looked so cool with it's twin spires and stair stepped shape... and when they were possibly going to double it's size i was so excited but both that proposal and the sheraton fell through... still my favorite building, by far though~~~

ydoc14

Nov 1, 2007, 2:50 AM

Here are some shots from today's KENS5 Traffic Cams. The first is from I-35/37 SB, and the second is from US-90/Leon Creek EB (I edited the picture to make the skyline show up more. Still a little hard to see, but you can tell how much of a difference the Grand Hyatt is making.) Looks like from the first one the Hyatt is level w/ the Marriott's roof.

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/6316/640cctv0037n142825ih37ami1.jpg

http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/1810/640cctv0090w566282us90ala7.jpg

NBTX11

Nov 1, 2007, 3:03 AM

The drawing for the Grand Hyatt is actually too tall there to the mechanical penthouse. They were using the 427 foot height that had been originally listed. It turns out the hotel is 424 feet tall. So that drawing is actually too tall by 3 feet. The Grand Hyatt's roof on the left side is 408 feet tall.

The drawing for the Marriott Riverwalk is WAY too tall. They're showing it as being taller than the Adam's Mark Hotel (building to the right of the Marriott in the diagrams). The Adam's Mark Hotel is 325 feet tall according to the building manager. As for the Marriott Riverwalk, I'm thinking it's about 300 feet tall. They're showing it as being a little less than 10 meters (about 25 feet) taller than the Adam's Mark Hotel. There's no way it's that tall.

To make a request to correct the diagram, go to this section of the forum and start a thread.
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=-1&f=81

IMO, they are still showing the GH as waaay too short, even if the Marriott riverwalk is too tall. Reason is, they show the roof (without the mech penthouse) to be somewhere around 360-365 Ft or so, and you said it is 408. They also show the Mech Penthouse to be about 60-70 ft above the roof and we know that is wrong. The roof is obviously shown way too short, should be much closer to the M. Rivercenter roof. I think it is that the GH is too short more than the Marriott Riverwalk is too tall.

Complex01

Nov 1, 2007, 4:25 PM

Hey kewl ydoc, thanxs for posting...

satxgreen

Nov 2, 2007, 9:38 PM

http://www.loopnet.com/Attachments/7/4/5/7455FC9C-F322-4D10-9001-310CB2027C0C.pdf

http://www.loopnet.com/Attachments/E/2/9/E29CA1DC-00A2-4123-9A58-ACD53F2BD151.pdf

http://www.loopnet.com/Attachments/5/9/D/59DCDF42-CCF0-4940-8E82-E12C8F5BC188.pdf

sirkingwilliam

Nov 2, 2007, 10:00 PM

http://img111.imageshack.us/img111/3910/piazzapq7.png

KevinFromTexas

Nov 2, 2007, 10:51 PM

Sweet.

Adding to the pile here. One of these (first one) is a screen cap from that PDF file.

Click on the thumbnails.
http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/7819/piazzasanlorenzolv4.th.jpg (http://img221.imageshack.us/my.php?image=piazzasanlorenzolv4.jpg)
http://img118.imageshack.us/img118/9750/sanantonioaerialofpiazznq1.th.jpg (http://img118.imageshack.us/my.php?image=sanantonioaerialofpiazznq1.jpg)
http://img118.imageshack.us/img118/9802/sanantonioaerialofpiazzvz5.th.jpg (http://img118.imageshack.us/my.php?image=sanantonioaerialofpiazzvz5.jpg)

elmariachi

Nov 3, 2007, 4:49 AM

when will it break ground. i have been waiting for this project for a couple years atleast.

sirkingwilliam

Nov 3, 2007, 3:45 PM

It looks like it's now getting serious.

kornbread

Nov 3, 2007, 6:26 PM

when will it break ground. i have been waiting for this project for a couple years atleast.

There was mention of a Spring 2010 opening in the second .pdf file. So, if this is going to happen, I would think they need to start in the next 6 months. This may be it's last breath.

This is one project I would really like to see come to fruition. I think the plaza could start a new trend in riverwalk development by showing how they could draw in people up from the riverwalk to the street levels. New developments in the River North area could follow this approach.

sakyle04

Nov 7, 2007, 9:00 AM

i stopped in to check on san antonio and have been so pleased with all of the updates. you guys have been doing an amazing job. and to find threads for the broadway and the new courtyard in the highrise construction section was very cool. keep it up!!!:yes: :yes: :yes:

still in south africa...
http://p.vtourist.com/977406-photo_Copyright_20012002_LBA_Consortium-Johannesburg.jpg

Complex01

Nov 7, 2007, 3:30 PM

Good to hear the project is still moving forward. It has been a while since anything was heard...

OfCourse

Nov 7, 2007, 6:08 PM

The Piazza San Lorenzo looks like it's going to be great. I hope they do something w/ that blank wall on the back side, though.

JACKinBeantown

Nov 7, 2007, 6:45 PM

Austin may be getting taller residential towers, but I think it's starting to show that San Antonio's insistence on architectural "style" is paying off in the residential center of downtown. Not so much for the Great Wall of San Antonio (Hyatt), but in the old Riverwalk area with the residences, restaurants and shorter hotels.

NBTX11

Nov 7, 2007, 11:41 PM

I was DT today and took a TON of pictures. This is just to whet your appetite. Will post the rest tonight or tomorrow, whenever I get a chance to download all of them.

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/syersj/100_0421.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/syersj/100_0420.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/syersj/100_0418.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/syersj/100_0417.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/syersj/100_0416.jpg

NBTX11

Nov 7, 2007, 11:43 PM

OK, couple more...more later...

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/syersj/100_0421.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/syersj/100_0419.jpg

ydoc14

Nov 8, 2007, 12:50 AM

Way to go NBTX! Looks like the mechanical penthouse is going higher, they've got some more beams on the top of it :banana:

jaga185

Nov 8, 2007, 1:47 AM

For sure this will be taller than the Marriott roof, hands down, no if ands or buts!!!

ydoc14

Nov 8, 2007, 2:13 AM

Hey NBTX, what's the Hyatt like in the skyline coming down 35? Say around Splashtown or Brooks?

NBTX11

Nov 8, 2007, 2:46 AM

Hey NBTX, what's the Hyatt like in the skyline coming down 35? Say around Splashtown or Brooks?

It makes a dramatic improvement coming down I-35 when you get on I-37, and even in the Splashtown area. It is a space eater, so it fills in a large gap in skyline, imo. Looks great on I-37 going south towards Alamodome area, really fills in that side of DT.

KevinFromTexas

Nov 8, 2007, 3:28 AM

For sure this will be taller than the Marriott roof, hands down, no if ands or buts!!!

If it is, then that might mean that the Marriott's roof isn't even 400 feet high, or if it is, just barely over that height.

ydoc14

Nov 8, 2007, 3:51 AM

If it is, then that might mean that the Marriott's roof isn't even 400 feet high, or if it is, just barely over that height.

Not to keep playing the same old tune, but I did calculate the Marriott's roof to be 402'. :shrug:

ydoc14

Nov 8, 2007, 3:52 AM

It makes a dramatic improvement coming down I-35 when you get on I-37, and even in the Splashtown area. It is a space eater, so it fills in a large gap in skyline, imo. Looks great on I-37 going south towards Alamodome area, really fills in that side of DT.

Sweet!

NBTX11

Nov 8, 2007, 4:05 AM

If it is, then that might mean that the Marriott's roof isn't even 400 feet high, or if it is, just barely over that height.

BOTH the Marriott and GH look taller than 400' to me.

ydoc14

Nov 8, 2007, 4:16 AM

BOTH the Marriott and GH look taller than 400' to me.

Everything's bigger in Texas ;) hahaha.
But I know what you mean. All the skyscrapers downtown look taller than what they're listed as.

NBTX11

Nov 8, 2007, 4:31 AM

Couple more...I am going to create a SA thread as well...

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/syersj/100_0441.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/syersj/100_0424.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/syersj/100_0410.jpg

Complex01

Nov 8, 2007, 2:57 PM

Nice pics...

:yes:

Boquillas

Nov 8, 2007, 5:33 PM

Those are great pics, NBTX11!

I know these are old, but they offer an interesting vantage point on downtown. I took these shots of the Hyatt construction on August 10 of this year, from the skybridge at the San Antonio Museum of Art. If someone could take some more pics from that spot now that it's been topped out, I'm sure it would lend some insight into the relative heights of the two big hotels.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2010/1913583415_b51d36402e_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/paul_heaston/1913583415/)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2026/1913584739_592105eade_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/paul_heaston/1913584739/)

a quickr pickr (http://quickrpickr.com) post

verbl

Nov 8, 2007, 8:40 PM

I love these pics! i can not wait for the glass. One more thing that pic of the boa building and the weston was geat but that darn crown plaza needs torn down and replaced!

KevinFromTexas

Nov 8, 2007, 10:12 PM

Thanks Boquillas! Great angle.

BOTH the Marriott and GH look taller than 400' to me.

The heights that Sejie posted for the Grand Hyatt is 424 feet to the mechanical penthouse, and 408 feet to the top of the cabana roof. Those came from the blueprints for the building, so I'm sure they're correct. The heights we've always seen listed for the Marriott Rivercenter is 441 feet to the roof, and 546 feet to the spires. In some photos the Hyatt's roof, at least the mechanical penthouse's roof, looks higher than the Marriott's roof. And if it's not taller, than it's really close to the same. If that's the case, then it may mean the Marriott's roof is shorter than that 441 foot height we've all been using. That height may have been including down to the Riverwalk level.

And about the Crowne Plaza. It has potential. What I would love to see happen is strip that god awful limestone facade and replace it with glass and have it carry on up to the penthouse and to that pyramidal top. Make a truly modern looking hotel. The building is quite old, it was actually built in 1957 as an office building for a bank. Around 2000 or so Adam's Mark Hotels bought it, and turned it into a hotel. Crowne Plaza purchased it from them a few years later. It is possible to strip the stone facade and replace it with glass making a nice neighbor for Weston Centre. They did this in Austin for the Dobie Center. That building has beautiful cobalt blue glass, but was originally clad with a limestone facade. It immediately went from being a dated monster, to being an elegant building.

Dobie Center with its limestone facade before 1990 standing to the left (southwest) of the UT Tower in Austin. The building was built in 1972.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Uttower1.jpg

Dobie Center now. The stone facade was replaced around 1990. This is Austin's tallest dormitory tower.
http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=dobiecenter-austin-tx-usa

Another view, (from the UT Tower), showing the redo. Photo y stmontgomery.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/171/476395662_831d9b778c_o.jpg