SAN ANTONIO │ Official Hemisfair Redevelopment Thread - Page 10

sirkingwilliam · #**181** Posted **Mar 21, 2014, 9:24 AM**

Seattle firm, GGN, picked to lead design of new civic park at Hemisfair

Quote:

Gustafson Guthrie Nichol (GGN), a Seattle-based landscape architecture firm with international street cred, will design the civic park for Hemisfair. The City of San Antonio approved the contract on Thursday.

The civic park will be one of three new green spaces that will help anchor the transformation of the former World’s Fair site.

Gustafson’s work includes the Lurie Garden at Millennium Park in Chicago; the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial at Hyde Park in London; Cultuurpark Westergasfabriek in Amsterdam; Seattle City Hall Plaza; Valencia Parque Central in Spain; and the Robert and Arlene Kogod Courtyard at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C.

WorldTexas · #**182** Posted **May 15, 2014, 6:59 PM**

More news and renderings on Hemisfair. They seem to be going for a very European feel, which I personally think fits our downtown very well.

Quote:

Plan is to frame HemisFair’s civic lawn with buildings
BY BENJAMIN OLIVO

An open green space framed by classic-style buildings. And in and between those buildings — from the outside looking in — arcades, courtyards and pathways that offer glimpses of the civic lawn and beckon you to enter.

Read more: http://blog.mysanantonio.com/downtow...gs/#23375101=6

jaga185 · #**183** Posted **May 16, 2014, 9:16 PM**

I think it's perfect. I can't wait for this to start coming into form. It's going to stink for the hilton del palacio, though. With their messages on the windows to 37.

JACKinBeantown · #**184** Posted **May 17, 2014, 5:23 PM**

I love it.

Keep-SA-Lame · #**185** Posted **May 18, 2014, 1:00 AM**

Fantastic! Hope they're careful about what kind of retail they bring in, otherwise it'll just end up another tourist zone.

Fireoutofclay · #**186** Posted **May 21, 2014, 11:10 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keep-SA-Lame

Fantastic! Hope they're careful about what kind of retail they bring in, otherwise it'll just end up another tourist zone.

Right on! I share that sentiment. But with a price tag of a billion dollars, should "they" be picky or take what they can get just to get it going? That is a lot of money to invest, and this is a prime piece of real estate that hotels are salivating for. It's kinda why I'm skeptical of this location for the park. My main concern is that, should this design fail to attract developers immediately, the hotel industry will be waiting in the wings with their wallets open ready to swoop in. Sure, as it stands, 10% of the park can be allotted for hotel development, but I wouldn't be surprised if the hotel lobbyists are circling our Capital like vultures hoping to change that when the time is right. Oh, and does anyone know if time-shares are considered residential with respect to Hemisfair Park?
But I do feel that this park does deserve a chance to happen, and I really hope it gets it.

sirkingwilliam · #**187** Posted **Jul 24, 2014, 4:06 AM**

By way of a personal request by the one and only Andres Andujar, I have created an official Hemisfair thread.

All news pertaining to the Hemisfair redevelopment should be posted in this thread.

Hopefully Andres himself will participate in the discussion.

sirkingwilliam · #**188** Posted **Jul 31, 2014, 2:26 PM**

The three different scenarios for designs of the Civic Park portion of Hemisfair. These scenarios were designed by Seattle-based Gustafson Guthrie Nichol.

More images:

whatdoyouwantandwhy · #**189** Posted **Jul 31, 2014, 6:53 PM**

scenario 1 and 2 look the best in my opinion

KevinFromTexas · #**190** Posted **Jul 31, 2014, 9:27 PM**

Scenario 1 would provide a more continuous open space in the park while also encouraging the buildings to be closer to the surrounding street. That could be good for whatever retail they're planning in them. That tree lined path cutting through the park could also serve as a nice pedestrian route for people who are visiting the tower. I remember when we were at the convention center that whenever I would walk from the convention center over to the tower that it felt like a really long walk. That path would greatly cut down on that and would provide a nice shaded route.

Keep-SA-Lame · #**191** Posted **Aug 5, 2014, 10:03 PM**

These are really cool options, particularly option 1. I wish I had been able to go to the public meeting.

I am worried about the amount of parkland relative to the amount of develop-able land. If there's too many buildings I think it may end up feeling more like a private courtyard than a public park. Is there a reason it has to be almost completely walled off from the street? Why not open up part of one side to S Alamo or Market St (at least partially)?

JACKinBeantown · #**192** Posted **Aug 6, 2014, 4:47 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keep-SA-Lame

These are really cool options, particularly option 1. I wish I had been able to go to the public meeting.

I am worried about the amount of parkland relative to the amount of develop-able land. If there's too many buildings I think it may end up feeling more like a private courtyard than a public park. Is there a reason it has to be almost completely walled off from the street? Why not open up part of one side to S Alamo or Market St (at least partially)?

I agree 100%. With that in mind, I think 1 and 3 are the best options because they have better access from street to park. 1 has the added feature of buildings abutting the street and therefore better access to what I hope will be ground level retail.

sirkingwilliam · #**193** Posted **Aug 30, 2014, 8:04 AM**

HDRC SET TO APPROVE DESIGN OF FIRST TWO STREETS FOR HEMISFAIR
WATER STREET AND EAST NUEVA STREET

KevinFromTexas · #**194** Posted **Oct 4, 2014, 6:36 AM**

I learned something with this. This says there was another observation deck, presumably on the roof, that was closed in 1970 after a series of suicides.

Early Tower of the Americas rendering doesn't look anything like reality

This link includes a larger rendering of the original design.
http://tpr.org/post/see-oneil-fords-...rinity-gallery

Construction of the Hilton Palacio del Rio
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/loc...to-4387746.php

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/loc...#photo-6839116

trillhippy_210 · #**195** Posted **Dec 16, 2014, 5:46 PM**

Did anyone go to the Hemisfair park unveiling last night? It was at the institute of texan cultures. Wondering what the final design is.

sirkingwilliam · #**196** Posted **Dec 16, 2014, 8:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by trillhippy_210

Did anyone go to the Hemisfair park unveiling last night? It was at the institute of texan cultures. Wondering what the final design is.

That's happening today. I'll be there if anyone wants to meet up.

trillhippy_210 · #**197** Posted **Dec 16, 2014, 9:10 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by sirkingwilliam

That's happening today. I'll be there if anyone wants to meet up.

oh wow, Idk what day it is half the time lol I would go but I dont have a way to get there & back. Hopefully they release the drawings tomorrow!

trillhippy_210 · #**198** Posted **Dec 17, 2014, 12:19 AM**

Here are the new Hemisfair renderings!

https://www.facebook.com/downtownsa/...18715564838203

UrbanTrance · #**199** Posted **Dec 17, 2014, 1:24 AM**

Looks nice

kornbread · #**200** Posted **Dec 17, 2014, 7:30 AM**

While some of the details of the park look nice, the site plan shows what looks like too much space occupied by buildings along South Alamo and Market streets.

I thought the whole purpose of shifting park space to that corner was to open it up and make it more inviting to everyone. Right now it looks like the access points are squeezed, and the parcel next to the river is paved.

I know there are no proposed buildings at this time, but does this essentially show "footprints" of what they are allowing for buildings near the corner?

From the Rivard Report