{SA} Hemisfair Park may become mixed-use neighborhood

[sirkingwilliam]

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/met...y.39af0d1.html

Is rebirth in works for HemisFair Park?

Web Posted: 04/05/2008 11:56 PM CDT

David Uhler
Express-News

Forty years ago today, San Antonio placed a bet that helped it hit the jackpot.

The gamble — HemisFair '68 — helped transform the Alamo City from a dusty cow town into an internationally recognized tourism and convention destination capable of hosting big events, including this weekend's NCAA Final Four.

But, the city still has a blue chip lying uncashed on the table.

The old HemisFair grounds, rechristened HemisFair Park, are nicely landscaped, but under used. With access limited on three sides, the 92-acre park is like a cul-de-sac, making its buildings hard to reach, or even see, from surrounding streets. Parking lots on its perimeter are small and tough to find.

Most of the buildings have governmental and institutional uses — a convention center, a museum, a cultural center, a pair of theaters and a cluster of federal buildings — and that might be its biggest problem.

Although HemisFair Park remains an important gathering place for some big celebrations, such as the city's New Year's Eve bash and the Texas Folklife Festival, that leaves about 350 days out of the year when it's largely occupied by federal workers and schoolchildren on weekdays and wandering conventioneers on weekends.

Just as HemisFair once transformed the city, however, the old fairgrounds might be on the brink of its own metamorphosis.

Mayor Phil Hardberger says an independent proposal recently developed by Overland Partners, a San Antonio architectural firm, includes a mixed-use neighborhood of homes and businesses for HemisFair Park. Its park-like setting would be retained, but streets and a parking deck would be built to provide easier access to the homes, businesses and existing buildings in its core.

Last week, a federal agency approved a land swap with the city that could move the courthouse and other facilities out of HemisFair Park to a downtown site currently occupied by the San Antonio Police Department's headquarters. If the city agrees to the swap, it could open up the vacated federal parcel to redevelopment.

Hardberger, who was the principal backer of a soon-to-be-completed project at Main Plaza that closes two city streets, said "it's too late to make a big downtown park at HemisFair."

"Clearly, you need to open it up," the mayor said. "And, while I am a big believer in historic places and I believe that roads sometimes are the enemy, it's just not working and we really need to take a fresh, innovative look and let that land be used.

"If that land is used, it really does help the center of San Antonio. It brings it back to life, it gives it the vitality that it needs."

To make room for HemisFair four decades ago, the city bulldozed one of its oldest neighborhoods, a mostly Polish community on the southeastern edge of downtown. In the name of progress and urban renewal, the city lost a church, a synagogue, 140 industrial and commercial buildings and nearly 250 single-family homes.

Ironically, bringing people back to live in a park that had once been a neighborhood may yet result in one final HemisFair payoff.

Uncertain future

Once the fair ended on Oct. 6, 1968, the grounds languished.

Sinkin said he and other organizers didn't have a plan for use of the property, and the city assumed responsibility for it.

"The city put a fence around HemisFair because they didn't know what to do with it," he recalled. "Those of us who had worked on it were so tired, we didn't lift a finger."

Over the past four decades, most of the development at the park has occurred along its northern edge. It's now a virtual wall of tall, sprawling buildings that includes the Convention Center, the Lila Cockrell Theater and the recently completed Grand Hyatt San Antonio.

U.S. 281 runs along the park's eastern border, where the Institute of Texan Cultures — HemisFair's former Texas Pavilion — lies partly hidden behind giant earthen berms. To the south, the complex of government buildings, including the federal courthouse, which was the fair's U.S. Pavilion, sits along Durango Boulevard.

Lila Cockrell, a former San Antonio mayor who served on the City Council during HemisFair, said she has driven around HemisFair Park while trying to find a parking place, only to quit in frustration.

"I just turned around and went home," she said. "I know that a lot of people would patronize things there to a larger extent if they had access to parking."

Inside the park, many of the 20 original neighborhood buildings saved from the HemisFair's wrecking ball, examples of late 19th and early 20th century residential architecture, are rotting and boarded up.

Four decades ago, HemisFair's former site had seemed like a logical spot for the University of Texas in San Antonio, which the state Legislature authorized for construction in 1969. Instead, political and business forces pushed the new main campus out to northwest San Antonio. Other plans for the park that have gotten shot down over the years include extension of the River Walk and construction of a performing arts center.

Miller said a UTSA campus in HemisFair Park, combined with the existing campus of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, would have given downtown a lot more life.

"We don't have much of a resident downtown population," he said. "And until we do, you actually cannot figure out how to utilize HemisFair Park."

A master plan by the city in 2004 cited a need to increase use, protect historic structures and improve public access and amenities, but it offered few new ideas beyond maintaining its park atmosphere.

"It was a helpful exercise," Hardberger said. "But I do not think it is now the final plan that we hoped it would be. It's now an interim step."

A mixed-use residential concept, such as the one proposed by Overland Partners, might be the park's future. After getting a personal look at it, the mayor invited City Manager Sheryl Sculley and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff to join him at the architects' office for a repeat performance.

Negotiations between city and federal officials on the HemisFair land swap are focused on the courthouse and an adjacent training center, but they might expand to include a nearby federal office building. That could open up most of the park's southern section for redevelopment.

Also, Hardberger said he has heard that the Institute of Texan Cultures, operated by the University of Texas, might also consider moving, if the conditions are right.

The 40th anniversary of HemisFair just might be its rebirth.

With the feds and possibly UT out of the picture, all of HemisFair Park could come under city control. That would make it easier for something radically different to occur.

"You're going to have a group of people that's going to try and shoot down virtually every idea that comes down on HemisFair," Hardberger said. "They don't want it for one reason or another. But, it's too valuable to just keep it sitting there."

duhler@express-news.net

[sirkingwilliam]

Hemisfair Park highlighted in blue and dark blue. Although, the small dark blue area is a SAWS building that will eventually be used as the Convention Center expands.

[MABottz]

I hope the Institute of Texan Cultures stays behind and can act as a linchpin for any redevelopment of the area.

[oldmanshirt]

How long ago were those fountains and pools put in? Those are pretty nice, but I'd agree that the traffic in Hemisfair park is only a fraction of what it should be, even with the Tower there. Certainly it's microscopic compared to what you see along the Riverwalk and at Rivercenter mall.

[sakyle04]

Originally Posted by MABottz

I hope the Institute of Texan Cultures stays behind and can act as a linchpin for any redevelopment of the area.

I was at the ITC today and it was, well, really lame. It was not my first visit...and it has never impressed me.

Maybe it's time for the old gal to be put out to pasture...

[jaga185]

That and it is an eye-sore, they should erect a new facility in its place. I hope very excited to see what Overland Partners has drawn up, the article seems to imply they have already drawn plans.

[METALMiKE]

Originally Posted by sirkingwilliam

Hemisfair Park highlighted in blue and dark blue. Although, the small dark blue area is a SAWS building that will eventually be used as the Convention Center expands.

Where did you hear that the SAWS building is going to be a CC expansion?

[DruidCity]

Lila Cockrell, a former San Antonio mayor who served on the City Council during HemisFair, said she has driven around HemisFair Park while trying to find a parking place, only to quit in frustration.

"I just turned around and went home," she said. "I know that a lot of people would patronize things there to a larger extent if they had access to parking."

I was about that frustrated when visiting the Riverwalk about a month ago. I parked at the mall, ate lunch, walked all around, toured the Tower of the Americas and so on for the afternoon, and the parking cost me $18.
I had a good time, but it's definitely a deterrent to driving down to San Antonio more often from San Marcos, especially when I can park along Austin's downtown waterfront trails for free.

[sirkingwilliam]

Originally Posted by METALMiKE

Where did you hear that the SAWS building is going to be a CC expansion?

Andres.

[MichaelB]

Wow! Waht a great opportunity for SA! I walked that area recently and there is no sense of place. It does not feel like a park. It feels forgotten. And that was ashame. The land and the old houses there are sooooo cool. But we were the only folks there. I applaud the effort to bring more folks to the area.

However..... I do hope the full architectural heritage of the area will be considered. That, for me, inculudes some mid-century designes. The US courthouse in particular. Nice building. And, yes, the Texan Cultures building as well... Bad things have been done to it... but it is a very interesting building. Don't forget, every generation often tears down that which they are not objective enough to value!...later to regret it! I hope there will be a great sense that a "World's Fair" exsisted at this site beyond the tower. Great assets I hope the city can take advantage of.

Lastly, have worked on another porject with Overland... some great thinkers there..... look forward to seeing what they present.

[DepecheMatt]

In response to sirkingwilliam, about future convention center expansion eastward. A few years ago(maybe around 7-10) a long term master plan was drawn up for future development and land to buy up in the area. I believe the rendering was called, "San Antonio 2025" and there was a huge Sunday story in the Express News. Along with the expected building boom and a new spurs playground near Nolan and Hays Bridge, there was a very interesting plan with the tunneling of IH 37. From the South, between Carolina and Durango IH 37 would go under ground and emerge near the 35 connector. This would then allow the convention center to go even further west with small buildings and park areas on top of the freeway. At the the time of that story, early talks with TX DOT had begun and former councilman mentioned that one major hurdle would be contaminated soil around and below the freeway as result oif the lead from Alamo Iron works before the freeway was built. I am so pissed that I lost that article, but hopefully someone has it out there and may know if this "Grand plan" could really get off the ground.

[oldmanshirt]

Kansas City's convention center goes over I-70


It also looks kinda like the Alamodome if you arranged all the spires in a row.

[sirkingwilliam]

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/met...d.3c6e2d2.html

A dream for HemisFair Park: The rebirth of a neighborhood

Web Posted: 04/09/2008 12:07 AM CDT


San Antonio Express-News

Through a third-story window in my third-grade classroom, I watched an odd piece of architecture rise in the near distance.

A giant, sphere-like object made a slow climb up a towering column into the sky.

It looked like a concrete and steel version of something from a TV cartoon. "The Jetsons."

A revolving restaurant was going where none had gone before, I was told, 600 feet up in the air.

In the shadow of the Alamo, this Space Age-like structure rose from the grounds of a working-class neighborhood.

I remember one particular house there. It belonged to my maternal grandparents, 323 Goliad St.

The city razed their home — and more than 200 others — to make way for HemisFair '68.

My father says the house sat on the western parcel of land now occupied by the federal courthouse. At HemisFair, that building housed the U.S. Pavilion.

I don't recall any hard feelings about my grandparents' forced move. But I do recall the magic of HemisFair.

Thrilling rides. Amazing music. Spellbinding shows. Did I mention lots of good food?

From my grandmother's new home on King William — my grandfather died before HemisFair opened — I could walk to the fairgrounds in minutes and get in for a buck.

With one exception, it was a dream. My parents took me to the fair on Sept. 15, 1968. I asked my dad if we could ride the mini-monorail.

"Maybe later," he said.

Later, after emerging from a show at a Southwestern Bell exhibit, we saw ambulances and flashing lights. Monorail cars had toppled to the ground. One person died, 48 were injured.

I remember thinking, "That could have been us."

Looking through that old window at St. Mark's Episcopal school, I could see an unfolding of history, but I couldn't make out the details.

I didn't know HemisFair would transform San Antonio. I sure didn't know the grounds would become a little-used 92-acre park.

When HemisFair closed 40 years ago, the place essentially died. Two weeks after Easter, the mayor is talking resurrection.

That's one thing I like about Phil Hardberger. He sees life in the urban core where others see death.

The vision is not his alone. An architectural firm is proposing a mixed-use neighborhood of homes and businesses for HemisFair Park.

The idea is so new there is no blueprint — only conceptual graphics.

Madison Smith, a principal of Overland Partners, says it's too early to discuss specifics. But he and his partners are excited enough to have invited the mayor for a viewing of their proposal. "They have a lot of good ideas," Hardberger says.

In short, Overland wants what the mayor wants. Homes. Retail. Streets. Parking. Easy access.

"Something on the same scale as HemisFair, something forward-thinking and impactful," Madison Smith says. "How many cities have 92 acres in a prime location?"

As a boy, Smith climbed a tree in the backyard of his Terrell Hills home to watch a top house rise up a soaring concrete column.

When it reached the top, he remembers, as I do, sirens sounding in the city.

The echoes are faint.

It's no wonder the HemisFair Tower has underperformed as a tourist attraction. It's surrounded by acres and acres of dead space.

A generation ago, before blocks of single-family homes were razed, you could hear the sound of children, laughing.

To bring it back will take more than money and political will. It may take a miracle for a neighborhood to be born again.