SAN ANTONIO | Urban Core Development Thread - Page 211

fordman2800 · #**4201** Posted **Aug 8, 2015, 5:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JACKinBeantown

Your play on my handle was the exact thing that made it personal. You used it to imply that my thoughts on the matter are of little to no value. I'm not mad about it, as long as you don't do it again.

Anyway, is there already a bowling alley in downtown San Antonio? I'm not aware of one. If there isn't, having one would be a great addition because downtown residents and hotel guests could use it for entertainment. But I included it as a lighthearted example. I thought that was obvious. I apologize if it wasn't.

Building vertical is intelligent design in urban architecture. Lack of space to build out means you build up, but I'm sure you know that since you're on Skyscraperpage.

It's not done yet but I know how to look at a rendering/floorplan and imagine what the finished product will look like, as does pretty much anyone on this forum. We come to this forum to discuss architecture. If someone has an opinion about a building, they have the right to express it as part of the greater discussion.

My glass is often more than half full, not "always half empty" as you said. So let's refill our glasses and have a reciprocal and friendly discussion about this and other buildings.

Have a great day.

I agree with you. This should be a place to have open opinions about anything being built here in San Antonio...some like and some don't like what's being built here.

LakeCourtland · #**4202** Posted **Aug 9, 2015, 5:19 PM**

I was wondering whether anyone knows how to get renderings for the development that is going up at 219 E Courtland Pl (at the corner of Courtland and McCullough). I know virtually nothing about it, although it looks like there are utilities for eight or ten units there. I know that a previous developer wanted to put in a large apartment building but the neighborhood association advocated against it and the city shot it down because there was no dedicated parking.

Any input would be helpful. Thanks!

sakyle04 · #**4203** Posted **Aug 12, 2015, 1:39 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by sirkingwilliam

Not sure how I made it personal, other than using a play on your handle to get across my point.

What would anything you mention serve a point for? A bowling ally? Why? A theater? Why?

Not sure how any of that is intelligent design.

The freaking thing isn't even finished yet and a few people are already pissy about it. Let the thing finish before you go off the handle.

Also, you guys with the always half empty attitudes. The glass is neither half full or half empty. It's refillable.

I don't think Jack is pining for a bowling alley as much as lamenting lost opportunity.

Verticality is forward-thinking game. Even building additional levels of unfinished (inaccessible to public) convention space makes sense. Build a couple of shell floors so the next time we need to expand, we have a place to go.

Now, offering prime downtown real estate to the commercial sector, with a guarantee of hundreds of thousands of captive consumers each year is interesting.

We keep talking about building great streets and connecting the core of downtown to the "burgeoning" near east side, but having a few rentable retail stalls was too much to ask.

I'm sure the convention space will be great. What we'll never know is what else it might have done to jumpstart downtown renewal.

sakyle04 · #**4204** Posted **Aug 12, 2015, 1:44 PM**

Side point: every time someone takes issue with an SA development, it is not necessary to label them pessimists or negative or cynics.

Every great city is fueled by people unwilling to accept "good enough". Every great project deals with TONS of public discussion/criticism to find the best version of itself.

Read a thread on the WTC, major transit projects in NYC, housing in SF, or density in Seattle or Portland.

Tons of people love their city fiercely enough to engage in critical debate. It doesn't mean we're not grateful for development or optimistic about the city future - just means we want every project to be as great as it can be so our city can be as great as it can be.

ILUVSAT · #**4205** Posted **Aug 12, 2015, 9:23 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by sakyle04

Side point: every time someone takes issue with an SA development, it is not necessary to label them pessimists or negative or cynics.

Every great city is fueled by people unwilling to accept "good enough". Every great project deals with TONS of public discussion/criticism to find the best version of itself.

Read a thread on the WTC, major transit projects in NYC, housing in SF, or density in Seattle or Portland.

Tons of people love their city fiercely enough to engage in critical debate. It doesn't mean we're not grateful for development or optimistic about the city future - just means we want every project to be as great as it can be so our city can be as great as it can be.

Austinite101 · #**4206** Posted **Aug 13, 2015, 12:21 AM**

*Please delete this, wrong subforum.*

The Model · #**4207** Posted **Aug 14, 2015, 8:15 PM**

Hilton progress photos from this week.

Fireoutofclay · #**4208** Posted **Sep 1, 2015, 6:09 PM**

Mayor: San Antonio to enter into economic agreement with Mexico City
Sergio Chapa
San Antonio Business Journal
Aug 28, 2015, 4:18pm CDT Updated Aug 31, 2015, 6:13pm CDT
http://www.bizjournals.com/sanantoni...agreement.html

Quote:

San Antonio will soon enter into a new economic agreement with Mexico City that will center on renewable energy, shale gas development and other industries, Mayor Ivy Taylor announced on Friday.

Taylor made the announcement at a Friday afternoon luncheon hosted by Asociacion de Empresarios Mexicanos at the Pearl Stable.

I wasn't sure where to post this. i could have sworn there was an economic thread.

Fireoutofclay · #**4209** Posted **Sep 1, 2015, 7:53 PM**

Here's why it's a good time to invest in San Antonio's Central Business District
Katie Burke Reporter
San Antonio Business Journal
Aug 31, 2015, 11:58am CDT
http://www.bizjournals.com/sanantoni...st-in-san.html

Quote:

As far as other central business districts go, San Antonio has been behind the curve in terms of new development and investment activity for quite some time. But thanks to a pipeline full of projects and acquisitions made by large institutional investment names within the past 24 months, the city's downtown area earned a spot as one of the five best office markets to put money into.

sirkingwilliam · #**4210** Posted **Sep 3, 2015, 3:37 PM**

MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT PLANNED FOR FORMER CAVENDER DEALERSHIP IN RIVER NORTH

Quote:

San Antonio-based Hixon Properties will be partnering with Cavender brothers management to build a residential development on the former Cadillac site along the lower Broadway corridor.

The four-block-long property, which Hixon is still attempting to fill in with some remaining lots, has been sitting vacant since 2013 when the Cadillac dealership left for its current location at lookout road and loop 1604 in northeast San Antonio.

According to an unnamed source, Hixon has been interested in the site for quite some time, and will eventually build a mixed-use development on the property. CBM Broadway ltd. — a partnership among Bobby, Stewart and Billy Cavender — owns more than five acres, or 232,849 square feet, of land assessed at nearly $4.7 million.

City records show that the land Cavender brothers management owns runs from 615 Broadway to 827 Broadway, although the firm doesn't own all of the land between those addresses.

The source said that it is a unique site, and while streets run through several points, Hixon will be able "to do a lot with it." one option on the table is to convert the existing warehouses on the land into office space, although that has yet to be confirmed.

Regardless, the property is in the Broadway portion of the river north master plan, meaning that any new development will need to include neighborhood-serving retail with housing or office above it, promote pedestrian activity, use strategically located public parking to minimize the use of a car, and, according to the master plan, "enhance the visual experience along Broadway."

Neither Hixon properties or Cavender brothers management responded to requests for comment.

LOCATION

NOLAmike · #**4211** Posted **Sep 3, 2015, 5:05 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by sirkingwilliam

MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT PLANNED FOR FORMER CAVENDER DEALERSHIP IN RIVER NORTH

Is there any kind of timeline for development? I think they have been planning something on the Cadilac dealership for a couple of years. It does seem like now is a good time with the Pearl finishing up their projects and the project across the street on Broadway coming together.

STLtoSA · #**4212** Posted **Sep 4, 2015, 5:39 PM**

I noticed two tower cranes pop up just outside of downtown by UTSA. I did a little digging and found this (I hadn't heard anything recently about this project).

Medical clinic approved for near West Side
http://www.expressnews.com/real-esta...#photo-8420220

Quote:

The $55 million project will include the 122,000-square-foot outpatient clinic, a 450-space parking garage and 30,000 square feet of retail space at South Medina and West Commerce streets next to the University of Texas at San Antonio’s downtown campus.

At the bottom of the article there was this blurp:

Quote:

Also Wednesday, the HDRC approved a request by developer James Lifshutz to demolish a portion of Building 125 at the Blue Star Arts Complex, which he owns, to make room for a five-story, mixed-use development.

fordman2800 · #**4213** Posted **Sep 5, 2015, 2:28 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by STLtoSA

I noticed two tower cranes pop up just outside of downtown by UTSA. I did a little digging and found this (I hadn't heard anything recently about this project).

Medical clinic approved for near West Side
http://www.expressnews.com/real-esta...#photo-8420220

At the bottom of the article there was this blurp:

That's awesome! Great to see that area of the westside being revitalized.

sirkingwilliam · #**4214** Posted **Sep 5, 2015, 2:35 PM**

So, as I've said before, I have connections within the local real estate world, and try to find out as much as I can, esp the urban core sector, about what's going on.

Well, Gray Street Partners have incredible plans for the Pearl/Government hill areas. They've bought a lot of property along Broadway including the Tuk Tuk taproom.

Their ambitious plans all hinge on being able to buy the SAISD compound in Government Hill. The city must be able to find new officers for SAISD and enough vacant land to house their buses. The city wants to put the offices in the Sutton building on the near east side and the buses in another area outside 410.

One of the major aspects of their plan is to extend Pearl Parkway east into Government Hill.

kornbread · #**4215** Posted **Sep 5, 2015, 6:45 PM**

Interesting; that certainly gives them a lot of land to do something with. If I'm not mistaken, they are the ones that never developed the old car wash on the other side of Broadway. So they have property on both sides of Broadway (Silver Ventures owns a parcel on the car wash side as well).

A couple of thoughts:
From what I recall, the Sutton building is in terrible shape and the state either recently vacated or plans to (they did not get the go ahead to stay there and repair or build new, right?), so the timeline for a ready move is many years away.

The other, does extending Pearl Parkway mean just crossing the road to Alamo or Austin, or linking it into Carson St. and taking it much farther out? (just thinking out loud). Seems like it would make sense to tie-into Carson if it happens.

sirkingwilliam · #**4216** Posted **Sep 6, 2015, 8:56 AM**

210 Developers owned the car wash with plans for a three story commercial building. Those plans fell through and Gray Street bought it.

necropolis · #**4217** Posted **Sep 6, 2015, 8:56 PM**

I haven't been downtown at night in a few weeks and wasn't sure if they have changed the color scheme of this building yet. I like the new change as the all-orange color is a bit boring.

SAguy · #**4218** Posted **Sep 7, 2015, 3:48 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by necropolis

I haven't been downtown at night in a few weeks and wasn't sure if they have changed the color scheme of this building yet. I like the new change as the all-orange color is a bit boring.

Nice. Good to see some color in the SA skyline.

JACKinBeantown · #**4219** Posted **Sep 7, 2015, 6:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by STLtoSA

I noticed two tower cranes pop up just outside of downtown by UTSA. I did a little digging and found this (I hadn't heard anything recently about this project).

Medical clinic approved for near West Side
http://www.expressnews.com/real-esta...#photo-8420220

Nice to see the new building designed to complement the old building. But apparently they're somehow getting rid of the overpass out front... or perhaps the rendering is simply misleading. Here's what it looks like from that spot.

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.4261...8i6656!6m1!1e1

arkitekte · #**4220** Posted **Sep 8, 2015, 1:19 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JACKinBeantown

Nice to see the new building designed to complement the old building. But apparently they're somehow getting rid of the overpass out front... or perhaps the rendering is simply misleading. Here's what it looks like from that spot.

https://www.google.com/maps/@29.4261...8i6656!6m1!1e1

The rendering is misleading.