Old location of the main library (Houston, San Antonio: home, wedding, buy)

[OzzyRules]

I was in the area again today. I am going to have to disagree that the building was torn down. It looks just like the library building has always looked: a regular office building. I saw the sign on the front door for Biga On The Banks, although it looked nothing like a restaurant from the outside.

[wCat]

Originally Posted by OzzyRules

I was in the area again today. I am going to have to disagree that the building was torn down. It looks just like the library building has always looked: a regular office building. I saw the sign on the front door for Biga On The Banks, although it looked nothing like a restaurant from the outside.

Ozzy....call the downtown branch and ask for Frank in the Texana department. He is the head librarian there. If anyone knows for sure, it will be Frank. 207-2500 He probably worked there early in his career. He's recently published a great historical book on SA history. He's your guy. Let us know!

[OzzyRules]

Thanks, I appreciate the info. A friend of my mom's grew up near the downtown area. I will ask her the next chance I get.

[LindaGrace]

They didn't tear down that library and rebuild. It was completely refurbished then reopened as the International Center (or whatever they call it). It's the library building.

[LindaGrace]

Here's a link from the architect's site - it says nothing about razing the library building. Lake|Flato Architects - (International Center)

[icebrg]

Linda is right. The building was not demolished; it was modified and renovated to house the NAD Bank (part of NAFTA) and other offices after the new Central Library opened. A few other notes . . .

*Biga on the banks is on the river level (not next to the sign on the street). Also, someone mentioned this is a sushi restaurant; it is not. I don't think you can actually get suhsi anywhere on the riverwalk.

*If you see bad information on Wiki anyone can correct it, but you should be able to back it up with facts.

[wCat]

Thanks for the clarification. We got back to SA during that construction/renovation. It certainly does not look anything like it did. That's what I am meaning by the original footprint.....the foundation of the building is retained and renovated and remodeled. I did confuse things by say it was razed...which is scraping it off the ground and starting new. The pics are awesome.

Thanks for the Lake Flato link Linda!

From their link:

The 1972 downtown library—an opaque brick box—occupied a pivotal part of the River Walk. So when the City built a new library, it held a design competition to convert the old one into a center for trade and tourism. The design solution removed half of the brick, added large expanses of glass, and included a new pedestrian street that cuts through the building. The new 100,000-square-foot facility, above a marina for the City’s riverboats, animates the riverside site and responds to the urban character at the street level.

[LindaGrace]

I LOVE Lake|Flato - they do really cool work.

And you're welcome.

[lsdude]

The old main library building was remodeled.
Care was taken during the project not to interfere with the Marina for the river barges located under the building at river level.

[leetrace74]

I recall that the entrance to the old library had hugh statues of a lion on each side of the stairs, are they gone now?