Why are buildings in San Antonio so short? (Anthony: living in, to move)

[dvlpr]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

Why are high rises necessary for a nice skyline? (In my opinion, they're not.)

TexasHorseLady -

You're wasting your time. This person has a well-earned reputation on the SA board of complaining SA's skyline, and is obsessed with a belief that "SA is falling behind Austin", etc. Of course, this person knows nothing about urbanism.

You're exactly right - a city doesn't need to have tall buildings to offer great civic life.

[crbcrbrgv]

Originally Posted by atxcio

Austin only has one completed building taller than 546' (360 Condos) and one incomplete one at 683' (Austonian). Also, the Tower of the Americas in San Antonio is over 700' with the antenna on top. They don't count observation towers in building lists, but they do show up in the skyline...

So I'd say they don't look all that different. Austin caught up quick, and may just be passing SA, with the potential for becoming far taller in the future... but as of right now, not all that different.

Sadly, the Tower of the Americas is in the skyline. Hideous!

[imaterry78259]

Ok, it would really help SA's skyline if it could build some new talls. Perception is half the battle. I just notice that Austin is building a l;ot of lofts in its inner city compared to East and West side of SA. I agree SA is more urban but it is behind the curve in new developments in the inner city areas. I really like Austin' s airport and diversity of restautants in relations to SA. SA has Austin beat in cultural aspect of the community.

[ladarron]

Originally Posted by SweethomeSanAntonio

San Antonio is suburban like, like all major cities, but it's urban core, is far more urban than Austin's. San Antonio is more dense than Dallas, both cities cover about the same square miles, yet San Antonio is more populated, of course not metro, DFW is far bigger.
Austin might have a new few talls, but nowhere has a urban core as big as San Antonio's.
Once you have seen the University of Texas, Soco, and downtown, Austin looks like a small town outside those areas. As far as high rise buildings, San Antonio kills Austin. San Antonio has high rises all over the city, I-10 corridor, 281 Corridor, Loop 410, Medical Center, Mid town, Broadway Corridor. Austin doesn't have these type of built up areas. If so I, haven't seen it, and I use to work in Austin and been all over Austin.

To say Austin is more urban than 300 year old San Antonio, becasue of a few new condos, is laughable. I suppose Austin is more urban than D.C. since Austin has a couple of taller new buildings.

Because San Antonio doesn't have alot of suburbs that why the population is bigger than Dallas so you can't help but live in San Antionio. In Dallas County the population is spread out where in Bexar County it is centralized in San Antionio thats why it is dense!

[SweethomeSanAntonio]

Originally Posted by ladarron

Because San Antonio doesn't have alot of suburbs that why the population is bigger than Dallas so you can't help but live in San Antionio. In Dallas County the population is spread out where in Bexar County it is centralized in San Antionio thats why it is dense!

I'm not comparing metro populations, just density within the first 300 square miles where it is more urban. 400, 500 square miles and beyond is nothing but sprawl.

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by imaterry78259

Ok, it would really help SA's skyline if it could build some new talls. Perception is half the battle. I just notice that Austin is building a l;ot of lofts in its inner city compared to East and West side of SA.

And many people think that is NOT in Austin's best interests, that it doesn't need the new high-rise condos downtown and that they are not a good thing.

Perception can go both ways, and if attempts are being made to have Austin (and San Antonio, evidently) be perceived as mere clones of cities in other states, more generic, then those are attempts to ruin the perception of those two great, but very different, cities.

[The Man in SATX]

Originally Posted by ladarron

I have looked up the buildings in San Antonio the tallest building is 546 ft 38 stories. Why is the skyline so short Austin has taller buildings than San Antonio. Why is this????

My response to this?? who cares?

[ladarron]

Originally Posted by The Man in SATX

My response to this?? who cares?

A lot of people care!!

[gabetx]

Half the high rises in SA are hotels. Not very entertaining. Although, the Marriott tower is very very nice.

[AnthonySA]

Originally Posted by ladarron

A lot of people care!!

Originally Posted by gabetx

Half the high rises in SA are hotels. Not very entertaining. Although, the Marriott tower is very very nice.

Neither of you live here... so go visit/look at pics of other towns for your skyscraper fix