SAN ANTONIO - Official Photo Thread for San Antonio & Surrounding Communities! (Austin: chapels, price)

[alfredomora]

[alfredomora]

One of my very early shots from the Riverwalk

[alfredomora]

Wimberly, Tx

[alfredomora]

[LizPetroff]

Great photos, Alfredo!

[elnina]

I was always curious about the Aurora Apartment house. There is very little info, and the building is locked so the entry is quite difficult.
Beautiful external architecture made me want to see the interior, but I was little disappointed. There is not much to see. The entry hall and the elaborate fireplace, few old telephone booths and a ballroom that is now used as a storage of all kind of crap.
Aurora apartment building is twelve stories high and the exterior is in the Neo-Gothic architectural style.
On August 24, 1930, the Aurora opened its doors as one of San Antonio's grandest hotels of the time. The Aurora catered to the well-known and the well-to-do of the day, including Hollywood elite and former First Lady Mamie Geneva Doud Eisenhower.


The building is dedicated to Judge Albert Dittmar and Emmy von Rehfues-Dittmar. Erected by Emmy Dittmar Improvement Co.
Albert Dittmar (1833-1887) came to south-central Texas with his parents in the 1850s. He amassed a considerable amount of San Antonio-area real estate, which became the basis of the family business. After serving in the Civil War, Albert Dittmar returned to his hometown of Darmstadt, Germany, and married Emmy von Rehfues (1850-1941), a relative of the Herff family, likewise prominent German-Texans.
Property owned by the Dittmars included commercial buildings within the city of San Antonio and undeveloped land which, at the time, was outside the city limits. One of the family’s most ambitious projects came under the Emmy Dittmar Improvement Company, which was formed in 1929 to build a new apartment-style hotel adjacent to the family residence on Howard Street in San Antonio. Designed by architect Richard Vander Straten, the Aurora Apartment Hotel was built in 1928-1930. Consisting of over eighty apartments with varying floor plans, the building was furnished with antiques and artwork gathered from around the world. Retail space occupied the first floor of the ten-story structure. A parking garage and other support buildings were also constructed.
More here:
A Guide to the Dittmar Family Papers, 1874-1944 (bulk 1909-1944)

Now the 105 apartments are occupied almost exclusively by elderly and mentally and physically disabled residents.
I talked with few residents, and they are quite happy with their accommodation and location. The apartments have several floor plans, and are nicely renovated.


Beautiful wood carvings above the fireplace



The coat of arms of the Dittmars and von Rehfuesses.



The entrance:



The elevator doors:



Ornamental ceiling elements:



Original windows hardware:

[elnina]

Another view of the entry hall with colorful mosaic tiles on the floor.



Phone booths:



Original door hardware:



Vintage furniture and ornamental air-ducks:



Resident waiting for a VIA ride:

[elnina]

Few external pictures:

[SATX56]

That's a fine old building Elnina! Love the pics. I've been up and down in it a few times over the years. Used to be an arms dealer living top floor on the south end. Likely same folks as those of Dittmar Lumber..

[TXStrat]

Edge Falls on Curry Creek above the Guadalupe River, NE of Boerne.