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714 Main/Farmers & Mechanics National Bank/Kimpton Hotel

Dowtown Hotel Conversion

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#1 Fort Worthology

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Posted 19 April 2007 - 08:11 PM

That's right - this project is back and underway. Schwarz-Hanson is redoing the former Transport Life Building, and it'll be reopening as office space once more. Opening date is set for summer 2008.

714main.jpg

The project now has a web site, but for the moment it's just a teaser:

http://www.714main.com

I realize there's a thread about this building already, but it's in the Residential forum and isn't related to the new development. Perhaps they need to be merged, or the old one could just die off?


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#2 John T Roberts

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Posted 08 September 2007 - 06:05 AM

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram had an article in today's paper stating that XTO Energy has now purchased the building and the proposed site of it's parking garage on Commerce between 8th and 9th. XTO plans to use the building for expansion of its corporate campus and move employees into the building. This may partially explain the rationale behind just putting a surface parking lot on the Landmark Tower site.

Here's the link to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram article: http://www.star-tele...ory/227952.html

#3 mosteijn

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Posted 08 September 2007 - 10:30 AM

You know, the more office space XTO continues to buy, the less likely it seems they'll ever need to build anything new. This is also the second office project XTO has effectively nixed by purchasing more property (Block TU being the other, of course.) I really wish if XTO was going to buy half of downtown, they'd at least put some retail in. That whole part of downtown was already pretty dead on the street level...and XTO hasn't made any real progress in that regard.

On the flip side, the more office space they buy, the tighter the downtown leaseable market gets! smile.gif

#4 mosteijn

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Posted 08 September 2007 - 11:09 AM

Also, this gives XTO about 600,000 sf of office space. If they were to consolidate, that would be a pretty significant building. If they built a new tower and leased half of it, that would be 1.2 million sf, DEFINITELY a new tallest. wacko.gif

#5 John T Roberts

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Posted 08 September 2007 - 11:13 AM

From my understanding, their ultimate plan is to put retail back on the ground floors of the buildings when they can afford to give up the space. Right now, they are busting out of the seams so much they have to occupy every square foot with office space or related uses. Hopefully, as they expand and as more people move into downtown, there will be a need for more retail space. If there is a demand, then some of the ground levels of other buildings will be leased out for retail.

#6 cbellomy

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Posted 08 September 2007 - 04:29 PM

From a business perspective, XTO is making the right play. They're in a sector that has wild boom/bust cycles, and right now it's boom. But it won't last. By purchasing and rehabbing multiple smallish historic buildings, they provide themselves a painless and possibly profitable divestiture plan for when the Barnett Shale field plays out. Finding buyers of smallish, well-maintained office buildings is probably not as challenging as finding tenants to lease dozens of floors in a modern office tower -- not in this town, anyway.



#7 Fort Worthology

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Posted 08 September 2007 - 07:36 PM

This will be good, knowing how meticulous XTO has been with the other historic properties. I would love to see the TL Building given a proper restoration, rather than the somewhat half-hearted '80s restoration it sports now.

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#8 PLS

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Posted 10 September 2007 - 12:31 PM

i think its wise that xto doesn't spend too much energy leasing retail space in their buildings, afterall they are an oil/gas business, not a reit. spending time on businesses that are not their core competency, while not great for dtfw, is good for their business success. i think the best hope for this board would be for the company to do a massive sale/lease back to boost earnings and offload the real estate from their balance sheet. that way you have a real estate company running the real estate, and the oil/gas company focusing on keeping its business booming. in my book a win-win (but also a small chance of actually coming to fruition).

#9 bhudson

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Posted 05 November 2007 - 02:23 PM

Well, this one is getting started (slowly). Part of Main is barricaded with some dumpsters, and it looks like workers are hauling out debris from the previous owners' (unfinished) demo work.

#10 Brian Luenser

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Posted 28 January 2008 - 05:20 PM

Looking out my window, XTO is very busy on the Transport Life Building. External Elevators went up just before Thanksgiving and they have been running up and down the building working. I see work going on 24 hours a day, not unlike the fire-ants that did the Bob Simpson Building.

I've attached a Pic I took Sunday morning at dawn. Was taking a photo of the low clouds blowing through and noticed all the lights on in their building.

What a grand building. And can't think of a better company to own it. XTO means first class in my book. I could not be more grateful to them for what they have done for Fort Worth.



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#11 Sam Stone

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Posted 28 January 2008 - 06:33 PM

Holy crap, that's one of the most unique pics of FW I've seen! Very cool. Got any more?

#12 ramjet

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Posted 28 January 2008 - 06:39 PM

monee9696: your pic is stunning! thanks for posting. it's terrific that so many talented photographers (who love FW) contribute to this forum...

#13 John T Roberts

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Posted 28 January 2008 - 06:51 PM

This is so good, it should be posted on other forums.

#14 Brian Luenser

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Posted 29 January 2008 - 11:22 AM

QUOTE (Sam Stone @ Jan 28 2008, 08:33 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Holy crap, that's one of the most unique pics of FW I've seen! Very cool. Got any more?



Thanks for nice comment!

I do have a few more from Sunday morning, thanks for asking!
(Was going to post to photo area, but the page was so heavy with pics I couldn't get to the bottom)










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#15 dustin

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Posted 29 January 2008 - 03:18 PM

The top image looks like it is straight out of Blade Runner. Very Nice pictures!!!

#16 Holden

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Posted 29 January 2008 - 07:00 PM

QUOTE (dustin @ Jan 29 2008, 03:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
The top image looks like it is straight out of Blade Runner. Very Nice pictures!!!


So I'm not the only one enjoying my Ridley Scott Definitive Final Cut DVD

#17 David Love

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Posted 30 January 2008 - 02:42 PM

The magic hour...

I'm still trying to get a shot with all of the first 5 or so floors blanketed with fog, can never get a solid fog bank, it's always hazy or fuzzy, those shots are as close as I've seen so far.

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#18 John T Roberts

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Posted 16 February 2008 - 07:03 PM

Since renovation has geared up, there has been one slight change in the building's facade that no one has picked up. The old brick stack on the rear of the building has been removed. The removal was approved by the city's Landmark's Commission due to it being very unstable. I don't know if anyone ever noticed, but it was strapped to the building to keep it from collapsing.

#19 Fort Worthology

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Posted 16 February 2008 - 08:29 PM

I have a photo of workers removing the stack. I'll post it when I get a chance. We were watching them do it from my loft in the Sanger Building one day.

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#20 Brian Luenser

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Posted 18 February 2008 - 09:39 AM

QUOTE (John T Roberts @ Feb 16 2008, 09:03 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Since renovation has geared up, there has been one slight change in the building's facade that no one has picked up. The old brick stack on the rear of the building has been removed. The removal was approved by the city's Landmark's Commission due to it being very unstable. I don't know if anyone ever noticed, but it was strapped to the building to keep it from collapsing.



I have a November 07 pic and a Saturday pic for you. I did not notice a thing until you mentioned this, is the punchline. (Woops, I got that pretty rainbow in my Pic...)

New:


Old:


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#21 Brian Luenser

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Posted 18 February 2008 - 09:49 AM

Found a better pic with the smokestack missing. (Feb 16, Saturday)


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#22 bhudson

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Posted 01 May 2008 - 12:26 PM

Well, I had been curious how extensive the exterior renovation would be on this building. I think we're getting the first glimpse of the answer. They're getting started with some selective exterior demolition on the Main St. facade. Maybe those familiar with the downtown design review board have more details (?).

Anyway, some of the glass has been removed, and they are removing the structure that held the previous facade. The best thing about it is that you can see what I believe to be the original arches, with details visible. I know there was a previous renovation which placed blue tile around the building's base, but these look to be remnants of the original arches.

Get over there and check it out if you're interested.

#23 Brian Luenser

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Posted 01 May 2008 - 01:45 PM

QUOTE (bhudson @ May 1 2008, 01:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Well, I had been curious how extensive the exterior renovation would be on this building. I think we're getting the first glimpse of the answer. They're getting started with some selective exterior demolition on the Main St. facade. Maybe those familiar with the downtown design review board have more details (?).

Anyway, some of the glass has been removed, and they are removing the structure that held the previous facade. The best thing about it is that you can see what I believe to be the original arches, with details visible. I know there was a previous renovation which placed blue tile around the building's base, but these look to be remnants of the original arches.

Get over there and check it out if you're interested.


I took a shot of the Transport Life Building on Sunday night. I posted in the photography section (Dallas & Fort Worth Urban photos) on April 28, 2008.

Would include the link but I think I am not allowed to double post.
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#24 Fort Worthology

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Posted 01 May 2008 - 02:21 PM

QUOTE (bhudson @ May 1 2008, 01:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Well, I had been curious how extensive the exterior renovation would be on this building. I think we're getting the first glimpse of the answer. They're getting started with some selective exterior demolition on the Main St. facade. Maybe those familiar with the downtown design review board have more details (?).

Anyway, some of the glass has been removed, and they are removing the structure that held the previous facade. The best thing about it is that you can see what I believe to be the original arches, with details visible. I know there was a previous renovation which placed blue tile around the building's base, but these look to be remnants of the original arches.

Get over there and check it out if you're interested.


I intend to get some shots of it tonight. The current facade is '80s vintage, I believe, and only partially accurate to the way the building originally looked. It was more ornate originally, and featured a grand entrance on Main.

I had not heard officially that XTO would be restoring the original base, but I'm not surprised.

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#25 John T Roberts

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Posted 01 May 2008 - 02:46 PM

The current base was put on the building in 1988. This was before we had a DDRB; therefore, no public review occurred before construction. Since I had no notice of the renovation, and at the time there wasn't much construction going on in downtown, I discovered the renovation when it was nearly complete. I did not have a chance to see the 1950's tile come off to reveal anything hidden beneath it. Almost all of the base had already been covered by the "new" facade. It also doesn't surprise me that part of the original base is still there, since part of the original bank lobby is also still intact.

I'm going to stop by right after work to take a look this afternoon, but I don't have my camera with me.

#26 John T Roberts

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Posted 01 May 2008 - 07:49 PM

I went by there after work, sans camera. However, you are correct in your assumptions. I just love when old building remodels are exposed and uncovered. By just looking at the one bay exposed, this being the north bay on Main Street, I can see how all of the remodels were done and why I never saw how they accomplished the last one in 1988.

Here's the scoop. Each facade was basically placed over the older one. However, the 1950's mosaic tile version required the removal of all building elements that projected from the main face of the wall. So, only parts of the original building remain. The 1988 remodel was literally built out in front of the 1950's remodel, so very little modifications had to be done to the 2nd wall of the building. Right now, you can actually see all three facades of the base at once. Hopefully, Atomic will get some good photos tonight. I will try to get some this weekend, but I will be busy with Art's funeral.

#27 Dismuke

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Posted 02 May 2008 - 12:04 AM

I went by this evening. You can see where they cut a square into the top of the original arch in order to expand the the opening into what became a third floor window.

Here is what I found interesting: The lights inside the building were left on thus allowing one to be able to see inside through some of the windows in the base. If you look into the some of the windows toward the southern end of the Main Street facade, you can see that some of the interior floor between the second and third stories has been removed. In some windows, when one looks into the second story window, one sees the ceiling of that same story. In other second story windows once sees the third story ceiling. Unfortunately, there was no way to see into the first floor so I have no way of knowing in those portions where the second story ceiling had been removed whether the first floor ceiling had been removed as well. But looking through the second and third story windows, it looks like they might perhaps be recreating a mezzanine.

Does anyone know if the original building had a mezzanine? If so, did the open area go all the way from the ground floor to what is today the third floor? Anyone know if the plans are to recreate the original lobby or at least the floor plan of the original lobby?


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#28 Fort Worthology

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Posted 02 May 2008 - 09:15 AM

I was unable to get photos last night, but I will be tonight. Sounds like another fascinating restoration to watch.

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#29 John T Roberts

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Posted 02 May 2008 - 09:57 AM

Dismuke, there are interior photographs in another thread on this forum. I think this was a typical Sanguinet & Staats interior with a three story bank lobby and a mezzanine. Some of the interior still remains.

#30 bhudson

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Posted 02 May 2008 - 12:23 PM

Here is the best online picture I've found of the original base detail.

#31 safly

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Posted 02 May 2008 - 12:26 PM

Beauty of a pic there BH.

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#32 pnewburn

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Posted 02 May 2008 - 12:57 PM

I think this must be the building that those salvaged stone heads mentioned in another post came from.

#33 bhudson

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Posted 02 May 2008 - 01:08 PM

QUOTE (pnewburn @ May 2 2008, 01:57 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I think this must be the building that those salvaged stone heads mentioned in another post came from.


I think you are referring to the Aviation Building... which coincidentally was right across the street.

#34 bhudson

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Posted 02 May 2008 - 01:11 PM

QUOTE (John T Roberts @ May 2 2008, 10:57 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Dismuke, there are interior photographs in another thread on this forum. I think this was a typical Sanguinet & Staats interior with a three story bank lobby and a mezzanine. Some of the interior still remains.


I haven't been able to find this thread with the search. Does anyone recall its context (or have other ideas for keywords)?

#35 gdvanc

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Posted 02 May 2008 - 01:29 PM

QUOTE (pnewburn @ May 2 2008, 01:57 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I think this must be the building that those salvaged stone heads mentioned in another post came from.


The thread: Old Fort Worth Building Architectural Elements Sculptures, Romanesque Guards Mask

#36 bhudson

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Posted 02 May 2008 - 01:35 PM

QUOTE (gdvanc @ May 2 2008, 02:29 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (pnewburn @ May 2 2008, 01:57 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I think this must be the building that those salvaged stone heads mentioned in another post came from.


The thread: Old Fort Worth Building Architectural Elements Sculptures, Romanesque Guards Mask


Well, it looks like I stand corrected. Someone tell XTO, I'm sure they'd like to replicate them.

#37 John T Roberts

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Posted 02 May 2008 - 01:46 PM

Great detective work! I looked at those images of the heads and looked at the Jack White photo linked, and I'm almost certain those match.

As for the thread with the interior shots, you guys don't do a thorough enough search. I typed in "Transport Life" and found the thread within a few minutes. Here's the link:

http://www.fortworth...=Transport Life

#38 Dismuke

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Posted 03 May 2008 - 01:19 AM

QUOTE
Well, it looks like I stand corrected. Someone tell XTO, I'm sure they'd like to replicate them.


Replicate them? Perhaps they would like to ACQUIRE them so the originals could be put back up where they belong. Wouldn't that be neat? Perhaps someone on this board knows someone associated with XTO and can point them to JohnErik's posting.
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#39 Fort Worthology

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Posted 03 May 2008 - 09:14 AM

Photos - John's right. It's really rather incredible how you can see all three facades on top of each other. The original base was far, far more ornate than the '80s pseudo-restoration. I also always thought the '80s facade was weird, like it was hollow - turns out a lot of it is:



















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#40 safly

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Posted 03 May 2008 - 11:56 AM

Wow! It's like they opened her up just for us FORUMERS. About time that original base gets to breath again.
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#41 Dismuke

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Posted 03 May 2008 - 04:58 PM

Those blue tiles are the same horrible stuff that they used to vandalize the lower floors of the once-attractive Montgomery Ward Building in the 1960s. Yuck. Was that stuff a fad or something? Or was it simply cheap in terms of actual cost in addition to how it looks?

I wonder if the people who were responsible for it are still around and, if so, what they think about people spending a great deal of money, effort and love in order to undo their vandalism. Do they realize that they had zero taste? Perhaps they will say that it was merely the trend of the times. I respond by saying that is a pathetic excuse. Should popular taste ever sink down to the levels that it did in the 1960s and 1970s - well, I for one will NOT participate in the trend. If 1970s stuff were to come back in fashion, I will NOT dress in the freakish ways that people did back then and I will NOT buy furniture that is equally ugly and in equally bad taste. If someone wishes to call me a fuddy duddy or "square" or "old fashioned" - well, I have a bit more self-esteem and intellectual self-confidence than to be cowed by such mindless attempts at intimidation. And if someone destroys something that is attractive in order to make it ugly because that is what "sells" or is the fad of the moment - well, I for one will not hesitate to identify exactly what is taking place in the most candid and blunt way possible.

One of the very worst examples that comes to mind still remains uncorrected - and probably will for some time due to the sad state of the economy in the city where it is located - is the Alico Building in Waco. Here is what it looked like when it was built:




Here is what the tasteless sheep trying to be "hip" "trendy" and "mod" did to it:





That is beyond disgusting. It is disgusting and in bad taste now and it was disgusting and in bad taste when it was done, the fact that it was 1960 something and there was LSD in the water supply notwithstanding.


Fortunately, they only botched up the lower floors - either they were too cheap to do the rest or else they figured that the intended audience was too stupid to look upward and realize that they were looking at a building that was "old" and therefore bad. Here is a color picture of what the top of the building looks like - and it gives an idea of what the base depicted in the black and white photo might have looked like:



Thank goodness for companies such as XTO. Someone in that organization has VERY good taste and gets it.
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#42 John T Roberts

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Posted 04 May 2008 - 11:57 AM

Dismuke, I do know the person who is in charge of XTO's properties, and I will probably see her on Wednesday when Historic Fort Worth announces our 2008 Most Endangered List in the front of the Swift Office Building (Spaghetti Warehouse) at noon. I will inform them that our forum has solved a mystery and found the original heads from the building.

I have a correction here. The blue tiles on the Transport Life Building are not the same as what was put on Montgomery Ward in the 1960s. The Montgomery Ward renovation was done with blue glazed brick. The blue on the Transport Life is a mosaic tile that appears to be 4" x 4". These are completely different materials, but they are of the same era. I agree with you that I don't care for these 1950's or 1960's renovations. They are not even compatible with the remainder of the building.

As for your theories on the Alico Building, both of your assumptions are probably correct. Usually, companies didn't have enough money to cover up an entire building, so the just did the base. I also agree with you that they probably thought that most people did not look up.
Your detail show me something I have never noticed before on it. The terra cotta shields just below the cornice on the long side of the building have these letters on them A, L, I, C, O. On the short side of the building the letters read A, L, I, Co.

I've mentioned this before, but have any of you noticed that our Burk Burnett Building looks like a smaller, but different color schemed version of Alico? Both buildings were designed by Fort Worth's Sanguinet & Staats. The Burk Burnett Building is an almost exact copy of another Sanguinet design in San Antonio, called the Rand Building.

#43 safly

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Posted 04 May 2008 - 01:30 PM

I also have a pic of another building in DT MEMPHIS, TN that is very similar to both of those before mentioned buildings. Did they design work there too? If so, some busy cats in the South they were.
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#44 Dismuke

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Posted 04 May 2008 - 04:50 PM

QUOTE (John T Roberts @ May 4 2008, 12:57 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
The Burk Burnett Building is an almost exact copy of another Sanguinet design in San Antonio, called the Rand Building.


I noticed that once when I was in San Antonio - I did a double take when I saw it.

John, do you have any sort of ballpark guess as to what it would cost to properly restore the base of the Alico? If not, do you think your contact at XTO might be able to make an educated guess based on their past experience in this area? Obviously the cost would depend on how much remains under the ugly panels - so any guess would most likely be a range depending on what's left.

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#45 bhudson

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Posted 07 May 2008 - 02:13 PM

They're making quick work removing the "renovations". Sort of indicative of their lack of substance (real and perceived), take that however you wish.

One thing I noticed, when you get up under the trees on the north facade in the corner between the fencing and the parking garage, you can really see how the texturing and the colors are a dead on match to the head sculptures discussed elsewhere. Not that any further verification was required.

What I can't wait to see is how they are going to restore the base. Will they be able to salvage/reuse what is left of the original facade? Or is it too far gone, and will they have to recreate it. Or did they even know it was there and now that it has been discovered is there a change in plans? And if anyone knows the answer... post it I guess, although it will sort of ruin the fun of watching! I love XTO urban archaeology.

#46 Fort Worthology

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Posted 07 May 2008 - 04:32 PM

I am also a little excited, because I managed to get about nine or ten fully intact glass mosaic tiles from the debris.

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#47 bhudson

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Posted 09 May 2008 - 12:08 PM

QUOTE (Atomic Glee @ May 7 2008, 05:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I am also a little excited, because I managed to get about nine or ten fully intact glass mosaic tiles from the debris.


Nice.

I suppose at least some of them should probably be burned in effigy. Let them represent bad taste, bad design... something along those lines. Maybe I'd better go snag some, too, and get on that.


#48 Brian Luenser

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Posted 13 May 2008 - 08:38 PM

From my favorite book. (1940)


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#49 cberen1

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Posted 14 May 2008 - 06:19 AM

QUOTE (bhudson @ May 7 2008, 03:13 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
They're making quick work removing the "renovations". Sort of indicative of their lack of substance (real and perceived), take that however you wish.


I'd just like to go on record as saying that I thought the existing facade, while not nearly as cool as the original, was one of the better makeovers downtown. It certainly beat the stuff that had been done to several of the other older buildings downtown. That said, I'm excited to see it getting restored to original (hopefully).

#50 Fort Worthology

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Posted 14 May 2008 - 08:23 AM

What struck me about seeing the '80s facade being torn off is that it's *completely hollow* - you could see the cross-section. A thin layer of material over air.

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