Mid Tex Mod Mixer - Thank you!

A big thank you to the Olmos Perk for staying open late and sharing their wine tasting event with Mid Tex Mod! The Olmos Perk is clearly one of the most happening coffee shops in San Antonio. The MCM (Mid-century Modern) fan base joined us for this holiday toast to Modern. Many thanks to Carol Fisher for organizing the mixer and contributing door prizes!

Toast Mod at the Olmos Perk

photo by rachel r. on yelp.com

Thursday, December 15, 2011

6-8 pm
Join us for coffee, tea, wine, or beer and conversation.
Learn about the Mid Tex Mod chapter of Docomomo US, network with other mod enthusiasts, and share ideas for events and initiatives in Central Texas.

The Olmos Perk is located at 5223 McCullough Ave in San Antonio.
read about Olmos Perk on yelp

Concerns over Future of HemisFair Park

Lance Aaron expresses concerns over HemisFair development plan. Links to related La Prensa articles:

• Unanswered Questions
• HemisFair Tour and Confluence Theater
  

Winterfest at the Yarborough Branch Library

Celebrate Winterfest at the Yarborough
Saturday, December 3, 2011

The Yarborough Public Library on 2200 Hancock Drive, Austin TX is throwing a holiday event to celebrate the folks who love our library and who make it such a special place.

12:30pm the Capitol City Highlanders will perform in the parking lot then will be marching inside to break all the rules we have about noise in the library. J Later the Allandale String Quartet will wind things down with lovely chamber music.

At 1pm the Winterfest Bazaar begins with different non-profit groups that use our meeting room sharing what they do at the library.

Mid Tex Mod just featured the history of the Yarborough/Americana on our blog: Read all about it.

Rebirth of Austin's Americana: The Story of a Mid-'60s Roadside Theater and '90s Community-based Municipal Sustainability

Americana Theatre at the grand opening in 1965. Courtesy of the Austin History Center.

Americana Theatre after it closed and before adaptive reuse (1992)

Yarborough Branch Library (2009)

The story of Americana Theatre and its rebirth as the Yarborough Branch Library spans just less than fifty years, yet it represents multiple eras of significance and several noteworthy themes in Austin's history. Designed in 1964, the Americana Theatre was constructed one block west of Burnet Road. The main arterial was a main highway to Burnet, Texas that at mid twentieth-century had a growing number of commercial businesses that were springing up to serve the still new suburban neighborhoods of Allandale, Brentwood, and Crestview. The design of the Americana reflected an age in which movie theaters, like other commercial businesses, were being designed more intensively to serve the automobile.

The Americana's decline in the 1980s was followed by a heroic rescue by neighborhood and municipal leaders in the 1990s. This part of the building's history illustrates the depth of neighborhood participation in municipal decision-making. The development of a municipal branch library from vacant Americana Theatre is not only a message of hope for other mid-century icons, but is part of the story of the City of Austin's sustainability efforts. Sustainable design features were included in the adaptive reuse project even when Austin's Green Building program was still nascent. The reuse of the Americana Theatre is a compelling demonstration of the power of community-based adaptive reuse. It saved an Austin icon and a locally significant example of regional modern design in the commercial vernacular of the times.

Birth of a Roadside Icon

The Americana Theatre opened in 1965 and was an immediate success. According to an article in the Austin American newspaper, the theater “opened in dazzling Hollywood fashion” and “drew city and state officials, local theater executives and representatives of various major film companies.”[1] It featured rocking chair seats, an "exotic ladies lounge-color TV waiting area," and smoking facilities.

Newspaper clipping courtesy of the Austin History Center

The theater was designed with a single-screen auditorium, which was likely to have been one of the limitations that led to its short lifespan as a theater. (It was also one of the features of the building that allowed for some flexibility in its adaptive reuse.) According to John Gillum, City of Austin Library Facilities Manager and Program Manager for the renovation of the theater, the Americana was “the premier theater” for a time and “everyone of a certain age had stories.”[2] The theater not only served families, but also teenage and adult singles going on dates. According to Gillum, many people can recount stories of meeting sweethearts and future spouses at the Americana.

In newspaper articles, Earl Podolnick, the original owner of the Americana Theatre and former President of Trans-Texas Theatres Inc., was credited with the design of the Americana Theatre. Blueprints and renderings credit architect William B. Saunders. Saunders was a Texas-born architect who designed a variety of buildings around Austin and in the South. He was employed at the University of Texas, first as a draftsman, then as an architect, and finally as an Architect and Assistant to the Comptroller. Saunders designed the Printing Division Building on the University of Texas at Austin campus, which is now the Police Services Building. His other works included a dormitory in Cullman, Alabama and an Austin Independent School District building.

Rendering by William B. Saunders. Courtesy of the Austin History Center.

A rendering by William B. Saunders emphasizes a large porte-cochère that extends from the side entrance of the theater into an expansive parking lot. The dynamic arches of the porte-cochère form a connection and canopy between the parking lot and the building entrance that contrasts with the box-like volume of the theater. The box is broken by a slight upward sweep toward the facade that can be seen from the Americana's profile. The front of the 15,500 square foot theater building was covered with a stone veneer. A structural engineering report from the 1990s, reported that the quality of construction was “above average” and the steel porte-cochère was structurally unconventional.[3] (The undulating curves of the porte-cochère were common architectural vocabulary for a very brief window in the early to mid 1960s. They were used in designs across the country, from the canopy over the Seattle 1962 World's Fair Monorail to the entrances to commercial, industrial, and institutional buildings.) A freestanding illuminated sign, served to advertise the theater, a standard feature in commercial roadside site design.

Detail from specifications for the Americana Theatre (1964). Back lit plastic illuminated sign was not built. Design by William B. Saunders. Courtesy of the Austin Public Library.

As one of the founders of Trans-Texas Theaters, owner Earl Podolnick operated 15 theaters in Texas between 1960 and 1979. According to a November 17, 1992 obituary in the Austin American Statesman, he served as a president of the Texas Drive-In Theatre Owners Association and was a charter Board member of the National Association of Theatre Owners of Texas. According to a dedication flyer for the Yarborough Branch Library: “Mr. Podolnick championed an understanding among all people, opening the Austin movie theater and others he owned in Texas to people of color in the face of pickets and public pressure not to integrate.”

Decline of the Americana

By the 1980s, the theater was still notable, but in decline. In 1982 it was featured in Texas Monthly:

The Americana I find especially appealing, perhaps because I know it the best. Built in 1965, it is a solid, unadorned place filled with plush rocking seats that are as comfortable as easy chairs. Over the years, the Americana’s luster has diminished ever so slightly and purists will no doubt be shocked to find a few video games cluttering the lobby. Ah, but if you had been there in the old days. To have missed Lawrence of Arabia in such a place is like having missed Pavlova in Giselle. But one can’t look back forever. Even if the Americana chose to show nothing from now on but industrial training films, I would still feel obliged, as connoisseur, to buy a season pass. [4]

Below: Photos of interior lobby and exterior from structural evaluation (1992).

The theater closed in 1988. After its closure, it served for a time as a recording studio for Jay Podolnick, a local rock musician and son of Earl Podolnick. Earl Podolnick passed away in 1992, not long after the Americana was listed for sale.

The exterior of the Americana Theatre provided the backdrop for a scene in Richard Linklater's 1994 movie Dazed and Confused. As cheerleaders haze high school freshmen, squirting them with ketchup and mustard, one can see glimpses of the original porte-cochère and gold anodized aluminum framed windows and door.

A new use was to save the boxy volume of the Americana, if not all its original, elegant features.

The Search for a Permanent Home for the Neighborhood Library

Since the mid-1950s and under various names, a branch library served the surrounding residential neighborhoods at leased locations on and around Burnet Road. In 1956, the Northwest Branch opened at 5923 Burnet Road and in 1967 the Allandale Branch was located in the Allandale Shopping Center at 5802 Burnet Road. In the late 1970s, it was moved to the North Loop Shopping Center at 5230 Burnet Road and it was called the North Loop Area Branch. The North Loop Area Branch moved temporarily to a bank site in 1987 and then to what had been the M.M. O’Hair Atheist Center at 2210 Hancock Drive, next door to the Americana Theatre.

Location of the branch library at the former M.M. O'Hair Atheist Center prior to its move to the Americana Theatre/Yarborough Branch Library building. Photo from structural evaluation (1991). Courtesy of the Austin Public Library.

It was after the City of Austin lost its lease in 1987 that neighborhood associations in North Austin, and especially the Allandale Neighborhood, began to advocate for a permanent location for the library. According to Phyllis Brinkley, a long-time Allandale resident and neighborhood advocate, there was a prevalent fear that the neighborhood would eventually lose their branch library. Ms. Brinkley was instrumental in galvanizing support for a permanent home for the branch and eventually in organizing and supporting the reuse of the Americana Theatre.

The Americana Theatre remained vacant for several years while the City of Austin renovated the one-story former Atheist Center. The renovation was completed in 1990, which doubled the size of the branch to over 6,000 sq. ft. Around that time, Ms. Brinkley’s husband observed that the Americana Theatre was for sale. Ms. Brinkley notified others that the Americana might be an ideal location for the branch library.

A July 1991 Austin-American Statesman article highlighted the search for a permanent location, including investigation of the former Atheist Center building and the Americana. The article described problems identified in a structural analysis of the former Atheist Center. In the article, City of Austin Library Facilities Manager John Gillum is quoted as saying that renovation of both the office building and the Americana “…were a bit unusual for us. Usually libraries are built by the Public Works department to serve as libraries. They are designed to be libraries. Here we are trying to buy something that was never intended to be a library. It’s out of the ordinary.”[5]

In 1992 the City Council approved a proposal to put the purchase and stabilization of the Americana before the voters. The costs for the purchase, renovation, equipment, and books for the new branch library were estimated at $2.6 million. Voters approved a bond package that included the project. In March of 1993, the City Council approved purchase of the Americana for $285,000.

Although it may sound like the battle to reuse the Americana had been won, in fact it took Phyllis Brinkley and the Allandale neighborhood years of lobbying the City Council and speaking at Planning Commission, Library Commission, City Council and Capital Improvement Project budget meetings. According to Ms. Brinkley, the neighborhood association had to continuously organize to keep the project moving forward and to ensure adequate funding. The neighborhood also participated in the design process and specific suggestions from Ms. Brinkley appear in both City of Austin files and in elements in the final design for the building. The Allandale Neighborhood Association also raised funds to supplement city funding for public artwork in the library.

New Life, New Sustainable Design

HRB Rogers & Perry Architects was selected to design the adaptive reuse the Americana. They had experience adapting other movie theaters as bookstores. T. Michael Rogers, AIA (Mike Rogers) worked with the City of Austin to produce designs. According to John Gillum, Rogers was interested and involved in sustainable design. Gillum attributes many of the sustainable features of the adaptive reuse to the architect’s interest in sustainability. Mike Rogers completed a Sustainable Design Checklist for Municipal Buildings and submitted it to the Public Works Department and to the Library Facilities Department in 1996. The Sustainable Design Checklist had been developed in 1994 through the partnership of Austin Energy Green Building Program and the City of Austin Public Works Department.[6]

The Sustainable Design Checklist was not designed to rate buildings, as is the present-day Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System; instead, it was a checklist with optional considerations for the design of municipal buildings. The Austin Energy Green Building Program was later adapted into the LEED system by the U.S. Green Building Council. It can be considered an important prototype to what was later developed into a system that is used throughout the United States in the certification of green buildings.

Many of the interior features of the theater were removed in the adaptive reuse. Removal of 780+ plush theater seats and the leveling of the theater floor were formidable tasks. Unfortunately, plans to reuse the “Haywood Wakefield Rocking Chair” theater seat frames at either the University of Texas or in a Capital City Entertainment Center project fell through.

A few references to the original use of the building were maintained in the interior design for the building. On the north end, where the original screen had been, artists Dayna Beard-Isensee and Maria Camp were commissioned to provide a mural on large panels that are an allusion to the original movie screen. (The same artists produced a metal sculpture of birds in flight called "Flights of Fancy" that are also featured in the interior of the library.) The building also retains the second floor room that had been the projection booth. A projecting volume remains where the projection room was; instead of an opening for the projector there are large multi-color rectangular shapes in the wall.

Former projection booth still vaguely visible. Photo by Jenni Minner.

Murals were installed where the original screen was located. Photo by Jenni Minner.

Responding to the problem of bringing natural light into the windowless volume, skylights were cut into the ceiling. Large “cloud” light fixtures constructed out of light concrete were also designed to provide additional lighting. These daylighting techniques, paired with the cloud light fixtures, were creative solutions that contributed to the overall sustainability of the project.

A particular challenge in the adaptive reuse that influenced the character of both interior and exterior was the discovery of vermiculate, an asbestos-containing product had been used as wall insulation within concrete blocks. A solution was devised to place piping and mechanical equipment inside walls built within an additional layer wrapping around the inside of building. This prevented any disturbance of asbestos in the original building walls. The discovery of asbestos and its design solution meant that final plans contained no new windows in the building walls.

An additional challenge came when the original porte-cochère canopy was found to have structural damage. Ultimately, the original canopy was deemed unsalvageable and, unfortunately, the original port-cochere was not saved. The new port-cochere that was added to the building is very different and reflects a 1990s design aesthetic. While it was designed to reference the original, the geometric forms of the steel canopy did not go far in replicating the original.

The building was renamed the Yarborough Branch Library in honor of the late U.S. Senator from Texas Ralph Webster Yarborough (1903-1996). Yarborough was a leader of the liberal wing of the Democratic party and served as senator from 1957-1971. He was one of only five senators from the South to support the Civil Rights Act of 1957 and one of only three from the South who voted for the Voting Rights Act of 1965. He co-wrote the Endangered Species Act of 1969 and he sponsored other bills aimed at environmental conservation, historic preservation, education, and public health. His bio is available on the Handbook of Texas On-line.

Adaptive Reuse of Austin's Commercial Modern

The history of the Yarborough Branch Library and its origins as a theater have important implications for understanding the development of commercial buildings and their potential reuse. The Americana Theater was an important piece of roadside architecture; unlike many other commercial buildings of its time, it was architect-designed. It exhibited functionalism in form and whimsy in the innovative design of the building’s porte-cochère. As a movie theater it provided leisure and social space for the developing residential neighborhoods and regional markets that had access via Burnet Road.

The Americana Theatre is a part of the story of modernism in Central Texas. This story should not be limited to canonical architects and high style architecture of the Modern Movement. It should include buildings such as the Americana that may not be well known beyond Austin's city limits, but contribute to a history of acceptance and adaptation of modern design approaches and vocabulary in a regional context. Its reuse as a new public space was an expression of widespread admiration for the theater and a testament to its importance in the everyday life of many Austinites.

Footnotes

[1] Bustin, John. “In Hollywood Fashion: Americana Theater Opens” in The Austin American, April 28, 1965.

[2] Interview with John Gillum, City of Austin Library Facilities Manager. (October 27, 2008).

[3] Jaster-Quintanilla & Associates, Incorporated (1992). p. 1-2.

[4] Harrigan, Stephan. “Illusions of Grandeur – Let's Not Go Out to the Lobby,” Texas Monthly Volume 10, Issue 10, October 1982, 158.

[5] Jayson, Sharon. “N. Loop Library study poses question,” Austin American Statesman. (July 1991), Neighbor Section, 1.

[6] Austin Energy, Austin Energy Green Building™—A Concise History. http://www.austinenergy.com/Energy%20Efficiency/Programs/Green%20Building

Special thanks to:

John Gillum, the Facilities Manager for the City of Austin Library System, was generous with his time and in providing access to his extensive project files. He provided entrée into a treasure trove of primary sources, including site plans, memoranda, faxes, etc. Bonita Synder-Jones, Managing Librarian at the Yarborough Branch, also provided valuable information from a building user and manager’s perspective. She provided a tour of the branch library and access to photographs and other materials located at the branch library. Phyllis Brinkley offered insights into personal and neighborhood involvement and shared an in-depth timeline of Allandale Neighborhood Association history that she authored. The Austin History Center provided access to biographical files about Earl Podolnick and other materials related to the Americana and its renovation.

Sources

Austin Energy. Ralph Yarborough Branch Library Information Sheet. Green Building Case Studies on the Austin Energy website. http://www.austinenergy.com/Energy%20Efficiency/Programs/Green%20Building/Resources/Case%20Studies/index.htm. Accessed March 18, 2009.

Austin Energy. About Austin Energy Green Building on the Austin Energy Website. http://www.austinenergy.com/Energy%20Efficiency/Programs/Green%20Building/About%20Us/index.htm. Accessed March 18, 2009.

Austin Energy. Austin Energy Green Building™ A Concise History

http://www.austinenergy.com/Energy%20Efficiency/Programs/Green%20Building/About%20Us/history.htm, Accessed March 18, 2009.

“A Tribute to Phyllis Brinkley.” Allandale Neighbor. Volume 22, Issue 2. March 2007.

Austin Energy. “Austin Energy Green Building – Concise History,” Austin Energy. http://www.austinenergy.com/Energy%20Efficiency/Programs/Green%20Building/About%20Us/history.htm.

Bustin, John. “In Hollywood Fashion: Americana Theater Opens” in The Austin American, April 28, 1965.

City of Austin. “Brentwood Neighborhood Planning Area,” City of Austin – Brentwood Neighborhood Planning Area. http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/zoning/brentwood.htm.

DeGennaro, Dorothy A, Publisher. ProFile 2004 The Architects Sourcebook. Nineteenth Edition, Norcross, Georgia: Dorothy A. DeGennaro, 2004.

“Earl Podolnick.” Austin American Statesman. November 17, 1992, Obituary section.

Gane, John F., Ed. American Architects Directory. Third Edition. R.R. Bowker Company, New York and London, 1970.

Harrigan, Stephan. “Illusions of Grandeur – Let’s Not Go Out to the Lobby,” Texas Monthly Volume 10, Issue 10, October 1982, 158.

Jayson, Sharon. “Renovated Austin theater replaces movies with books,” Austin American Statesman, January 9, 1999, Section B1.

Jayson, Sharon. “N. Loop Library study poses question,” Austin American Statesman, July 1991, Neighbor Section, 1.

Jaster-Quintanilla & Associates, Incorporated. “Structural Evaluation: 2210 Hancock Drive,” Austin, Texas: July 1991.

Jaster-Quintanilla & Associates, Incorporated. “Structural Evaluation: Americana Theater Building,” Austin, Texas: January 1992.

Kohl, George S., Editor. American Architects Directory. Second Edition. New York: R.R. Bowker Company, 1962.

Welling, David. Cinema Houston: From Nickelodeon to Megaplex. Austin, Texas: University of Texas Press, 2007.

Tower of Americas Recognized for Lasting Architectural Importance

From San Antonio Express News:

"In honoring a project of lasting architectural importance, AIA members chose the Tower of the Americas. Last year, the tower also received the 25-year Award from the Texas Society of Architects, which honors a project between 25 and 50 years old that has retained its central form, character and architectural integrity.

Plans for the tower started in 1959 when San Antonio was chosen to host the 1968 World's Fair. The executive committee for the fair considered several ideas for a signature structure — among them a grand statue of President Lyndon Johnson and Mexican President Gustavo Diaz Ordaz hugging — but decided on a monumental tower.

The observation deck is at 622 feet, and an antenna brings the height to 750 feet, which made it the tallest observation tower in the U.S. until the Las Vegas Stratosphere surpassed it in 1996.

It was designed by O'Neil Ford & Associates. Several members of the original Tower of the Americas team were at the awards banquet, including architects Jack Peterson and Boone Powell; Ray Pinnell, the design engineer for the tower; and engineer Dick Kistner."

Read more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/And-the-AIA-Design-Awards-go-to-2253125.php#ixzz1cyf2NmsU

Preservation Career Panel on Roof of Cambridge Tower

On November 2nd, the University of Texas at Austin Student Historic Preservation Association held a preservation career panel on the roof of Cambridge Tower (follow link to read more about Austin's mid-century landmark of luxury). The event afforded a beautiful sunset view atop one of Austin's most prominent mid-century high rises.


Photo by Jeffrey Blockside

Panelists included experts on the preservation of modern architecture in Texas: Anna Mod from SWCA Environmental Consultants and Dave Bucek, Principal, Stern and Bucek Architects. The panel also included: Earl Broussard, Founder and President of TBG Partners Landscape Architecture and Planning; Jacqui Schraad, Executive Director of the Heritage Society of Austin; Kim McKnight, Historic Preservation Specialist, Parks and Recreation Department at City of Austin; and Laura Acuña, Archaeologist, SWCA Environmental Consultants.

HemisFair '68: Modern Design, Cultural History - More Tour Highlights

More photos have been added. The packet provided on the tour is now available as a PDF for download.

Thanks to those who contributed photos of the tour. These include photos from Marlene Richardson, who produced a KLRN documentary on HemisFair '68. Watch San Antonio Remembered | HemisFair on-line. Photos were also contributed by Jessica Anderson and Josh Conrad.

The tour was also featured in an article in La Prensa.

On Saturday, October 8, 2011 Mid Tex Mod hosted a walking tour of the modern architecture and artwork of HemisFair '68. The fair was the first official international exposition held in the Southwest. It had a major impact on the development of San Antonio. Acclaimed architects designed both temporary and permanent structures for the fair, which was a showcase for art, culture, society, and technology. After the Fair, the site was renamed HemisFair Park in one of numerous revitalization efforts.

Below: William Sinkin awaits the beginning of the tour. Mr. Sinkin was the first President of San Antonio Fair, Inc., the corporate body that organized HemisFair '68.

Photo by Marlene Richardson

Dr. Jennifer Speed, a local historian, shared the history of 19th century buildings at HemisFair Park. These buildings are remnants of a vital urban neighborhood, which was largely demolished in an urban renewal effort associated with the siting of the world's fair.

Photo by Marlene Richardson


Photo by Marlene Richardson

James LeFlore, from the San Antonio Office of Cultural Affairs, led the group through outstanding examples of modern artwork created for HemisFair '68. These included the The Confluence of the Civilizations in the Americas, 1968, an exquisite glass mosaic tile mural by Carlos Merida (1891-1984) located in the Convention Center.


Photo by Jenni Minner


Photo by Marlene Richardson

The Confluence of the Civilizations in the Americas, 1968 by Fred Samuelson (b. 1925) provides an expansive view of history. It is located in the Convention Center ballroom.


Photo by Jenni Minner

Detail from mural.

Photo by Marlene Richardson

James LeFlore described Juan O'Gorman's rock mosaic masterpiece on the Lila Cockrell Theater.

Photo by Marlene Richardson


Photo by Marlene Richardson

Detail of Confluence of the Civilizations of the Americas, 1968.

Photo by Marlene Richardson

Tour guides Stuart Johnson, from the San Antonio Conservation Society and Mid Tex Mod, and Jenni Minner, president of Mid Tex Mod, described the architectural merit and historical significance of Marmon & Mok's design for the Confluence Theater. The building was re-purposed as the John H. Wood, Jr. Federal courthouse a few years after the fair. Its future is presently in question as it is part of a large land swap between the federal government and the City of San Antonio.


Photo by Marlene Richardson


Photo by Jessica Anderson

According to the official HemisFair '68 guidebook, the Confluence Theater was clad in "pre-cast marble which was quarried in New Mexico, cut in Missouri, and cast in Dallas. Both the inside and outside the theater are innovations in design and building techniques."


Photo by Jessica Anderson

The group assembled at the Schultze House to hear Bill Sinkin speak about the importance of HemisFair '68. Chris Medina, a collector of HemisFair '68 memorabilia, displayed items from his collection.

Courtesy of Chris Medina. Image from postcard of Confluence Theater, part of the U.S. Pavilion at HemisFair '68.

Left: Mr. Sinkin's portrait, which was recently hung in the lobby of the Tower of the Americas. Right: Speaking on HemisFair '68 and recent endeavors as CEO of a solar energy company.

Photos by Josh Conrad, University of Texas at Austin

Tour guides stand in front of hand prints of the prominent women responsible for raising funds for the Women's Pavilion. Mrs. William Sinkin and Mrs. John Connally are among the many names. Originally called the Woman's Pavilion, this building is a testament to the changing roles of women in American society. It is also a significant example of brutalism and of noted architect Cyrus Wagner.


Photo by Marlene Richardson

The interior of the Women's Pavilion shows the hand of a master in light and space.

Photo by Marlene Richardson

It also displays a desperate need for maintenance and reinvestment.

Photo by Marlene Richardson

See more photos of the Women's Pavilion on previous posts:

• Houston Mod + Mid Tex Mod tour San Antonio
• Mod Tour from Young Photographer's Perspective

A photo focuses on the fountain at the Institute of Texan Cultures with Federal office building in the background.

Photo by Josh Conrad, University of Texas at Austin.

The last stop on the tour was the observation deck of the Tower of the Americas. The photo below is from the ground floor of the Tower looking towards the observation deck.

Photo by Jessica Anderson

View of the former U.S. Pavilion from the Tower of the Americas. This two building complex was once the Confluence Theater and the Exhibit Pavilion. These are now the John H. Woods, jr. Federal Courthouse and the Adrian Spears Judicial Training Center.


Photo by Jessica Anderson

Detail of view from the Tower of the Americas showing the Villita Assembly Building designed by O'Neil Ford and constructed prior to HemisFair (Building with flower on top to the left). The Hilton Placio Del Rio Hotel (on the right) was built in record time using an innovative modular construction. Read more about the history of the Villita Assembly building and the Palacio del Rio.


Photo by Jessica Anderson

Send us your photos of the tour to share!
Read about the tour.

Links to more HemisFair information:

HemisFair '68 Online

Women's Pavilion at HemisFair Park

HemisFair Park Master Plan

University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries Digitized HemisFair '68 Collections:

http://bit.ly/qq5V7M

http://texashistory.unt.edu/explore/partners/UTSA/browse/

Special thanks to: , Women's Pavilion at HemisFair Park, Inc., Public Art San Antonio, National Trust for Historic Preservation Partners in the Field, San Antonio Conservation Society, and many others who have helped!

Deco and Moderne: Austin Architecture of the 1930s Exhibit at the Austin History Center

The Austin History Center presents a new exhibit, Deco and Moderne: Austin Architecture of the 1930s on display in the David Earl Holt Photo Gallery of the Austin History Center, 810 Guadalupe Street, from November 1, 2011 to April 29, 2012.

Free walking tour on November 6. Spaces limited and RSVP required. More info.

Cambridge Tower: Austin's Landmark of Luxury

The American Statesman proclaimed Cambridge Tower “Austin’s tallest high-rise apartment building.”(1) Advertisements described it as “…the tallest privately owned building between Dallas and Houston.”(2) The fifteen-story residential tower at 1801 Lavaca is one of Austin’s significant high rise buildings of the mid-twentieth century. The building has been described as a “landmark of luxury” from its inception, officially opening with much fanfare on Saturday, May 1, 1965.

Located between downtown and the University of Texas at Austin, Cambridge Tower represented a vision of living the good life in central Austin. Information for prospective tenants emphasized the array of services and amenities available, such as on-site fine dining, help for hire, valet service, and high quality outdoor recreational facilities. This vision of modernity contrasted with another popular notion of modern life at mid-century, suburban living in single family homes. As a landmark of the modern period, Cambridge Tower helped to define Austin as a modern urban city. It was marketed to appeal to urbane residents who demanded quality accommodations.

Cambridge Tower is notable for its dramatic architectural design, which embraces a playful Mediterranean theme, an abstracted exoticism that capitalizes on Austin’s pleasant sunny weather. Newspaper articles and marketing referred to the “high Grecian arches” as notable features. This motif was carried through outdoor landscaping, which included cabanas and a water fountain at poolside.




The design of Cambridge Tower was consistent with the architectural trends of new formalism and neo-classicism of the 1960s. New Formalism integrated references to classical architecture, while retaining the bare geometric forms and modern materials of the modern movement. Stripped down columns and arches were typical of buildings designed in this architectural mode. The result is modernism that both references the international style and popularizes it. It retains the formality and monumentality of columns and arches, while alluding to Austin’s regional charm through references to the Mediterranean and decorative concrete block terraces.

Note: Decorative concrete blocks had a short-lived, but dramatic appearance in architecture in the 1950s and 1960s. Their popularity is attributed to their use in designs by Edward Durell Stone and Frank Lloyd Wright. For more information about the history and preservation of concrete blocks, see: Rubano, Anthony. "The Grille Is Gone: The Rise and Fall of the Concrete Block." In Preserving the Recent Past 2, 3-89 - 3-99. Washington, DC: Historic Preservation Education Foundation, 2000.

A 1963 newspaper article shows an architect’s rendering for a proposed high rise and office building at the site quite different from Cambridge Tower as it was actually built. The rendering depicts a mixed use building designed in what could be described as a hybrid international and Brutalist mode. The massive building is reminiscent of Le Corbusier’s designs. The bottom floor appears to be a combination of commercial space and parking. In this article, the owner and developer for the property is L.L. McCandless. The rendering was drawn by the Austin firm Winfred O. Gustafson, AIA. The site was subsequently sold to Mayflower Investment Co. of Dallas, a subsidiary of Fidelity Union Life Insurance Co, and the architectural design was radically altered. Newspaper articles did not provide an explanation for the sale of the property or the shift in architectural design.

Dallas architect Thomas Edward Stanley II designed the building. (3) (Stanley also designed the First National Bank, which was the tallest building in Dallas in the 1960s, and the Gulf and Western Building near Columbus Circle in New York City.) The cost of construction was “in excess of $4,500,000” according to marketing materials. The contractor was Thomas J. Hayman of Dallas. Cambridge Tower was constructed in 1964 and opened in May 1, 1965 with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

The building was constructed of steel and poured in place concrete. Decorative concrete block was used in the design of terraces and in a wall on the east side of the property near the pool. Access to terraces is through aluminum sliding glass doors. The main entrance was once through two large wooden doors. These doors were later replaced by automatic sliding aluminum and glass doors. Original mosaic elevator doors have been retained even as floors have been remodeled.

Cambridge Tower’s landscaped outdoor areas are featured prominently in marketing materials. Landscape architect George Hunt, also of Dallas, designed the “…swimming pool and cabana area with waterfalls, fountains and statuary.” Elements of the original landscape appear to be intact. According to information provided to prospective tenants, the swimming pool area is “beautifully landscaped in Mediterranean style,” and is “formal in appearance.” The swimming pool, pavilion, and limestone landscaping appear to be original.

The roof of the Cambridge Tower provides another outdoor common area. It has been remodeled since the 1960s, it provides sweeping views of the capital building. With the obvious exception of the Capital dome, it seems that much of the downtown skyline has changed dramatically since Cambridge Tower made its debut in Austin.

Cambridge Tower included restaurant and services over the years, although none of these businesses remain. The Cup and Saucer restaurant was located at the south end of the ground floor. It is described as quaint and informal and serving breakfast, lunch, and room service. The restaurants Vic’s and Table Royal were also once located in the building. A barbershop was located at the north end of the building on the ground floor.

Article by Jenni Minner. Thanks to Barry Smith, Cambridge Tower's Building Manager and Stephen Fox of Rice University.

Footnotes
(1) American Statesman (Austin, TX), April 30, 1965.
(2) Advertisement in the Austin History Center House Building File: HB-Lavaca 1801. Austin History Center, Austin, TX.
(3) The Dallas Morning News (Dallas, TX), "Mayflower Builds Austin Apartment," July 14, 1964.

Sources
American Statesman (Austin, TX), April 30, 1965.

American Statesman. “14-Story Building Planned.” 1964. HB-Lavaca 1801. Austin History Center, Austin, TX.

American Statesman (Austin, TX), “Apartments Scheduled On Lavaca,” August 1, 1963.

American Statesman. “150 Unit-Structure To Be 15 Stories High.” 1963. HB - Lavaca 1801. Austin History Center, Austin, TX.

Austin American-Statesman (Austin), “High Fire,” June 9, 1978.

Cambridge Condominiums Council of Owners. “Cambridge Condominium: Official Declaration, Articles of Incorporation, By-Laws, Community Rules, and Amendments.” October 2, 2008. Cambridge Tower Condominiums, Austin, Texas.

Cambridge Tower Condominiums Community Handbook. Austin: n.p., n.d.

Cambridge Tower (promotional brochure). Austin, Texas: Publisher unlisted, 1966.

"Cambridge Tower: Things We Thought You Would Like to Know." Information provided to prospective tenants. HB - Lavaca 1801. Austin History Center, Austin, TX.

The Dallas Morning News (Dallas, TX), “Mayflower Builds Austin Apartment,” July 14, 1964.

Donald, Mark. "Rich Man, Poor Man." Dallas Observer News. August 2, 2001. http://www.dallasobserver.com/2001-08-02/news/rich-man-poor-man/ (Accessed November 2, 2011).

Fox, Stephen. E-mail correspondence, May 5, 2010.

Gane, John F., ed. American Architects Directory. 3rd ed. New York and London: R. R. Browker Company, 1970. S.v. “Thomas Edward Stanley II.”

“Giant New Building.” Newspaper clipping, Austin History Center.

Haydon, Peggy. Peggy Haydon to James W McClendon, January 27, 1967 Austin History Center, Austin.

Koyl, George S, ed. American Architects Directory. 2nd ed. New York: R. R. Browker Company, 1962. S.v. “Thomas Edward Stanley, II.

———, ed. American Architects Directory. New York: R. R. Bowker Company, 1955. S.v. “Thomas Edward Stanley II.”

Plohetski, Tony. “New Push for Fire Safety: Fire Chief Asks for Ordinance on High-Rise Sprinklers.” Austin American-Statesman (Austin, TX), August 21, 2002.

Smith, Barry. Interview by author, Cambridge Tower Condominiums Office - 1801 Lavaca, Austin, TX, February 19, 2010.