The Heart of Bexar County

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VIII T H E C O U R T Y A R D A N D M A I N P L A Z A by Nelson Wolff q Courtyard fountain in front of the San Fernando Cathedral. C h a p t e r V I I 1 F 3 7
In 1996 Father David Garcia, beloved former rector of San Fernando Cathedral, worked with my successor Mayor Bill Thornton to fund the design for a park entrance to the river on the land that we purchased when I was mayor. It was located across Soledad Street from the plaza. Mayor Howard Peak, who followed Thornton in 1997, led the successful bond campaign to construct the park entrance. On a bright sunny Sunday afternoon of October 7, 2001 Tracy and I joined Father David Garcia and his parishioners to celebrate the opening of the new park. Father David led his congregation from San Fernando crossing Main Street over to Main Plaza and then across Soledad Street to the new river park entrance. When they descended the stairs, Tracy and I along with several other civic and government leaders greeted them. It was an environmentally attractive entrance to the river. In the middle of the park, a stairway of rough-hewn limestone rose up from the river with landscaping on both sides. Six water features were created along with inscriptions explaining the history of river water use. San Antonio Express News senior critic Mike Greenberg described the park as “a place of extraordinary delight, at once a contemplative evocation of nature and history and a vibrant urban space.” While we were pleased with the park entrance, we knew that the restoration of Main Plaza was a critical component of the 1992 historic civic center plan. Ed Garza, who was elected mayor a couple of weeks after I became county judge, wanted to move forward on revitalizing Main Plaza. He convinced the City Council to commission the architectural firm of Lake-Flato to develop a plan for the plaza. In May of 2003 Mayor Garza unveiled an $8.77 million plan. It provided for stone-paved sidewalks, a new interactive central fountain, landscaping, 89 new trees, lighting, and new gravel paths. It also called for enlarging to the plaza by taking in a portion of Soledad Street and Main Avenue. I told Garza that if the council moved forward, I was interested in the county participating with the city in restoring Main Plaza because at one time it stretched across to the courthouse. In the 1960s when Dolorosa Street was realigned to bisect the plaza, it left us a small sliver of Main Plaza as our front yard. I told him I wanted the city to deed the front yard to the county, allowing us to expand onto a portion of Soledad and Main Street that was located on the east and west sides of the courthouse. I also asked the city to address our basement flooding problems. I said I would seek county funds if he was willing to accommodate our requests. He was willing. While the City Council liked the plan, they did not like the high cost of the project. No one on the council believed enough in the project to q Belwo: Courtyard view of Main Plaza. 3 8 F T H E H E A R T O F B E X A R C O U N T Y
Page 1 and 2: THE HEART OF BEXAR COUNTY RESTORATI
Page 3 and 4: First Edition Copyright © 2020 HPN
Page 5 and 6: CONTENTS FOREWORD .................
Page 7 and 8: q Architectural drawing of the Cour
Page 9 and 10: I E V O L U T I O N O F C I T Y H A
Page 11 and 12: q Above: Bottom, right: The Masonic
Page 13 and 14: q Architect’s Drawing of the Bexa
Page 15 and 16: II R E S T O R A T I O N O F C I T
Page 17 and 18: q San Antonio City Council Chamber.
Page 19 and 20: III T H E D E C L I N E O F T H E C
Page 21 and 22: 2 0 F T H E H E A R T O F B E X A R
Page 23 and 24: Both designs were ill conceived, mi
Page 29 and 30: q Bexar County Courthouse. submitte
Page 31 and 32: VI T H E C H I L D R E N ’ S C O
Page 33 and 34: q Above: Children’s court Judge R
Page 35 and 36: VII T H E F I R S T R E S T O R E D
Page 37: q Before and after restoration of t
Page 41 and 42: IX L A D Y J U S T I C E by Tracy W
Page 43 and 44: q Top, left: The Lady Justice fount
Page 45 and 46: q Right: Lady Justice during the un
Page 47 and 48: q Above and below: Construction of
Page 49 and 50: With that picture of the original c
Page 51 and 52: q Above: June 17, 2018, King Felipe
Page 53 and 54: q Above: Removal of the Gondeck add
Page 55 and 56: q Bexar County Courthouse after the
Page 57 and 58: XII T H E B E X A R C O U N T Y A R
Page 59 and 60: q Above: Texas A&M-San Antonio Arch
Page 61 and 62: XIII T H E B E X A R H E R I T A G
Page 63 and 64: q Exhibits from the Bexar County He
Page 65 and 66: q Right: Northside view of the Bexa
Page 67 and 68: ABOUT THE AUTHORS C O U N T Y N E L
Page 69 and 70: APPENDIX A A R C H I T E C T S & C
Page 71 and 72: APPENDIX C A R C H I T E C T S & C
Page 73 and 74: APPENDIX D B E X A R C O U N T Y O
Page 77 and 78: JTM CONSULTING, LLC Drawing on a lo
Page 79 and 80: G BRACEWELL, LLP From top to bottom
Page 81 and 82: NICHOLAS & BARRERA, P.C. For nearly
Page 83 and 84: DAVIS, CEDILLO & MENDOZA, INC. G To
Page 85 and 86: LINEBARGER GOGGAN BLAIR & SAMPSON,
Page 87 and 88: LAW OFFICES OF SERNA & SERNA Growin
Page 89 and 90:
G ESCAMILLA & PONECK, LLP Above: Pa
Page 91 and 92:
WATTS GUERRA, LLP G Left: Mikal C.
Page 93 and 94:
GUNN, LEE & CAVE, P.C. G Left: Ted
Page 95 and 96:
THOMAS J. HENRY LAW Thomas J. Henry
Page 97:
$34.95 978-1-944891-70-1 Ë|xHSLJOE
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The Heart of Bexar County

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