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Published
by the Corpus Christi Caller-Times. CLICK FOR NEWSPAPER DELIVERY
CORRECTION:
An article on Page A1 Wednesday incorrectly attributed criticism of the arena’s location next to the Bayfront Plaza Convention Center. The criticisms were made by Trian Serbu, an area architect. Port of Corpus Christi Executive Director John LaRue did not attend the meeting.
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Wednesday, September 26, 2001
Architects show arena, expanded-center designs
Glass is used to help create 'new look for the waterfront'
By Neal Falgoust
Caller-Times
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George Gongora/Caller-Times
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Architects show city officials their designs for a new arena and expanded convention center. Design team members called the style contemporary.
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Architects unveiled models of a new arena and expanded convention center Tuesday, and said the buildings would feature architectural elements to create a connection with the city's history.
Large plates of polished steel would cover a major portion of the arena, with a huge glass façade facing the water and vertical fiber optic cables shimmering on the sides of the structure.
The design would incorporate "a new architecture, a new definite orientation toward the water," said design team leader Raymond Gignac, in a presentation to the City Council.
Design team members called the style contemporary and said it would challenge residents to look deep for maritime themes incorporated throughout the structure. Designers admitted that the approach could be risky and that they purposefully shied away from more classical designs.
"That was one of our charges, to make a statement for the city," said architect Robert Fatovic. "It creates a new image for the bayfront."
The preliminary design incorporates Texas limestone, tinted glass and steel to tie the building together. The large glass panels across the front façade are angled to reflect sunlight like a prism, and the front will be set ablaze at night when events fill the arena.
"This is an entirely new architecture, a new look for the waterfront," said designer Andrew McLean.
Glass raises concerns
Designers have been working with officials and community groups since early this year. Voters in November approved a hike in the sales tax and the issuance of $40 million in bonds to pay for the construction of a new multi-purpose arena and the expansion of the convention center. The arena, as presented by the design team, would have two levels with space for more than a dozen suites and a clubhouse.
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George Gongora/Caller-Times
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City officials are shown proposed seating for a new arena during a presentation by the design team Tuesday.
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From a capacity standpoint, designers seem to have scored a victory, said those who were involved in the design. As a hockey arena or football arena, it would seat about 8,000. As a basketball arena, 9,500 people could fit. And as a concert venue, 10,000 people would be able to fill the seats. A horseshoe design also would allow developers to expand the facility later.
But the large glass panels and tight parking still concern some.
Addressing the problem
One of the greatest concerns is that a glass wall facing the bay might become glass shrapnel if a hurricane or major storm struck the area. Flying debris could puncture holes in the glass and open the interior to the elements.
Gignac admitted that the team still needs to address that problem. He said one of the options is to use impact-resistant glass, which could add to the costs of the building.
"It adds a little bit, but you have to do that," he said. "Otherwise, you're going to have to buy some sort of covering."
Designers also plan to address concerns that the large windows would allow extra heat into the building. With the eastern exposure, the building would be open to morning sun, but tinting, shades and overhangs could keep it protected from the hottest part of the day, designers said.
"We're well along the lines of tackling that issue," McLean said.
Designers seemed reluctant to move away from the proposal of using the glass because it plays such an important role in the architecture.
McLean said the building and the expanded convention center use the glass as major element in the design's approach.
"There's an emphasis on transparency," he said. "You're always in contact with the water."
'Missing the boat'
Concerns also continue to surface about the location of the new arena. John LaRue, executive director of the Port of Corpus Christi, continued to criticize the design, saying that it does not help to improve blighted areas around the port.
In July, the port sent city officials a written offer of land next to the Solomon P. Ortiz Center. The port agreed to give the city land in exchange for a portion of the revenue generated by the arena. The city dismissed the offer and instead paid $3.3 million for a piece of privately owned land next to the Bayfront Plaza Convention Center. Mayor Loyd Neal and City Manager David Garcia said the city dismissed the port's offer because the city had already settled on the land next to the convention center. Architects and city planners said the placement of the arena next to the convention center would allow builders to piggyback utilities.
LaRue on Tuesday said the city still was failing to address development issues around the port.
"I feel like we're missing the boat here," he said. "This is a real obstacle to the economic growth of the city."
But designers said the key to the development of the area is bringing the arena and convention center together.
Fatovic said it would have been physically impossible to join the two buildings if the arena were placed on the port land.
"Here, we're sharing loading docks, we're sharing mechanical facilities," he said.
With the arena on the port land, "you would not have been able to attend a convention in the convention center and walk to the arena under cover."
Shuttles and carpools
Some reviews of the project raised concerns about parking. Joe Ochoa, president of the Buccaneer Commission, said he was concerned that the already limited parking space would become even tighter if the arena underwent an expansion.
According to the scheme, there would be 1,900 off-street parking spaces available.
Another 600 spots would be available curbside. Designers anticipated that most events would require no more than 1,500 spaces. They also figured that large events - requiring at least 5,000 spaces - would occupy the arena about 20 days out of the year.
"This is the situation where you would be using shuttles to downtown, when things are really hopping," McLean said.
Dan Viola, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi athletic director, said the parking situation did not concern him because most people, he said, would likely turn to public transportation or carpooling. The university's teams would play in the new arena.
"People don't necessarily come to these events by themselves," he said. "I don't think parking will be a big issue."
Contact Neal Falgoust at 886-4334 or falgoustn@caller.com
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