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Texas Construction Magazine recently named the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio as the Best Public Project in their “Best of 2001“ competition. Clark/J.T., a joint venture of Clark Construction Group, LLC and J.T. Construction, a San Antonio minority firm, served as general contractor on the $215 million project.
Completed this summer, the project added 867,495 square feet of space to the convention center, increasing the building’s size to 1.3 million square feet, more than doubling the size of the existing 540,000-square-foot facility. Contiguous exhibit space was increased to 440,000-square-feet, providing more options and greater flexibility.
Located along the city’s famous RiverWalk, the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center stands three stories above grade with a core of structural concrete walls and columns, panned post-tensioned concrete decks, and structural steel roof framing. Improvements to the design included the use of native landscape and building materials that complement the existing structure, the adjacent HemisFair Park, the RiverWalk and surrounding topographies.
The project was completed in two phases. Phase I consisted of the construction of a new building adjacent to the existing convention facility. This new structure gave the convention center an additional 83,000 square feet of meeting space, 43,000-square-foot grand ballroom, and more than 200,000 square feet of new exhibit space. In addition, a full-service banquet kitchen equipped to handle the requirements of the entire facility, pressroom, VIP lounge, dressing rooms, business center and new registration area also were included in this phase.
Phase II features the construction of connections between the expansion and the existing convention center, including a dramatic two-story glass and steel lobby bridge, which provides a view of the San Antonio River below. The project also included an extension of the famous River Walk, a three-mile linear oasis alongside the San Antonio River that features natural and artificial rock formations to match existing conditions, while scenic plazas, fountains and a waterfall enhance the extension.
Architects Kell Munoz Wigodsky and Haywood McCowan SAT, Inc. of San Antonio with Thompson, Ventulett, Stainback & Associates, Inc. of Atlanta designed the expansion to take advantage of the center’s location on the beautiful downtown River Walk. Extensive use of the color blue is incorporated throughout the structure to visually connect the building to the river.
In addition to Clark/J.T. and the architects, the project team included the Convention Center Expansion Office, 3D International of San Antonio, project manager; Walter P. Moore & Associates, Inc. of Houston, structural engineer; Jaster-Quintanilla & Associates of San Antonio, structural engineer; CHP & Associates Consulting Engineers of Houston and K.M. NG & Associates of San Antonio, electrical and mechanical engineers; and Fernandez Frazer White & Associates of San Antonio, civil engineer.
Clark Construction Group, LLC is headquartered in Bethesda, Md.
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