San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-03-02
WORK TObEG|N
WITHIN 50 DAYS
D N BUILDING
Members of Builders Ex-
change to Spend More
Than $500, 900.
PROJECT IS FINANCED
Offices and Store Spaces in
St. Mary's Street Sky
scraper Leased.

Members Of the San Antonio Build
ers' Exchange will erect a nine-story
office building on the southwest COR
ner OF North st. Mary's and Pecan
streets it was announced last week
by Sidney Cornelius. manager. Work
will begin within so days. 1t will
be built of reinforced concrete and
brick. All offices have been leased
to members of the building industry
who are also members of the build
ers' exchange. Plans are being pre-
pared by Willis and Jackson and bids
will be opened shortly. The San An
tonic Builders Exchange Building
company will be incorporated within
the next few days for the purpose of
constructing the building. 1t will be
one of the tallest buildings in San
Antonio. The company will spend
more than 100000.
1t was two years ago during q
meeting of the members Of the San
Antonio Builders Exchange that Sec
rotary Manager Cornelius made a mo-
ton that a committee be appointed
TO devise ways and means whereby
builders exchange building could
be erected. The movement was prac-
tically dormant until eight weeks ago
when Mr.. Cornelius again brought the
motion before the members of the ex-
change. This time building COM
mite was appointed. The men on
it are: Walter Graham, James Aiken,
Sidney Cornelius, John Gill, ]. I.
Halle Jr., W. W. Lehr, John
Mitchell, Charles F. Parker, A. e.
Rheiner and /. A. Walker.
Project Already Financed.
The committee began TO work. With
in q short time it had financed the
project, selected the site and began
buying same.
The next step was to choose an
architect. Architect members of the
builders exchange, of course, were
the only ones to be eligible for this
job. Contractor members of the ex-
change were asked TO select three
architects out of the entire architect
membership. They were to choose
three names and place them in q
sealed envelope. At the builders ex-
change offices, the names of three
architects receiving the highest num-
Der of votes drew numbers out of a
hat. Willis and Jackson drew the
highest.
The architects began at once to
prepare the plans and it was an
nounced last week by Mr.. Cornelius
that he expected work to begin on
the structure within the next 60 days.
The site at the corner of Pecan and
st. Mary's. at the river is vacant,
and excavation work will be the only
preparation necessary. The building
will have frontage on st. Mary's
street of 46 feet and will extend back
along Pecan for a distance of 20
feet. With these dimensions It is
said that the building will be the
smallest tallest" structure Of its
kind in San Antonio.
The building will have nine stories,
a roof garden and basement. The
first floor of the building will be
devoted to store space. One OF these
spaces will be occupied by the en-
Shop Association.
Features ON Second Floor.
The second floor Of the structure
will be occupied by the offices Of the
builders exchange, reading rooms and
a library, q plan rooom and space
for exhibit purposes. The lumbermen
of San Antonio will place q $4,000
exhibit in a part of the exhibit space.
Brick, sheet metal, cast stone. orna-
mental iron, mill work and other gen
eral builders supplies will comprise
other displays.
On the seven other floors will be
offices. To date twenty-four con-
tractors, nine architects, two en-
gineers, ten sub-contractors, fourteen
material dealers, and two bonding and
insurance companies, have contracted
for space in the new building. Ii IS
hoped that the Retail Lumbermen's
Association will occupy an office IN
the building.
Due to the fact that the San An
tonic Builders Exchange is not or
ganized for money making purposes
it becomes necessary for the members
of the exchange TO form another COM
pany for the purpose of building the
structure. The San Antonio Build
ers' Exchange Building company VIII
be Incorporated for this purpose.
1t is expected that the Builders Ex-
change building will represent an ex-
penditure of more than 100000.
Members Furnish Material.
Material will be furnished by mem
beers of the exchange. The contractor
will be an exchange member and the
architects are exchange members.
Every member Of the San Antonio
Builders Exchange will be a stock
holder in the building.
Bids will be opened within the
next several weeks and the contract
Will be awarded Immediately 10 the
lowest bidder. -.
That the housing OF some OF the
members of San Antonios
building industry in one building VIII
encourage greater as well as cleaner
comnetition is one effect that con-
struction of this building is expected
10 have.
Public 20 Benefit.
Encouragement of keener eompeti-
ion on the part of local members OF
he building industry will Be direct
,enefit to the public. in the opinion
# the members Of the builders e.-
,hange. Smoother cooperation among
.rchitects. contractors. sub-contraetors
md material men is expected. The
.xhibit room alone is expected q %
for the general public