KWEX New Building

[sanewsguy 509]

This may be old news, but I might as well bring it up. KWEX, the local Univision affiliate as well the country's first Spanish language station, is moving to a new purpose-built facility in a business park on the city's rapidly growing northwest side (they're moving to the wrong side since the vast majority of their audience is on the south and west sides, but I digress). They have been in their current studios since the first broadcast in 1955 (thankfully, though, the building is much newer than WOAI's). There is no date on when they will move, but I imagine they will be doing so next month (as of the 7/19 broadcast they are still in their old building). The sooner the better. They have got to be the last Univision O&O that does their local newscasts in 4:3 SD (not widescreen, not even pillarboxed). They have a video-share with WOAI/KABB too and they shoot in HD so when they use their video is in 4:3 widescreen. KWEX still shoots on tape (as does KENS). I am surprised Univision has not upgraded this station to HD yet, but I imagine they will be going HD once they move to the new building. The STL tower is already up so they should be moving in next month.

 

An excerpt of an Express News article from last November:

Univision site could turn into riverfront housing

 

By Valentino Lucio : November 28, 2012 : Updated: November 28, 2012 8:54pm

 

What is now home to a Spanish-language television station could soon become a home for San Antonio residents.

 

A development company is under contract to buy the Univision site downtown, with plans for a multifamily project there, said Phil Crane, a principal at Providence Commercial Real Estate Services, the firm representing Univision in the deal. Citing a confidentiality agreement with the developer, Crane did not offer specifics, including the identity of the development company or the number of units proposed. He did mention that the deal is recent and that he expects that it could close by the summer.

 

It's expected that the developer will have to demolish the existing buildings on the 4.3-acre property to build the riverfront units. The potential cost of the deal was not disclosed, but the parcels that make up the property at South St. Mary's Street and East César E. Chávez Blvd. are assessed at about $8.2 million, according to the Bexar Appraisal District.

 

If the deal is signed, Univision is expected to move out soon after everything is finalized, Crane said. It's unclear where the television station would move if a deal is closed, but city records show that construction permits were filed for Univision offices along Network Boulevard near Interstate 10 and Prue Road. [they ultimately ended up constructing their new studio there]

 

Univision had no comment about the deal or its future plans about moving from the downtown site.

 

.... (the rest has been edited out but you can read it here)

They are selling the land to a land developer who intends on demolishing the structure to build apartments. That hasn't boded well with a lot in the community (following are a couple of newspaper excerpts):

Historic ex-home of Univision could be demolished

 

 

South Carolina-based Greystar has plans for a 350-unit apartment complex at the Univision site downtown. Univision is expected to move its operations to a building on the city's North Side.

 

 

By Valentino Lucio May 14, 2013

 

The building where the nation's first Spanish-language television station was launched could be bulldozed to make way for riverfront apartments downtown. The developer, South Carolina-based Greystar, is looking to build a 350-unit apartment complex at the Univision site at South St. Mary's Street and East César E. Chávez Boulevard. The 58-year-old building was home to KCOR-TV, the pioneering Spanish-language TV station.

 

The building isn't designated historic. Noting that, Chris Weigand, president of Big Red Dog San Antonio, the project's civil engineering firm, said plans are to demolish the structure.

 

Though it doesn't have the historic designation, the building is significant, said Guillermo Nicolas, the grandson of Raoul Cortez, who founded the television station and KCOR-AM, the nation's first Spanish-language radio station.

 

“I'm very pro-downtown development,” said Nicolas, who is president of local development firm 3N Management Development. “But I'm sad to see the original building be bulldozed and disappear into not even history — into oblivion.” Cortez launched the radio station in 1946. In 1955, he started the television station and moved both operations into a broadcasting facility at what now is the Univision site. Cortez sold the station, which was renamed KUAL-TV, six years later to Univision's predecessor Spanish International Network, according to Express-News archives. The network placed its headquarters in San Antonio. In the 1980s, the network was renamed Univision and its headquarters were moved to Los Angeles.

 

Greystar said it wouldn't comment until the deal for the land is finalized. Weigand said a purchase agreement with Univision could be finalized by the end of summer, after permitting is secured. Univision plans to move from its downtown location to a site on the North Side, near Interstate 10 and Prue Road.

 

(edited)

 

The Historic and Design Review Commission is expected to discuss the project at its meeting Wednesday. Staff has recommended approval. The commission will review the matter because the site falls within the River Improvement Overlay District.

 

 

As the city and Greystar talk through the developer's plans and potential incentives, Univision has plans to move its operations to the North Side. City records show that construction permits were filed for Univision offices along Network Boulevard near Interstate 10 and Prue Road. An Univision employee said the move is expected this summer. Univision did not respond to a request for comment.

And one more that was in this morining's paper:

Furor is raised over proposal to tear down Univision building

 

 

The Univision building will be demolished to make room for an apartment building.

 

 

By Scott Huddleston July 19, 2013

 

A plan to demolish a downtown building that housed the nation's first Spanish-language television station is drawing opposition from preservationists. The Historic and Design Review Commission unanimously approved conceptual plans in May for a 350-unit apartment complex at the site of the 1955 Univision building, once home to KCOR-TV.

 

The building, at a prime location by the San Antonio River at St. Mary's Street and César Chávez Boulevard, is being vacated by Univision, which is moving to the North Side. The city's Office of Historic Preservation supported conceptual approval of the project, with a condition the site's history be acknowledged. The project must return to the HDRC for final approval.

 

“Basically, we had a stipulation that there be some sort of recognition of the first Spanish-language station once being there” with a marker or signage, said Shanon Miller, director of the preservation office. The San Antonio Conservation Society and Texas Historical Commission want the building preserved, perhaps incorporated into the project, because of its ties to Latino culture and media pioneer Raoul Cortez. Cortez founded the TV station and KCOR-AM, the nation's first Spanish-language radio station, launched in 1946. His work led to the 1962 start of Univision, which now has headquarters in Los Angeles and is the nation's leading Spanish-language television network.

 

In a June 5 letter to the Conservation Society, the Texas Historical Commission said the building qualifies for the National Register of Historic Places, with ties to “communications and ethnic heritage,” and possibly also for its midcentury design and links to Cortez. The 1955 Univision building is to be razed to make room for an apartment development.

 

Sue Ann Pemberton, conservation society president, called the idea of razing the building and placing a plaque “a tombstone approach.” Miller said the preservation office doesn't intend to seek historic designation of the structure. Another party could initiate the process, ultimately to be decided by the City Council. Although Weigand has said demolition is planned, Miller said the developer has not requested a permit to begin that work. The Univision building will be demolished to make room for an apartment building.

(p.s. that has got to be the sloppiest writing I have ever read when the same thing is repeated three or four times)

 

If you ask me, this is ridiculous. If Greystar owns the land, let them build. It's just a building. It's not even a nice building, it's just a typical brick and mortar building. I think the city is being very, very nice to the preservationists by telling the developer to put a marker on the site. There is no way the Univision building can be incorporated into the apartment complex.

 

So what's next? Are these preservationists going to stop Sinclair from selling WOAI's building (probably to another developer) and say it's historic since it was the first TV studio in San Antonio?

 

Give me a break, preservationists. It's just a freakin' building...

 

Thoughts???

[Weeters 1812]

Normally I am in support of preserving old buildings when they actually look good. Neither KWEX or WOAI's buildings look like something you'd want to keep around...

[sanewsguy 509]

Here's an update, although I'm just now getting around to it so it's somewhat old. As of August 5, they are in their new building. With the move, they are the last S.A. news station with local HD news. No changes to music or graphics, except that the open is no longer "squished" into 4:3. I wish they would fix "The Hill Country" reference in the open (make it Spanish) but beggars can't be choosers I guess. They have a nice new set which is miles better than *cough* KSAT *cough*. I think there is even a working newsroom and control room in the background but its obscure enough so it blends in nicely with the background. It's a lot like WXTV's set they got last year but the colors are different, more similar to their previous SD set if anything. Also this is the first set that Sabca has done for Univision since the logo redesign, so the new logo is properly integrated into the set (etched in, metal versions of the logo, printed on glass, etc. as opposed to previously where the new logo was just printed on panels and hung up on the set, looked tacky).

 

Some pics of the new building (I live about five minutes away from it):

 

 

It is not the white building in the foreground, it is behind all those trees. Univision did a real good job of trying to conceal their presence from the public and the only way you know a TV station is there is the STL tower and the satellite dishes on the top of the building (it's better seen by car). There's no signage indicating Univision and there is a gate at the entrance (although it wasn't locked and closed when I was in the area, but I didn't want to trespass on the property). A lot of cars come and go from there though...

 

And now the set:

 

That picture is courtesy Carla Aranguan (one of their sports reporters) Twitter feed. It's the only picture I could find of their new set. I might take some pictures of my TV with their set on if I can. Can't use capture card at the moment due to major computer issues... This pic at least gives you an idea.