National Register listing for Institute of Texan Cultures site gets state OK. What does that mean?

The property at Hemisfair, including one of the few remaining structures from the 1968 World’s Fair, has been eyed for a new Spurs arena.

The Conservation Society of San Antonio is seeking to have the Texas Pavilion building, occupied by the Institute of Texan Cultures, listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

San Antonio Express-News
By Madison Iszler, Staff writer
January 16, 2024

The building occupied by the Institute of Texan Cultures at Hemsifair is eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, a state board decided over opposition from the University of Texas at San Antonio. 

But the process, even if it leads to placement on the National Register, won’t stop the university from moving the museum — or even its possible demolition to make way for a new Spurs arena.

The dispute began in 2022 when the Conservation Society of San Antonio nominated the building at 801 E César E. Chávez Blvd. for placement on the National Register, arguing it’s worthy because of its connection to the 1968 World’s Fair and its Brutalist architecture. The 200,000-square-foot building was originally known as the Texas Pavilion and constructed to showcase the state’s diverse history and cultures. 

But UTSA, which owns the building, has opposed the nomination. University leaders are considering constructing a building for the struggling museum — which they say is the most cost-effective option for it — and monetizing its current location, which has been floated as a potential location for a new arena for the San Antonio Spurs. The university is actively eyeing a site near the Alamo, which would provide an infusion of foot traffic.

The determination Saturday by the Texas Historical Commission’s State Review Board is not expected to affect UTSA’s exploration of the feasibility of building an 80,000-square-foot building for the institute on a parking lot behind the Crockett Hotel, said university spokesperson Joe Izbrand. 

“We remain committed to finding the best option for the future of the ITC and, once that decision is made, we will determine next steps for the Hemisfair campus,” he said. “We want to have maximum flexibility on options for development and see no advantage to listing the pavilion on the National Register since the benefits of such a designation are directed to for-profit developers, not the state institutions of higher education.”

UTSA is evaluating archaeological and soil conditions and the costs of leasing or buying the land, moving the museum and designing and building a new facility, a process that is expected to conclude this spring.

No protections

Kathy Krnavek, president of the Conservation Society, said the organization was pleased with the state board’s decision.

The Texas Historical Commission’s staff will now work with the Conservation Society to revise the documentation based on the board’s evaluation, said spokesperson Chris Florance. The state historic preservation officer will then send the nomination and their recommendations on eligibility to the National Register, which will make the final decision on whether the building is listed.

Contrary to what people may assume, placement on the National Register does not protect a building from demolition, said Conservation Society Executive Director Vincent Michael. 

Because the museum building is owned by the state, a demolition permit is not required if UTSA wants to raze it, he said. If UTSA were to sell the property to a private owner who was not using federal money or asking for federal permits, it would need a demolition permit from the city, Michael said. If a federal agency was involved, the process would be lengthier but it could still be demolished.

Krnavek and Michael said they are not against UTSA selling the property. But they see the benefit of the building’s potential placement on the National Register as possibly drawing a wider base of buyers or developers interested in renovating it in part because listing on the National Register would make the building eligible for historic tax credits for rehabilitation.

It also would not be simple to demolish because of its size and problems such as asbestos, so “sustainability should have some play into that as well,” Krnavek said.

Under federal law, if an owner objects to a building being placed on the National Register, it is not listed, Michael said. He and Krnavek said they don’t think that law should apply because the museum building is owned by a public entity and the law was implemented in the 1980s to protect private property owners.

Building’s history

The 3-story building originally known as the Texas Pavilion was built for HemisFair ‘68. 

Designed by Houston architectural firm Caudill, Rowlett and Scott, it was proposed as a permanent exhibit to be managed by the state, according to the Conservation Society’s nomination. The building resembles an inverted pyramid.

The state Legislature agreed to provide $5.5 million for the building’s construction and operating exhibits and the city agreed to convey the property to the state after the fair. It was placed under the University of Texas System’s control on June 5, 1969, the same day UTSA was established, the nomination states.

The Institute of Texan Cultures was initially successful, with compelling exhibits and an 80-person staff comprised of artisans, researchers, scholars, photographers and administrators. It hosted events such as the Texas Folklife Festival, which drew thousands of attendees, and groups of students from local schools.

According to the Conservation Society's nomination, it “united Texans and provided representation for those who hadn’t been previously represented.” 

But the institute and the building have been neglected over the years, with some describing its exhibits as shopworn, its infrastructure deteriorating, attendance decreasing, staff cuts and in a location that is difficult to access from other downtown attractions. 

Options

In 2016, the University of Texas System asked developers to pitch proposals for a mixed-use development at the property, a move met with pushback from people angered that the community had not been asked for input on the institute’s future. Then, in 2021, UTSA launched what it called the “ITC Centennial 2068,” an effort aimed at determining what the next 50 years of the museum should look like.

The university formed a steering committee and task forces to examine options for the museum and the property it occupies, and asked for feedback from residents and firms that focus on museums, architecture and real estate development. 

They ultimately came up with three options: moving the institute to another location at Hemisfair, such as the John H. Wood Jr. Federal Courthouse; moving it to a place outside Hemisfair, such as other properties owned by the university in the downtown area; or renovating the original building.

UTSA hired firms to further evaluate those options and to conduct assessments of the building occupied by the museum and Hemisfair and financial analyses of the options. This fall, the university entered a memorandum of understanding with 1859 Historic Hotels Ltd., which owns the Crockett Hotel, and the city of San Antonio to evaluate the feasibility of building an 80,000-square-foot building for the institute on a parking lot behind the hotel.

Spurs arena

But a new option for the Institute property surfaced last year: As the site for a new arena for the Spurs, which is reportedly eyeing a return to the downtown area. 

The Spurs currently play at Frost Bank Center, formerly the AT&T Center, on the East Side. The arena, owned by Bexar County, opened in 2002 and according to many, no longer stacks up against rivals’ arenas. 

The San Antonio Missions baseball team, under new local ownership since last year, is also interested in moving to the center city.

According to sources familiar with the matter, a city official discouraged the Missions’ owners from pursuing the 13-acre museum property as a location for a new baseball stadium, most likely because City Hall is contemplating the site as a new home for the Spurs. The Spurs have remained mum.

An NBA arena for the team, which could cost as much as $1 billion, would be the capstone of the city’s years-long conversion of Hemisfair into a gathering place comprised of parks, restaurants, apartments, a hotel and shops. The first phase of the 9-acre Civic Park was recently finished and construction is underway on a 200-room hotel, which is part of a bigger mixed-use development with apartments and retail.