Phase I Report - The 1604 Campus

Location and Boundaries

The 1604 Campus is located in the northwest quadrant of Bexar County on a site approximately 16 miles north-northwest of downtown San Antonio. The campus and the surrounding area were annexed by the city of San Antonio in early 1971. It is located on the southeastern edge of the Texas Hill Country.

The campus is bordered on the north by Loop 1604, a freeway loop around the San Antonio metropolitan area at a radius of from 15 to 18 miles from downtown San Antonio. Approximately one-half mile to the east of the campus is IH-10, a radial freeway that runs northwest from downtown. This roadway provides an almost direct connection between the 1604 and Downtown campuses.

Babcock Road passes along the western edge of the 1604 Campus. The roadway is being widened from two to five lanes between DeZavala and Hausman roads south of the campus.

Access along the southern edge of the 1604 Campus is via UTSA Boulevard, which connects on the east with IH-10, and on the west with Babcock Road.

Valero Way forms the eastern edge of the campus. This roadway may one day have commercial development on its eastern side. La Cantera Development Corporation has built a roadway aligned with Valero Way north of Loop 1604 in the hope that one day an overpass may be constructed to link the two roadways.

Neighboring Development

The land immediately surrounding the 1604 Campus is generally held in fairly large blocks. La Cantera Development Corporation has already constructed a major hotel, office and housing development as well as the Six Flags Fiesta Texas amusement park and two golf courses across from the campus on Loop 1604. They are currently constructing a 1,000,000 square foot shopping, office and housing project at the same location. The headquarters of the Valero Energy Corporation are located to the east, and they have set aside areas for some retail development on Valero Way. Residential development is closing in on the southern and western edges of the campus.

Site Characteristics

The 1604 Campus is approximately 7500 feet in the east-west dimension and 3500 feet in the north-south dimension. The gently rolling site has a high elevation of 1026 feet above mean sea level and a low elevation of 940 feet. With the exception of a few small hills, the land rises gently to the north.

The campus is located within the Balcones fault zone that separates the Edwards Plateau to the north from the Gulf Coastal Plain to the south. The Edwards Plateau is on the up-thrown side of the fault zone and consists primarily of limestone beds that dip gently toward the southeast. There are at least two faults on the site. The largest fault trends northeast across the site a few hundred feet south of the academic buildings. Construction should be avoided at this fault line without extensive geo-technical investigation. The second, smaller fault trends northeast, parallel to the larger fault and through the area occupied by the academic buildings.

The campus contains two areas located within a one hundred year flood plain. The first of these areas is located along Babcock Road, at the western edge of the site. It drains into Maverick Creek, a normally dry creek bed. The second area is located roughly in the eastern third of the site, just east of the academic buildings. This area drains into UTSA Creek, a normally dry creek bed. This second flood plain divides into two tributary areas at the northern half of the site. UTSA Creek connects with Leon Creek, a major drainage system for the area. Leon Creek runs just to the east of the campus and then bends west and runs parallel to the southern edge of the site for about 2000 feet before turning south.

Soil types present at the site include the Eagle Ford formation, Buda limestone, Del Rio Clay, and Edwards limestone. The outcroppings in the general area of the academic buildings are Edwards limestone. A series of test borings made in the area prior to the first phase of construction all contained Edwards limestone that possessed variable qualities, including bedding characteristics, hardness, texture, structure, degree of weathering, and cavity conditions. Generally, alternating zones of hard-dense limestone and porous-vuggy limestone were encountered. The largest open cavity encountered was twelve inches and the thickest clay layer encountered was three feet. Since this limestone generally must be removed by blasting, extensive excavation was avoided during the first and subsequent building phases.

The typical topsoil on the site is of the Crawford and Bexar formation, a stony clay that varies in depth from zero to twenty-four inches. The average depth of soil coverage encountered at the test borings was six inches. Other solids present on the site in small areas include those of the Krum complex, Lewisville silty clay, Patrick, and Tarrant association types.

The slopes on the site range from 0% to 25%. The flatter areas are in a broad band just to the west of the center of the campus. Areas with a slope of 3% or less, more suitable for athletic fields, are shown in the figure. The steepest slopes occur at two small hills in the southwest portion of the site and along the major natural drainage areas. A small hill located approximately at the center of the site was chosen as the site of the first academic buildings. Figure 13 identifies the 100 and 500 year flood plains and the topography.

The site appears to have been at one time heavily wooded in cedar, although some of the cedar was cleared before UTSA acquired the land. A quantity of tree cover has been further removed in order to make way for buildings, athletic fields, and parking. Live oak trees, which are fairly uniformly scattered throughout the campus, range in size from very small to thirty caliper inches and above. The largest trees are located along the western and eastern edges of the site where the topsoil is deepest. Cedar elms are also present in substantial numbers. Other plant materials present on the site include mountain laurel, mesquite, post oak, agarita, and yucca.

The source of water for the San Antonio metropolitan area is the Edwards Underground System, an aquifer from which water is drawn by wells. The entire 1604 Campus is located on the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone, which requires the university to prepare a Water Pollution Abatement Plan (WPAP) for new facilities or to request an exemption if certain conditions are met. UTSA has contracted with the Texas Center for Applied Technology (TCAT) to do an extensive site analysis. Through this effort, UTSA has recently filed an updated WPAP with the Texas Natural Resources Conservation Commission.

UTSA is now required to collect storm water run-off from new paved areas and buildings. This water is then filtered to remove a large portion of the suspended solids. There are a variety of ways that the water may be filtered. The most economical method is to set aside an area approximately 60% the size of the new paved/built area to use as a vegetative filter area. The storm water drains to this location and the solids are absorbed into the ground. Other methods include construction of holding/settling tanks and using sand or other filtering devices.

UTSA has identified twenty-five acres in the northeast corner that may be set aside as a permanent recharge area for the aquifer. Geologists have identified several sinkholes adjacent to this area which may contain protected invertebrates. The extent of the impact of this finding has yet to be determined, but some of the area adjacent to the sinkholes must be protected from future development.

Built Environment

Developed through a master planning effort at its inception, the 1604 Campus has distinct precincts based upon use. The academic complex is centrally located and situated on a small hill. The residential zone has been built in two areas west of the academic complex, with a dormitory to the north and apartments to the south. Athletic fields are also located to the west of the academic complex between the housing areas. The northwest corner of the site contains a collection of buildings known as West Campus. The southeast corner of the site has been designated as a permanent open space. The northeast portion of the site has been chosen as the location for a second academic complex. Parking is located at the periphery of the academic complex and adjacent to the buildings at the other areas of the campus. The following buildings are numbered as they are depicted on the following site plan:

#1

The Main Building houses administrative offices, academic facilities, and lecture halls, including a 500-seat auditorium. Intended to provide a sense of arrival for those visiting the 1604 Campus, the Main Building also houses the UTSA Visitors Center.

#2

The Business Building opened in the spring of 1997, increasing UTSA's available classroom space by 35% and providing a new home for the College of Business. In addition to its academic and office spaces, facilities include the New Student Admissions Center, the current UTSA Visitor Center, the Center for Professional Excellence, a large lecture auditorium (320 seats), and a coffee shop.

#3

The John Peace Library and Administration Building (JPL) is the heart of the UTSA 1604 Campus. In addition to administrative offices and the library, many important student services are located here, including the Enrollment Service Center, a food court, the Office of the Registrar, the Office of Admissions, and the Financial Aid and Scholarship offices. The library area will be expanded once the administrative offices are relocated to the Main Building.

#4

The Arts Building is home to UTSA's award winning music, art, and interior design programs. There is always a concert, exhibit, or art show going on in the gallery or the 500-seat recital hall. Other features include design studios, a slide library of art and architectural history, an architecture computer lab, a small recital hall, and rehearsal rooms.

#5

The Humanities and Social Sciences Building was the first building opened on campus, in 1975. It has served as a hub of educational and social activity. It contains classrooms, laboratories, faculty offices and lecture halls.

#6

The Central Plaza and Sombrilla ("umbrella" in Spanish) is a central focal point for UTSA and provides a covered outdoor space for general use and for special activities such as concerts and festivals. The Fountain of Luck, said to bring good grades to those who dare to get wet during final exams, adds to a unique and pleasant atmosphere for studying, eating, or spending time with friends.

#7

As its name implies, the Multidisciplinary Studies Building is home to a variety of different programs and academic departments. Important features include the UTSA Police Department, a computer lab, the "Kiva" special events room, the University Mail Room, the Disability Services Office, the Problem Solving and Conflict Resolution Center, and the ROTC offices.

#8

Many recently renovated science laboratory and research facilities are located in the Science Building.

#9

The Engineering Building houses facilities for UTSA's bachelor's and master's degree programs in electrical, civil, and mechanical engineering. This advanced structure also includes the Center for Ad-vanced Propulsion Studies, distance learning classrooms, and other engineering labs.

#10

The Biosciences Building, the 1604 Campus' newest facility, was constructed to support research for the Ph.D program in biology with an emphasis in neurobiology. There are no regular classrooms in the building. Some special features include the advising office for the Division of Life Sciences and a state-of-the-art teleconference and seminar space.

#11

Expanded in 1996 by 97,000 square feet, the University Center is the home of UTSA student life and campus activities and is usually the busiest place on the 1604 Campus. The Office of Alumni Programs, the UTSA Bookstore, an information desk, the Student Leadership and Activities Office, the Student Affairs Office, the Multicultural Programs Office, the Central Park Dining Area, the Tomas Rivera Center for Student Success, the Counseling Center, the UTSA Ambassadors Office, a game room, lounges, and the University Copy Shop are all located in the University Center.

#14, 15

The PE Building and Convocation Center are home to the UTSA Roadrunners, San Antonio's only NCAA Division I athletics program. UTSA's Shrimp Fest and two annual commencement ceremonies are also held at the Convocation Center. The PE Building houses the Athletic Department and the ticket office.

#16, 17

The Wellness/Recreation Center houses Campus Recreation's offices, a gymnasium, and support facilities. The Health Services Clinic is also located in the building.

#18

Chisholm Hall, a 500-bed, four-story dormitory building, features private bathrooms, built-in desks, internet computer connections, food service, a fitness center, and an indoor pool. The pool is also available to students and staff through the programs of Campus Recreation.

#19

West Campus buildings include central receiving, ceramics and metal sculpting studios, laboratory spaces, and the physical plant offices.

#20

The recently completed Child Development Center provides daycare for children of UTSA students, faculty and staff.

#21

The University Oaks complex consists of six hundred apartment units located on the south side of the campus along UTSA Boulevard. The units provide housing for 1312 people. Included in the development are swimming pools and meeting/commons areas.

#22

Scheduled for completion in 2005, the Biotechnology, Sciences, and Engineering Building will house lecture halls, seminar and conference rooms, classrooms, faculty offices, and teaching and research laboratories.

#23

Chaparral Village houses 1000 students in apartment-style residences, which were determined to be the housing style most preferred by students. A 16,000 square foot dining facility will be completed near the housing.

Campus Planning Concepts

Arleigh Templeton and a number of special consultants called for a new approach to the planning of the UTSA campus. Early programmatic work acknowledged the existence of a broad framework of direction, policy, and curriculum within the UT System while at the same time making room for innovation and creative interpretation. The UT System's ability to undertake a construction project of approximately 750,000 square feet as well as its associated infrastructure provided an unusual opportunity to envision the new university as a coherent, singular whole.

In an assessment of traditional college campuses, UTSA planners observed that buildings were viewed as a separate, periodic events, often with little thought given to the interrelationships possible between buildings. In addition, many of the traditional campuses were planned under the presumption of a low density of development. When undreamed-of expansion eventually occurred, no provision existed to gracefully accommodate additional buildings. The resulting filling in of the spaces between buildings frequently led to an unsightly cluttered mass of buildings.

The planners of the 1604 Campus elected to take an opposite approach and emphasized the continuous nature of the campus. The campus was envisioned as a whole, and not as a series of interruptible, periodic events. A three-dimensional planning grid was established. Even the open space proportions were set in multiples of the planning grid. By designing the campus for a higher density, the planners would be able to permanently set the locations of open spaces and buildings. As part of this concept, vehicular traffic was separated from pedestrian spaces by placing building services below grade and providing parking at the perimeter of the academic complex.

Traditional campuses are often initially planned with the buildings covering from 10 to 20 percent of the site area. The academic complex at the 1604 Campus was designed to allow buildings to cover up to 50 percent of the site. An important benefit of the higher density was that it allowed the preservation of more undisturbed areas of open landscape. From the beginning, it was felt that the 600-acre site provided a natural and beautiful setting for the campus and that land and native vegetation were as important as the buildings themselves.

The original master plan emphasized the need for flexibility, adaptability, and interchangeability at every level. At the level of academic programming, it meant that any class or course could, theoretically, be taught in any of the academic buildings on campus. According to this approach, entire departments, divisions or colleges could be moved into different quarters with relative ease. This concept of flexibility called for a building module that could accommodate virtually any teaching function and contain structural, mechanical, electrical and lighting components that could be easily modified.

A fully integrated three-dimensional building module was designed around the campus planning grid. Hollow columns capable of accommodating heating and cooling ductwork as well as electrical services supported similarly hollow floor and roof structures, permitting air conditioning ducts and lighting to nestle in between beams. The goal was to apply a uniform building system throughout the campus and to create an architectural identity for the entire campus rather than to create individual buildings as independent monuments. The emphasis of the campus plan would instead be placed on the public spaces between buildings.

Newer buildings have continued the order of the original campus grid, but the fully-integrated three-dimensional structural/mechanical system has not been continued. Vertical floor-to-floor heights of new buildings have matched the original heights at the paseo and third (bridge) levels to provide for continuity in campus growth.

The Spanish custom of Philip V’s Law of the Indies was used as an organizing principle of the campus. Buildings at the academic complex are located around a system of open spaces comprised of the central Sombrilla Plaza, smaller plazas and a system of pedestrian paseos (walkways). Paseos are typically sixty feet wide and have been developed as protected view corridors that link the campus to the landscape. The paseos were envisioned as having trees, sitting places, places to purchase books and supplies, outdoor study areas, and places to have a snack or visit. Bridges and sunshades add variety to the campus and make the paseos more comfortable and friendly. The campus planners envisioned the extension of the paseo system to athletic facilities and to new academic areas.

Separating the pedestrian circulation from vehicular traffic has given the university a rich character that unites the pedestrian spaces with the surrounding landscape. The site orientation has been rotated from the north-south axis to provide sunlight to all faces of the Sombrilla Plaza, the paseos, and the buildings at some time during the day.

Another original planning concept for the academic complex was to limit its size to a distance that could be walked in eight minutes. Allowing an additional minute for leaving and entering each building, students would be able to get from class to class anywhere on campus in ten minutes. Experiments were made to determine the maximum size of the academic complex. An eight minute walk at three hundred feet per minute resulted in a maximum distance of 2,400 feet (diagonal), setting the sides of a square academic complex at 1,700 feet. Vertical travel (in and out of buildings) at one minute each set a height limit of three to four stories (typical) as a practical height for academic buildings. Taller buildings would require more travel time and would necessitate more elevators (at a corresponding decrease in the horizontal travel time). Lower buildings would make the campus less compact and less efficient.

As additional buildings have been added over the years, the remaining sites at the academic complex are vanishing. The 1993 master plan update recognized that at some time in the future either the original concept of a compact academic area would have to be altered or a second academic complex would need to be constructed. After studies of both alternatives, constructing a new academic complex to the east of the existing campus core was selected as the best alternative. It should be mentioned that the 1993 master plan update was designed to accommodate 30,000 full-time students (FTSE) at the 1604 Campus. This planning study preceded the establishment of the Downtown Campus. A summary of UTSA's current growth projections as they pertain to the 1604 Campus may be found later in this text.

First phase buildings were deliberately designed to be large for reasons of efficiency and economy. The spaces between them, on the other hand, were designed to be relatively small due to the intentionally higher initial density of this campus (as compared to most college and university campuses). At the same time, the spaces between buildings were meant to be easily maintained and visually interesting. Recent buildings have generally adhered to these planning principles.

In a climate that may produce sudden torrential rains as well as long months of seemingly uninterrupted heat and sunshine, traditional devices such as porches and covered walkways of generous size were incorporated at the paseo level of most buildings. Such architectural features are commonly found in Mexico and the southwest as well as in other areas of warm weather. Interior, skylit galerias were included in several of the first buildings. These full-height interior arcades allow daylight to reach to the corridors of the paseo level and form an internal, secondary circulation system.