Creating   Shared   Visions

State Preservation Board Approves Tejano Monument

In a unanimous vote on January 5th, the State Preservation Board approved installation of the Tejano Monument on the southern lawn of the Capitol.

Conceived as a way to honor Texas' Tejano heritage, and designed to tell a story, the monument will feature a vaquero on horseback, a Spanish explorer, two longhorns, and members of a young Tejano family.

Installation of the monument is scheduled for completion over the next two years.

Tejano Monument Model Delivered to CasaBella

The Tejano Monument is beginning to take shape. This week, Tejano Monument Sculptor, Armando Hinojosa of Laredo, delivered the scaled model to CasaBella Architects.

The monument was designed to commemorate the contributions of the Tejano people to Texas and will be memorialized on the State Capitol Grounds.

Tejano Monument to be placed on the Capitol Grounds

Gov. Rick Perry signed legislation which allows for the placement of a Tejano monument on the south grounds of the Texas State Capitol.

"It is fitting that we should devote space on the historic south grounds of our state capitol to commemorate the contributions of our Latino brothers and sisters throughout the ages," Gov. Perry said. "This monument captures the essence of our state's Hispanic history and the independent spirit of our entire state."

Created by Laredo artist Armando Hinojosa, the bronze monument will consist of 11 life-size sculptures. The monument will commemorate the 500-year role of Tejanos in Texas and the Spanish-Mexican legacy in the state from 1500 to 1800.

Another Associate of CasaBella Achieves Leed AP Distinction

CasaBella Architects is pleased to announce that Daniel Yen, RID, LEED AP has achieved the LEED AP distinction from the US Green Building Council. Mr. Yen is a Project Manager with CasaBella and has experience specializing in the development of sustainable buildings and LEED design.

The LEED AP program is grounded in the pursuit of excellence and continuous improvement. This multi-faceted credentialing system ensures that LEED professionals have the latest knowledge and understanding of green building practices and that they are recognized for distinction.

A LEED credential provides employers, policymakers, and other stakeholders with assurances of an individual's current level of expertise and is the mark of the most qualified, educated, and influential green building professionals in the marketplace.

Mr. Yen joins the president of CasaBella Architects, Jaime Beaman, AIA, LEED AP and Project Manager Erica Heroy, RA, LEED AP as the third person in the firm to achieve this distinction.

CasaBella Celebrates Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo gives us the opportunity to commemorate México's culture and history. The Angel of Independence, most commonly known as "El Angel", was designed by Mexican Architect Antonio Rivas Mercado during the rule of long standing dictator, Porfirio Diaz, to commemorate the centennial of México's independence from Spain. The completion of El Angel in 1910 also marked the beginning of México's revolution including personalities such as Emiliano Zapata and Pancho Villa. In later years, this victory column was made into a mausoleum for the most important heroes of México's War of Independence. Because of México City's soft soils, the monument's foundation included 4,650 wooden piers of 23 meters in depth. Recently renovated for the second time (the first due to damage after the major earthquake of 1957), El Angel has become the most recognizable landmark in México and a focal point for both protest and celebration.

CasaBella Celebrates Grand Opening of Hampton Inn Hotel

CasaBella Architects recently completed work on the Hampton Inn Hotel in Lakeway, Texas. The Hampton Inn, part of the Hilton family of hotels, celebrated the grand opening of its first hotel in Lakeway. On March 5, 2009, business and community members joined the Hampton Inn for its grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony.

UTSA Physical Plant Building Renovation Wins Award

CasaBella Architects and The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) are honored to announce the renovation of the Physical Plant Building has been awarded the 2008 Excellence in Construction by the Associated Builders and Contractors- San Antonio Chapter

Mexican American Cultural Center Awarded Gold Medal

The Texas CEC has awarded the Mexican American Cultural Center with a Gold Medal for Engineering Excellence. CasaBella Architects together with Jose I. Guerra, Inc. are honored the MACC has received such recognition.

The award recognizes projects with outstanding achievements within the engineering community based on uniqueness, originality, technical, value to the engineering profession, complexity and how successfully the project met the needs of the client.

Agave "Coolest Neighborhood" Award

Agave Residental Development, part of the Nine-Sixty-Nine East Austin neighborhood, is the grand prize winner in a Dreyer's Ice Cream contest the "Coolest Neighborhood in America."

One local resident says, "Our home is energy-efficient, it's modern, it's unique, and simply gorgeous…so much so that I am proud to say pictures of my home have appeared in Austin Monthly magazine, Tribeza, used to advertise my neighborhood on billboards, and will be seen in Dwell. And we've only been in it 4 months!!"

Holiday Inn Hotel Chain Building 1st LEED Gold Hotel in San Antonio

We are currently working on the Holiday Inn Hotel in San Antonio. This 194 room hotel will be the first LEED Gold certified hotel for the Holiday Inn hotel chain. The hotel will share with guests the sustainable features of the hotel with the installation of a Green Touchscreen kiosk in the lobby. The project is scheduled to be completed Summer 2009.

Ullrich WaterTreatment Plant Receives Design Award

CasaBella Architects was awarded the 2007 Texas Construction News Best Public Building Award for their design work on the Ullrich Water Treatment Plant.

The project expansion was ambitious. It included an increase in water treatment capacity, two additional sedimentation basins, a new five-level lime building spanning new basins, a new chemical building, an expanded electrical building to accommodate additional pumps, and other support facilities. CasaBella worked with CDM to develop a master plan that minimizes the impact of the facility on the adjacent residential neighborhood, including innovative use of materials and careful attention to aesthetic elements in this engineering-heavy project.

This project was also awarded the AIA Austin Merit Award for Design Excellence in 2006.

Mexican American Cultural Center Awarded Certificate of Merit

CasaBella Architects and Solis Constructors, Inc. have been awarded the Certificate of Merit from the Associated Builders and Contractors Central Texas Chapter for our work on the Mexican American Cultural Center.

The award is given to firms in recognition of excellence in construction and exemplary contribution to the construction industry in the Central Texas area.