Feature Illustration: A street view of the Red Stag Building as it would appear after remodeling for a rooftop bar and restaurant with patio deck and sound stage. Source: Mark Stuart Architect.
Posted: 11-8-2021
by Adolfo Pesquera
New Braunfels (Comal County) — The city’s Historic Landmark Commission will consider a request Nov. 9 for a Certificate of Alteration for the construction of a rooftop bar and restaurant at 125 N. Castell St., and 204 and 214 W. San Antonio St., located within the Downtown Historic District.
An elaborate two-tier rooftop patio system is being planned that will make use of three buildings. It will include a mezzanine level above a patio deck, a sound stage, elevator and numerous other elements.
The oldest of the structures, 204 W. San Antonio, was built in 1893 and was known as the B.E. Voelcker Building, after Bruno Voelcker, and was known to have an Italianate architectural style. It was constructed of masonry with a wooden wraparound porch.
Voelcker ran a drug store, but the building was also used for a garment factory and telegraph office. In 1912, it expanded to include 214 W. San Antonio. By 1922, the building housed a variety store, clothing shop, a butcher and a pool hall.
Sometime around 1940, 204 and 214 W. San Antonio St. was remodeled and stripped of its Italianate architectural details and cladded in stucco.
The applicant, Cameron Shawn Corzine, is requesting the Certificate of Alteration. The owner, Shaina Corzine, operates La Belle Vie Antiques at 125 N. Castell Ave. 214 W. San Antonio St. is known as the Red Stag Building and most of the new construction would take place on its roof.
Mark Stuart Architect of New Braunfels is the design firm.
The scope of work entails construction of approximately 9,400 square feet of bar and restaurant space on the rooftops of the Red Stag Building and the Seguin Beauty Building (204 W. San Antonio), and the lower level entry at 125 N. Castell at the rear section of 204 W. San Antonio.
According to Stuart’s notes, this is an IEBC Level 2 alteration, with IBC Type III B Construction.
The bar-restaurant structure will be of steel frame, supported by structural concrete roof deck. The existing fire escape staircase will be expanded to allow rooftop access onto Castell, and an elevator at the corner of Castell and San Antonio.
The floor space is being designed to accommodate approximately 500 people. The HVAC units will be enclosed and there will be noise and light articulation.
A metal and glass railing will surround the portion of the rooftop where customers would gather. Shielded metal lamps are also proposed below the railing at the Red Stag rooftop section.
On the roof itself a bar, stage area, and staircase leading from the 2nd to 3rd story (the mezzanine) is proposed. Both the rooftop bar and stage area are towards the rear of the building in order to lessen the visual impact of the additions.
The rooftop bar will be most visible from Castell Ave. though existing trees, which the applicant is keeping, shield some of it from view.
Down below, the street front façades will maintain their historic characteristics. The parking area will be enlarged for seven vehicles.
There is a shed-like addition that is proposed directly adjacent to the proposed bar area on the Red Stag Building; 125 N. Castell is outside of the Downtown Historic District, but will attach to both 204 and 214 W. San Antonio.
adolfo@virtualbx.com
