Col. Frost statue removed for Houston Street green space transformation

A statue of Frost Bank’s founder, Col. Thomas Claiborne “T.C.” Frost, is crated Thursday afternoon. COURTESY RICHARD BORREGO

The oak-lined green space across from the current Frost Bank headquarters at Houston and Flores streets is being prepared for a major makeover.

Today, a crew removed and boxed up the statue of Col. Thomas Claiborne “T.C.” Frost, who founded the bank in 1868, that had faced Houston Street for many years. It will be stored and eventually installed at the entrance to the glassy, 23-story Frost Tower currently under construction just across from Flores. The tower will serve as the bank’s new headquarters when it’s completed in spring 2019.

Developer Weston Urban is transforming the one-acre patch of green into a park, complete with seating and furniture, fountains, some retail, art, and a restaurant in the northwest corner, across from the Robert E. Lee apartments.

Weston Urban acquired the open space in a complex land deal between the developer, Frost and the city of San Antonio, which is resulting in the new tower.

Though it is privately owned, Weston Urban has assured the public the space, 210 N. Flores St., will be for public use.

The green space in front of the current Frost Bank Tower is scheduled for a complete makeover. COURTESY WESTON URBAN

Just as with the new tower, the park is scheduled for completion in the spring, Westin Urban President Randy Smith said.

“Park is still on schedule (rain hasn’t helped),” Smith said in an email. “Restaurant will likely be a bit later than the park, but we’ve always anticipated that. We want to make sure the operator is deeply involved in design and will take our time on that to get it just right.”

Smith did not mention who the operator might be. In an interview in June, he said it would be “very Texan.”

The park is being designed by Seattle-based landscape architects Gustafson Guthrie Nichol. The firm also is designing the tower’s new promenade that will face Houston Street. It’s envisioned as a kind of park extension as you walk west on Houston Street and eventually hit San Pedro Creek Culture Park.

“In our eyes, we want all three of them to complement one another,” Smith said in a previous interview.