Disaster Recovery Done Right: Trust Atlas for Commercial Water Damage Restoration in Saint Paul, TX.
When you own a business, property damage is an unfortunate occurrence that happens all too often. Property damage can be caused by any number of disasters, both natural and man-made. Most often, however, property damage happens from an excess of water. From very heavy rainstorms to broken pipes, water damage can be incredibly harmful not just for your storefront but for your customers.
When water spreads through your commercial property, it happens quickly, causing damage as it moves. At the same time, furnishings and porous materials soak up moisture. In just a short amount of time, you could be dealing with warping, rotting, and even mold growth. That's why water damage remediation is so important - to address your current damage and prevent water from making your business unsafe.
At Atlas National Renovations, we know that dealing with water damage seems like a losing effort on your own. But when you trust our water damage restoration team, you don't have to lose hope. We provide comprehensive water remediation services for businesses of all size in Texas. From the first time we lay eyes on your water damage to the time we mitigate your problem, we're here for you. With a team of IICRC certified technicians and innovative restoration tools at our disposal, we specialize in making your business safe again.
Unlike some of our competitors, we are fiercely dedicated to our clients and aim to exceed their expectations with the highest quality water damage restoration services in Saint Paul, TX. When water damage hits your business, time is of the essence, which is why we get to work quickly and efficiently by assessing the damage to your property. Once we know the extent of your water damage, we'll consult with you about its severity and detail the next steps you should take so you can make an informed purchasing decision.
With decades of combined experience, there is no disaster cleanup project too complex or large for our team to handle. We assist small businesses, large commercial entities, and even multi-family apartment complexes. Our clients trust Atlas National Renovations to keep them dry, safe, and secure, and it would be our pleasure to help do the same for you.
In addition to our reliability and quality of work, our customers choose us over others because we offer:
Restoration Services
- Disaster Recovery Done Right: Trust Atlas for Commercial Water Damage Restoration in Saint Paul, TX.
- What is Water Damage Restoration in in Saint Paul, TX
- Common Signs of Commercial Water Damage in Saint Paul, TX
- Benefits of Commercial Water Damage Restoration in Saint Paul, TX
- Capital Expenditure Services
- Multi-Family Building Deficiencies and Restoration Services
- Discover the Atlas Difference
Service Areas
Fair, Accurate Work Estimates
We drain water from your property, not money from your bank account.
Clear, Constant Communication
When you work with Atlas, you're never left wondering what's happening with your commercial property.
Detailed Deadlines and Schedules
We're meticulous about sticking to schedules and meeting deadlines. You can always expect us to be on time and ready to work.
Experienced Project Managers
We assign seasoned, hardworking project managers for each of our projects. When you work with Atlas, you're working with the best.
Courteous and Knowledgeable Leadership
Excellence starts at the top, and our leadership team is the best in the business.
Atlas National Renovations Multi-Family and Commercial Renovation Experts
Free ConsultationWhat is Water Damage Restoration in in Saint Paul, TX
If you're currently dealing with serious water damage from a flood, broken pipe, or other cause, you're probably not sure what to do next. While it's understandable to feel panicky, it's important that you have the water removed as quickly as possible. When structural damage and health hazards are at play, time is of the essence. The longer you wait, the worse the damage will get. The damage you see with your eyes is usually the tip of the iceberg - most water damage gets deep in your carpets and walls fast.
Atlas' water damage restoration services are focused on restoring and repairing the damage that water causes to commercial property. The primary purpose of our restoration services is to return your property to the condition it was in prior to the damage. Once your water damage has been mitigated, our team swoops in to begin the restoration process.
Depending on the scope and severity of your water damage, common water damage restoration services can include:
- Damaged Flooring and Wall Replacement
- Damaged Roof Restoration
- Mold Remediation
- Humidity and Moisture Testing
While little can be done to predict natural disasters, there are common signs you can keep an eye on to prevent serious water damage from occurring.

Common Signs of Commercial Water Damage in Saint Paul, TX
There's no convenient time to be sidelined with water damage when it comes to your commercial property and business. Water damage to your commercial or industrial property is particularly devastating because every hour that your business is closed means lost revenue and productivity. You do not just have to deal with damage to the structural integrity of your building - you have to deal with the disruption of service to your loyal customers.
The good news? Atlas is here when you need us most, with a team of highly-trained technicians and unmatched water damage restoration expertise. We're ready to tackle your problem and solve it in an efficient, effective manner, so you can keep your doors open and your clients happy.
As a business owner, you know that one of the best ways to prevent a disaster is to nip it in the bud before it gets out of hand. For that reason, keep an eye out for the following signs of water damage to your commercial property:


Look for Mold:
Mold can begin to grow just a day or two after water has taken hold of your business. If you see small signs of mold growth in an area where you suspect a leak, contact Atlas National Renovations ASAP to diagnose the problem.

Check Your Pipes:
If it's safe to do so, check out the piping inside and outside your commercial property. You want to keep a keen eye out for oxidation and corrosion around pipe fixtures. While you're at it, check your water heater for rust too. Corrosion or rust is a telltale sign of a water leak.

Check for Rings:
Dark spots on walls and ceilings usually indicate water damage. If you see rings around a stain, the damage is probably older. Several rings with different shades of color mean an intermittent issue, where the area has been soaked and dried several times.

Understand Your Property:
This is more of a suggestion than a sign. As the commercial property owner, you should know your building's pipe system. You should know what is old and new and what areas may be at risk for water damage. Keep an extra-close eye on areas that have a higher potential for leaks, especially during rainstorms.
Benefits of Commercial Water Damage Restoration
in Saint Paul, TX
When water invades your business or commercial property, you don't have much time to ponder your next course of action. While some business owners opt to try DIY water damage restoration, in most cases, they end up with more damage and expenses than before their leak. For the most effective, comprehensive solution to water damage, it's important that you hire a professional. At Atlas National Renovations, our primary focus is assisting business owners and commercial property managers with water damage restoration. We've been doing it for years, and we can help you too.
Here are just a few of the most common benefits we hear from past customers:

Safe Shopping Experience
If you own a business, the health and safety of your customers is of utmost importance. When water damage occurs inside your storefront, you could be dealing with more than property damage. Depending on the severity of your issue, contaminants and microorganisms may be present, putting your customers' health at risk. When you trust a professional water damage restoration company like Atlas to remediate your water leak, you're not just putting a stop to the leak. Our team will clean and sanitize your business, making it safe for customers to continue shopping at your store.
Quick Response Time
Water damage can create unbearable conditions in your commercial property. As such, your water restoration company must be quick to respond. Professional water damage companies like Atlas respond quickly and can clean up water, dry and disinfect the area, and make necessary repairs. Because we have an entire team of pros and industry-leading equipment, we can be on site in minutes.
Less Damage, Better Costs
Water damage can be very expensive. Sometimes, it only takes a couple of hours to result in heavy losses. How soon you call the experts could mean the difference between painting over a water stain and having to rebuild an entire area of damaged drywall. When you call Atlas immediately, clients often reduce the cost of water damage restoration and overall building damage.
Capital Expenditure Services
In addition to our disaster recovery services, we also offer large-scale upgrades and improvements for your capital expenditures. If you own or manage a large commercial building or a multi-family property, you need to make sure your capital expenditures maintain present operating levels and foster your company's future growth.
At Atlas National Renovations, class A, B, and C properties are our bread and butter. We take the time to understand our customer's needs and expectations from the start so we can deliver outstanding results. If you're looking for a top-tier contractor to do the job right the first time, look no further than Atlas. Our customers love our team because we make large, highly-complicated projects easy to finish.
If you're looking to invest in the future of your business, know that we are here to help with projects like these:
- High Volume Unit Upgrades and Improvements
- Amenity Upgrades and Conversions
- Common Area Improvements
- High Volume Carpet, LVT, and Tile Installation
- Courtyards and Hardscapes
- Package Room and Mail Center Upgrades and Additions
- Fitness Center Upgrades and Improvements
- Dog Parks and Pet Stations
- Signage Improvements and Additions
- LED Lighting and Electrical Upgrades
Fitness Center Upgrades
and Improvements
Free Consultation
Multi-Family Building Deficiencies and Restoration Services
New multi-family properties are entering the market every day. That means that older communities must be renovated to keep up with modern demands and tenant needs. Upgrades to amenities, aesthetics and even structural changes help assets stay up-to-date. At the same time, damages from leaks and storms must be addressed. If you're a multi-family property manager or owner, and need unmatched restoration capability, Atlas National Renovations is here to serve you.
We specialize in cutting-edge, high-quality ways to achieve your renovation goals - for your tenants but also for your corporate leaders and management team. After all, a successful multi-family renovation benefits all parties.
We currently work with the top multi-family groups across our state. Unlike some multi-family renovation companies in Texas, our team understands the inner workings of the multi-family environment. Our customers appreciate our accommodations to their residents, maintenance team, leasing team, corporate leaders, and beyond. We're proud to say we know multi-family, inside and out, and have the credentials to back up those claims.
When crafting a multi-family restoration plan, we always consider your tenant's demographics, your building's curb appeal, property age, and energy efficiency. Whether you need to have significant updates applied to an older property or need a water damage inspection for a brand-new building, we can help.
Here is a quick glance at some of the multi-family renovations that our team handles:
- Leak Detection and Water Intrusion Investigation
- Exterior Sealants and Waterproofing
- Large Interior and Exterior Paint Projects
- Stucco Remediation and Exterior Facade Re-Clads
- Full Property Exterior Repaints
- Concrete and Flatwork
- Corridor and Common Area Painting
- Roof Replacement
Before / After






Slide left and right
Discover the
Atlas Difference
Water damage restoration is a crucial, complex process that must be completed properly to save your business from serious damage. Choosing the right professional is equally important, especially when your customers' health is on the line. Whether you need large-scale commercial restoration or quick, effective water damage cleanup for your storefront business, know that we are only a phone call away. Contact our friendly team of experts to learn more about Atlas National Renovations and how we clean up your water damage mess better than the rest.

Free Consultation
Latest News in Saint Paul, TX
No. 9 Lady Buffs Take on No. 3 Concordia-St. Paul in National Championship Match
West Texas A&M University Athleticshttps://gobuffsgo.com/news/2022/12/3/volleyball-no-9-lady-buffs-take-on-no-3-concordia-st-paul-in-national-championship-match.aspx
CANYON, Texas – The No. 9 Lady Buffs West Texas A&M (32-4, 16-0 LSC) will make their first trip to the NCAA DII National Championship since 2009 and fifth overall when they face No. 3 Concordia-St. Paul (31-5, 17-3 NSIC) on Saturday, Dec. 3 at 5 p.m. CT at the Royal Brougham Pavilion. The NCAA Division II Volleyball National Championships and DII Festival will be held in Seattle, Wash., hosted by the NCAA and Seattle Pacific.WATCH PARTY WT will host a watch party at the First United Bank Cen...
CANYON, Texas – The No. 9 Lady Buffs West Texas A&M (32-4, 16-0 LSC) will make their first trip to the NCAA DII National Championship since 2009 and fifth overall when they face No. 3 Concordia-St. Paul (31-5, 17-3 NSIC) on Saturday, Dec. 3 at 5 p.m. CT at the Royal Brougham Pavilion. The NCAA Division II Volleyball National Championships and DII Festival will be held in Seattle, Wash., hosted by the NCAA and Seattle Pacific.
WATCH PARTY WT will host a watch party at the First United Bank Center following the conclusion of the men's basketball game.
LIVE COVERAGE Live stats will be available for all seven national matches provided by the NCAA and Seattle Pacific Communications department while will be broadcasted on NCAA.com.
THE SEEDINGS The Lady Buffs earned the No. 3 seed after capturing the program's 15th NCAA DII South Central Regional title where WT swept No. 1 MSU Denver. The Barry Bucs earned the No. 2 seed with the Midwest Region Champion Missouri-St. Louis earning the No. 7 seed.
On the other side of the bracket, Concordia-St. Paul earned the top seed and will face No. 8 seed Southern New Hampshire while Cal State LA was named the four seed and will take on No. 5 seed Gannon.
Match Times/Schedule Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022 Quarterfinal 1: No. 3 West Texas A&M 3, No. 6 Wingate 2 Quarterfinal 2: No. 7 Missouri-St. Louis 3, No. 2 Barry 1 Quarterfinal 3: No. 4 Cal State LA 3, No. 5 Gannon 0 Quarterfinal 4: No. 1 Concordia-St. Paul 3, No. 8 Southern New Hampshire 0
Friday, Dec. 2, 2022 Semifinal 1: No. 3 West Texas A&M 3, No. 7 Missouri-St. Louis 1 Semifinal 2: No. 1 Concordia-St. Paul 3, No. 4 Cal State LA 0
Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022 Championship Match: No. 1 Concordia-St. Paul v. No. 3 West Texas A&M – 5 p.m. CT
SCOUTING #3 GOLDEN BEARS No. 1 seed and nationally-ranked third Concordia-St. Paul swept their way to the National Championship match after defeating Southern New Hampshire and No. 19 Cal State LA. The Golden Bears defeated CSLA in the semifinals with scores of 25-16, 25-21, and 25-14 to improve to 31-5 overall under head coach 20th-year head coach Brady Starkey.
Starkey is no stranger to the national finale as he has guided the Golden Bears to nine national titles which is the most by any DII school, including seven consecutive titles between 2009-2013. The Golden Bears last title came in 2017 with a 3-0 victory over Florida Southern. Under the three-time AVCA National Coach of the Year, CSP is 345-51 overall with 12 30-plus win seasons as the all-time winningest NCAA volleyball coach in any division (minimum 10 seasons).
The Golden Bears entered to the NCAA Tournament for the 19th consecutive season as the second seed in the Central Region. CSP earned the at-large bid for the tournament after falling in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference finals against St. Cloud State before defeating Huskies in the regional championship match in a five-set thriller.
Four players received AVCA All-American recognition with First Team honorees Jasmine Mulvihill and Teagan Starkey, and Katie Mattson and Emma Schmidt who earned Honorable Mention honors. Mulvihill has led the team with 498 kills (3.83/set) on 1,165 attempts with 171 errors to hit .281 on the season along with a team-high 50 aces.
Starkey, daughter of head coach Brady Starkey, has been credited 1,505 assists this season and leads the nation with 12.65 per frame to go along with 28 aces. Ellie Sieling leads the back row with 437 digs (3.34/set) for a .934 reception percentage while Mattson leads at the net with 129.0 total blocks, including 19 solo stops.
THE SERIES Concordia-St. Paul leads the all-time series 3-0 with the Lady Buffs just claiming one set victory since the series start in 2007. Saturday's match marks the second National Championship matchup between the two programs with the Golden Bears claiming the 2009 national title, 3-0, with score of 25-18, 25-18, 25-16.
HOW WE GOT HERE WT punched its ticket to the NCAA Division II National Championship match after defeating Missouri-St. Louis in four sets (25-23, 25-21, 23-25, 25-23) on Friday night. WT hit .229 overall in the semifinal match with 68 kills on 192 swings with 24 errors to go along with 62 assists, a season-high 98 digs, 14 blocks and three aces. Missouri-St. Louis ended the season hitting .158 with 56 kills on 196 swings with 25 errors, 90 digs, 52 assists, 11 blocks and five aces.
Torrey Miller led the night with a match-high 22 kills on 54 swings with six error to hit .296 to go along with 13 digs for her 12th double-double of the season. Blair Moreland paced the offense with 29 assists while Bryli Contreras had two aces with a career-high 37 digs. LSC Defensive Player of the Year Taytum Stow had a career-high 11 blocks in the victory.
THE SEMI HIGHLIGHTS
WE'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE The Lady Buffs are making the program's 29th NCAA Tournament appearance after securing the Lone Star Conference's automatic bid as the league's tournament champion. WT has recorded 15 regional tournament titles, producing a 57-25 overall record during the tournament and is now 5-5 in the national semifinals.
THE LADY BUFFS IN THE SHIP Saturday's match marks the Lady Buffs fifth trip to the Division II National Championship with WT posting a 3-1 record in the DII finale. Kendra Potts becomes the fifth head coach to lead WT to the national championship joining Kim Hudson, Jim Giacomazzi, Debbie Hendricks, and Jason Skoch
1990 – W, 3-0 – v. Cal State Bakersfield 1991 – W, 3-0 – v. Portland State 1997 – W, 3-2 – v. Barry 2009 – L, 0-3 – v. Concordia-St. Paul
THAT'S OUR COACH In just four seasons, Potts has returned Lady Buff volleyball to one of the nation's elite programs, leading her alma mater to back-to-back appearances in the NCAA Elite Eight. Potts has guided the WT squad to a 32-4 overall record with a perfect 16-0 league record and brings a 24-match win streak into the NCAA quarterfinals. The Amarillo native has an 90-10 career record for an incredible 90.0 win percentage.
MAKE IT A DOUBLE-DOUBLE Four players have recorded double-doubles this season with Abi Nash, Torrey Miller, Ainsley Malis, and Blair Moreland totaling 25. Torrey Miller leads the category with 12 on the season which includes 202 kills and 153 digs. Malis is second with eight followed by Nash with four and Blair Moreland with one. Miller, Nash and Malis each registered a double-double in the national quarterfinals marking the first time this season three players had one in a single match.
ALL-AMERICAN West Texas A&M's Torrey Miller and Taytum Stow were recognized in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) 41st Annual Division II All-American Teams on Wednesday morning following the association's announcement. Miller earned First Team All-American honors while Stow received Honorable Mention recognition.
COACHING STAFF OF THE YEAR For just the second time in AVCA history, one program was rewarded the Division II National Coach and Assistant Coach of the Year with head coach Kendra Potts and associate head coach Casey Shingler. Potts becomes just the second coach in WT history to earn the head coaching honors, joining Debbie Hendricks while Casey becomes the first to ever earn the award since its establishment in 2009.
IN THE POLLS RMAC Champions MSU Denver sits atop the national rankings with a 28-1 overall record followed by Wayne State (29-2), Concordia-St. Paul (26-5), Alaska Anchorage (27-2), and Tampa (27-3). Additional programs from the South Central Region represented in the standings include WT (9th), Regis (14th), Colorado Mesa (18th) and Colorado School of Mines (22nd).
REGIONAL CHAMPS The No. 9 Lady Buffs of West Texas A&M punched their ticket to the NCAA Division II Volleyball Elite Eight for the second consecutive season after defeating the nation's top ranked team MSU Denver in straight sets on Saturday night to capture the program's 15th regional title.
WT outhit the nation's top team .336-.207 with 49 kills on 107 attempts with 13 errors while the Roadrunners collected 43 kills on 116 swings and 19 errors. The Lady Buffs had 48 digs in the victory along with 47 assists, three aces and six blocks. MSUD had 38 digs, 42 assists, six blocks and one ace from Amela Qershia.
Two Lady Buffs reached double-figure kills with Torrey Miller (14) and Abi Nash (13) while Nash hit for an outstanding .600 to go along with a match-high 13 digs for the double-double. Sophomore Blair Moreland paced the regional champions with 21 assists while Miller and Taytum Stow each had three blocks at the net.
FOLLOW THE LADY BUFFS Fans can follow and stay up to date on all the Lady Buff action on online and on social media. Follow the Lady Buffs on Twitter (@WTVolleyball), Instagram (@ladybuffvolleyball), Facebook (@WTVolleyball) and now Tik Tok (@WestTexasAMVB).
St. Paul Normal and Industrial College: Mexia's forgotten Historically Black College
kcentv.comhttps://www.kcentv.com/article/news/community/forgotten-black-college-in-mexia/500-c779036b-b5b5-485e-8f7d-6871727b22d5
St. Paul opened its doors in 1929 but closed due to financial struggles.MEXIA, Texas — When you think of Historically Black Colleges and Universities in Texas, the first that may come to mind may be Wiley College, Prairie View A&M University or Texas Southern University.But there was a small Black college built in the middle of Mexia, TX named Saint Paul Normal and Industrial Col...
St. Paul opened its doors in 1929 but closed due to financial struggles.
MEXIA, Texas — When you think of Historically Black Colleges and Universities in Texas, the first that may come to mind may be Wiley College, Prairie View A&M University or Texas Southern University.
But there was a small Black college built in the middle of Mexia, TX named Saint Paul Normal and Industrial College and it impacted many lives for the short amount of time it was open.
The story of St. Paul began with Reverend Lee Wilder Thomas, a Limestone County native born in 1873.
Before helping found St. Paul, Thomas himself graduated from Wiley College, another HBCU in Marshall, TX.
He met his wife, Clementine “Clemmie” Estella Ross, in Limestone County and they had 13 children.
Today's descendants of Rev. Thomas weren't even aware that he founded a Black college in Mexia.
It came to a surprise to Schuyler Carter, a great-grandchild of Thomas, and her family when she found out the history of her great-grandfather. But with his history of always giving back to the community, she says it wasn't far from the man he was.
"It is so vital for the next generation to know what these people did to invest in the Black community. While there's no building where the school was, I don't believe it's purpose diminished at all and people need to know that," Carter explained.
The idea for St. Paul arose in 1906 with members of the Primitive Baptist Church.
Then in 1912, Thomas found oil on the land he owned and struck big financially. With so many Black people residing in Mexia at the time, Mexia native and historian Dan Keeling says a lot of Black people struck big too.
“When you get to the hill in Mexia where the college is, it's more dry, more airy, with more mesquite trees. That's where the majority of Black people lived. So when they found the oil, the majority of people who got money from the oil boom were Black families.”
With his newly found fortune, Thomas wanted to invest in education and the progression of the Black community. So he invested $9,000 of his oil earnings (over $150,000 in today's U.S. dollar) to build St. Paul Normal and Industrial College for the Mexia community.
Many other Black locals also pitched in however they could to make this college happen.
“Field slaves and sharecroppers who didn't have much money, not much means, took their earned means to build this college,” Primitive Baptist Crunch minister John Richardson shared.
Construction was completed in February 1929 and the school was then opened in September 1929.
The school opened with 35 students and had a prime focus on education while also providing trade courses. While it was open, the Black community thrived and the school even hosted local events.
But due to the Great Depression, teachers were sometimes not compensated in full, bills were paid late, and the school’s debt grew.
“Our obligations continued to increase” and “...for years we were unable to keep up on the interest on the principal of the main debt," Rev. Thomas explained in the Mexia Newspaper.
In an article written by Carter, she explained how the property was foreclosed upon in 1940. Thankfully, Rev. Thomas saved it again, arranging (along with two other pastors) for new financing. Things looked up. Members of many Primitive Baptist churches in the area fervently raised money and paid off the new debt faster than expected.
"Rev. Thomas was able to sign a note with the estate of a local banker and actually got to college back. They had a ten year note and they got it back in three years,” Keeling said.
Things were looking up for the school for a while but it still wasn't enough to keep the doors open.
The school eventually closed for good in 1953.
While all that can be seen of St. Paul are broken pillars and carved in bricks, the families of people who taught at or attended the school are still in Mexia today.
Mexia local Bill Proctor said my father was a teacher here at the college for quite a while.
Primitive Baptist Church minister Henry V. Chambers Jr said his father received a certificate from St. Paul and this school will forever be in his heart.
The Primitive Baptist Church is the last building standing. They now own the 31 acres of land the college was built on.
The church ministers have now made it their mission to finish what reverend L.W. Thomas started over 70 years ago.
"We are now here to resurrect that, and to make it what it should be which is a recognized, legitimate higher education college for young people who are trying to better themselves educationally so that they can better themselves economically,”
After Keeling spent two years submitting proposals to the Texas Historical Commission to recognize St. Paul as an historical marker, it was approved to have a historical marker put in front of where the school once stood.
The unveiling of the marker is expected to happen sometime in the summer. The hope for the future of St. Paul is that it will be open and available for the Black community in Central Texas again within the next few years.
NATIONAL CHAMPIONS! No. 9 Lady Buffs Down #3 Concordia-St. Paul in Four
West Texas A&M University Athleticshttps://gobuffsgo.com/news/2022/12/3/volleyball-national-champions-no-9-lady-buffs-down-3-concordia-st-paul-in-four.aspx
SEATTLE, Wash. – For the first time in 25 years, the No. 9 West Texas A&M Lady Buffs are crowned the NCAA Division II National Champions after defeating No. 3 Concordia-St. Paul in four sets on Saturday night. WT finished the 2022 season with 26-match win streak with Bryli Contreras, A...
SEATTLE, Wash. – For the first time in 25 years, the No. 9 West Texas A&M Lady Buffs are crowned the NCAA Division II National Champions after defeating No. 3 Concordia-St. Paul in four sets on Saturday night. WT finished the 2022 season with 26-match win streak with Bryli Contreras, Abi Nash, Kayla Elliott and Torrey Miller earning All-Tournament honors while Miller was named the National Tournament Most Valuable Player.
THE MATCH #9 West Texas A&M 3, #3 Concordia-St. Paul 1 (23-25, 25-23, 25-20, 28-26)
THE RECORDS
BY THE SET Set 1 The opening set saw seven lead changes with 15 ties as the Golden Bears breaking away with 25-23 set win to grab hold of the match lead. Both programs hit well over .300 in the first set with CSP hitting .333 and WT at .343. The Lady Buffs had 17 kills on 35 swings with five errors to go along with 16 assists, 12 digs and two blocks while the Golden Bears had 18 kills on 39 attempts and five errors with 18 assists, 11 digs and three blocks.
SET 2 The battle continued for the national title with a different tune as the Lady Buffs secured the second set victory, 25-23. WT hit .278 in the second set with 14 kills on 36 attempts with four errors out-blocking the Golden Bears 3-1. CSP hit over .300 for the second consecutive set at .325 with 18 kills on 40 swings with five errors and four service errors.
SET 3 WT grabbed the match lead in the third set after defeating the Golden Bears, 25-20, led by six kills from senior Kayla Elliott. WT hit .273 in the third with 14 kills on 33 swings with five errors and four blocks while limiting CSP to hit just .154, their lowest of the weekend. The Golden Bears had 13 kills on 39 attempts with seven errors, two blocks and three service errors.
SET 4 The fourth set was back and forth seeing multiple lead changes until the Golden Bears collected a 4-0 run to grab a 17-16 lead. CSP jumped out to a 23-20 lead before WT leveld the score 24-all. With momentum on their side, the Lady Buffs strung together two straight points to capture the title.
THE NUMBERS WT hit .307 overall in the championship match with 62 kills on 150 swings with 16 errors to go along with 56 assists, 56 digs, 12 blocks and five aces. CSP ended the season hitting .261 with 67 kills on 165 swings with 24 errors, 63 digs, 65 assists, seven blocks and six aces.
Senior Kayla Elliot led the night, matching a career-high 17 kills followed by senior Abi Nash with 15 and Torrey Miller with 14 while Nash had three aces. Blair Moreland and Ainsley Malis combined for 48 assists to pace the offense while Bryli Contreras collected 17 digs with Camy Jones leading at the net with eight blocks.
THE MILESTONES
St. Paul could learn a thing or two from this city deep in the heart of Texas
William M. Gurstellehttps://www.twincities.com/2016/12/18/st-paul-could-learn-a-thing-or-two-from-this-city-deep-in-the-heart-of-texas/
“Bubba” — A dialectical term used in the rural southern United States as an affectionate form of address to an older brother.After spending several days exploring the city of San Antonio, Texas, I started to feel that San Antonio reminds me a fair bit of St. Paul. It didn’t strike me so right away, but over time, the feeling established itself and then grew.St. Paul’s history began with the establishment of a military fort on a river. So did San Antonio’s. San Antonio and St. Paul bo...
“Bubba” — A dialectical term used in the rural southern United States as an affectionate form of address to an older brother.
After spending several days exploring the city of San Antonio, Texas, I started to feel that San Antonio reminds me a fair bit of St. Paul. It didn’t strike me so right away, but over time, the feeling established itself and then grew.
St. Paul’s history began with the establishment of a military fort on a river. So did San Antonio’s. San Antonio and St. Paul both have historic riverfronts as well as beautiful botanical conservatories and repurposed historic breweries. San Antonio feels like St. Paul’s “Bubba”; the bigger, older brother that lives down South, that kind of friendly guy that you go visit when you want a change of scenery.
As in all families, there are differences among siblings, but there are plenty of connections as well. St. Paul history buffs know that in 1841, Father Lucien Galtier renamed the scruffy river port then known as Pig’s Eye Landing to the more genteel sounding St. Paul after his favorite saint. San Antonio was also named by a priest, and as far as I can tell, these are the two largest American cities named by Catholic priests.
Of course, Antonio is a fair bit older than Paul (136 years to be exact) as the first Spanish explorers arrived in the area in 1691. Domingo Teran de los Rios, the leader of a Spanish expedition, came upon a small river and called it San Antonio because it was discovered on June 13, the feast day of Saint Anthony of Padua. The town of San Antonio itself was not founded until 1718, when Franciscan missionary Antonio Olivares established a mission and the first presidio, or military base, on the river’s banks.
THE RIVER WALK
One of the best ways to see the city is to follow the trace of the San Antonio River, the watery line that connects many of the major downtown tourist attractions. By Minnesota standards, the river is miniscule, spanning a few dozen feet at most as it courses slowly through the city. But size isn’t everything. Unlike St. Paul’s focus on the river as a transportation corridor, Bubba’s river generates huge commercial revenues solely as an entertainment venue.
The area most visited by tourists in San Antonio is the slightly below-grade downtown area along the banks of the river. Known as the River Walk, it’s a beautifully landscaped public park known worldwide for its bucolic beauty by day and engaging energy at night. The walk itself hides among the tall hotels concentrated in this section of downtown. Indeed, it sometimes takes a bit of looking to find the path down. But once you’re there, about five miles of winding and twisting trails stretch out, lined with restaurants, museums, galleries, bars and shops.
Could St. Paul learn a bit from Bubba about making our own waterfront attractive? At St. Paul City Hall, city planners have a project called the River Balcony on the drawing table. Perhaps someday, St. Paul’s riverfront will have its own new brand of beauty and history and be a place of bustling tourism and entertainment. Toward that end, we could do well to consider San Antonio as a model.
MUSEUM REACH
San Antonio officials knew a good thing when they saw the river, and over time, the River Walk has expanded. The Museum Reach district now follows the San Antonio River north from the center city. Completed about seven years ago, this mile-plus extension has a far different character from the core from which it sprang: It’s more cultured and more serene. This newer section features works of art, landscapes terraformed with native Texas plants and access to a district full of world-class attractions.
Many cities have defunct old breweries they can’t bear to tear down because they are too important, architecturally and historically, to the city’s identity. In St. Paul, we’ve got Schmidt and Hamm’s. In Minneapolis, there’s Grain Belt. And in San Antonio, they’ve got Pearl.
The resurrection of the Pearl Brewery along the Museum Reach is an example of a brewery revitalization that has gone well. Once derelict, it’s now a hip and on-the-rise area, teeming with restaurants, shops, bars and other entertainments. On the day I visited, the place was buzzing with a food festival devoted to a simple but much beloved local specialty: the tamal.
TEXAS TAMALES
Many Americans love Mexican foods, but the tamal is an often overlooked treat that has become my new favorite. It’s generally not on the menu at fast-food chain restaurants because it’s hard to make good tamales. Freshness is important, and tamales take time and expertise to prepare properly.
Tamales are likely the most beloved food in all of San Antonio. Sure, they are a humble sort of foodstuff, merely a mixture of corn dough (called masa) and lard folded over refried beans or pork and steamed. But when a tamal is made correctly, there is no comfort food as satisfying. By the way, San Antonians may gently let you know that the singular form of tamales is “tamal.” If you want just one, “tamale” is incorrect.
Bubba’s residents love tamales year-round, but it’s during Christmas season that they take center stage. The timing of my visit in early December was perfect. The city was gearing up for its annual tamales eating season. Tamales are to the Hispanic people of San Antonio at Christmas what latkes are to Jewish people on Hannukah. Families often get together for a tamales-making party known as a tamalada in early December and crank out hundreds and hundreds of tamales to give as gifts to family and friends.
I visited the Tamales Holiday Festival, which is held each year in December in the Pearl District. When the weather is good, tens of thousands of tamales lovers show up. And who wouldn’t enjoy a celebration of such delicious southern comfort food? For just $5 you can get six chicken, pork or bean tamales, the masa shell steamed to perfection in corn husks, the filling redolent with garlic, cumin and other spices. For foodies seeking something more adventurous and less traditional, the tamale makers offer specialties such as banana leaf-wrapped tamales filled with chicken and mole sauce, or sweet dessert-style tamales filled with cinnamon, fruit and pecans.
A TEXAS-SIZED GARDEN
A few hundred yards up and downriver from the Pearl brewery, the paved and landscaped banks of the San Antonio River border numerous interesting visitor spots. From the Alamo to the San Antonio Zoo to the Witte Natural History museum, there are more places to visit in this area alone than a short vacation would allow. Two stood out as being particularly noteworthy: the city Botanical Gardens and the San Antonio Museum of Art.
The 38-acre Botanical Garden features formal plantings, a children’s garden, water features and a trail planted with native Texas flora. All of those gardens are interesting, but the thing that sets this place apart is its futuristic conservatory building. The architecture is much different from that of the McNeely Conservatory at Como Park or any other conservatory in the United States for that matter.
The building’s designer, Emilio Ambasz of Argentina, was once the curator of design at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and the conservatory’s architecture evokes a number of modernistic influences. Ambasz took full advantage of San Antonio’s mild climate by eschewing the typical hallway connections between conservatory rooms. Instead, he connected the conservatory’s five pavilions together using a verdant outdoor courtyard filled with green arcades that protect visitors from sun and to a lesser extent, rain.
This arrangement provides the conservatory an opportunity to use its vertical space in unique ways. Some of the plant areas, such as the fern room, are subterranean, cut 20 feet down into the earth, while others, such as the palm pavilion, soar six stories up. The whole idea, said the New York Times when the building opened, is that this place is meant to be a poetic essay on the relationship between manmade and natural structures.
WORLD CLASS ART
San Antonio’s warm climate means that most visitor attractions are built with fair weather in mind. But what does one do when the weather is lousy? One excellent option is the San Antonio Museum of Art. It is often overlooked because of competition with SeaWorld, Six Flags, the River Walk and other well-advertised outdoor venues. Encountering a day full of rain, I happened upon one of the most underrated art museums in the country.
It’s a large, bright place, and unlike most art museums, there’s nary a guard around, at least that can be readily seen. While I’m certain they don’t allow any touching of the artworks, it’s a far more laid-back place than any other museum I’ve walked through.
The museum has a fine assembly of American paintings and sculptures, including works by Gilbert Stuart, Albert Bierstadt and John Singer Sargent. But the place hangs its hat upon its outstanding ancient Mediterranean art collection as well as a world-class display of Latin American works.
The collection from Egypt, Greece and Rome is vast and attractively displayed. There’s more ancient and well interpreted Greek amphorae and Roman statuary than you can shake an Egyptian mummy’s hand at. When Classical world fatigue sets in, you can move on to something completely different, an expansive display of Latin American art divided into pre-Columbian, Spanish Colonial, Contemporary and Folk Art galleries. The four galleries include works that span 4,000 years and contain paintings, sculpture, works on paper, and other objects from Mexico, Central America and South America.
No matter what the weather is, or what time of year it is, San Antonio is a good bet for an active vacation. It’s easy to get to by air with many direct and connecting flights from the Twin Cities. If you go, say “hey” to Bubba and dream a little about St. Paul’s future riverfront.
Saint Paul Place Sells to Quadrant Investment Properties
Christine Perezhttps://www.dmagazine.com/commercial-real-estate/2016/02/saint-paul-place-sells-to-quadrant-investment-properties/
Quadrant Investment Properties is adding to its portfolio. The company, led by Chad Cook, has acquired Saint Paul Place, a 22-story, 273,217-square-foot tower at St. Paul Street and Ross Avenue in the Dallas Arts District. The seller was Goddard Investment Group, which owns another Ross Avenue asset—Fountain Place.Built in 1983, Saint Paul Place is the home of D Magazine Partners, which occupies more than two floors in the building. Most of the tenants, though, are smaller, with an average space of about 5,000 square feet. And t...
Quadrant Investment Properties is adding to its portfolio. The company, led by Chad Cook, has acquired Saint Paul Place, a 22-story, 273,217-square-foot tower at St. Paul Street and Ross Avenue in the Dallas Arts District. The seller was Goddard Investment Group, which owns another Ross Avenue asset—Fountain Place.
Built in 1983, Saint Paul Place is the home of D Magazine Partners, which occupies more than two floors in the building. Most of the tenants, though, are smaller, with an average space of about 5,000 square feet. And that was part of the appeal, Cook said: “We like being able to control our own destiny.”
Cook first approached Goddard about buying Saint Paul Place two years ago, but there was too much of a differential between the ask and the bid. Since then, market conditions have changed, with an urban renewal sparked in part by the opening of the nearby Klyde Warren Park.
“Saint Paul Place has always been one of our favorite buildings,” Cook said. “We could not be more excited to have the opportunity to own it, especially at a time when the Arts District is experiencing so much momentum. … It’s hard to find buildings with this much character and such a strong, diverse tenant base.”
This is this seventh acquisition for Cook, who founded QIP in 2012 after serving as vice president of acquisitions for Hillwood. Other local assets include Preston Trail Atrium, 2811 McKinney, 3400 Carlisle, Hillcrest Oaks, and The Centrum, a nearly 400,000-square-foot icon that’s getting a big makeover. Improvements are also planned for Saint Paul Place, which is about 78 percent occupied. They include lobby upgrades, a tenant conference center, and a lounge with a balcony overlooking the Dallas Museum of Art’s sculpture garden. A building-wide spec-suite program also will be implemented.
“Saint Paul Place is a trophy asset located in the middle of Dallas’ urban markets—the CBD and Upton,” said QIP Vice President Nick Cassavechia, who joined the company from HFF in 2014. ““The young talent moving to and living in this area is an important factor in current and prospective tenant’s site selection, and we feel Saint Paul Place is positioned well for this demand.”
HFF represented Goddard in the sale. JLL put together the financing. Going forward, Saint Paul Place will be leased by the CBRE team of Celeste Fowden, Seth Thatcher, and Ben Davis.
Disclaimer:
