San Antonio Business Journal articles from November 1999

San Antonio Business Journal archives from November 1999

Digging up Coliseum dirt.
November 26, 1999... Environmental study raises questions for arena site A little-publicized report on the land targeted for development for the new community arena for the San Antonio Spurs raises questions about possible environmental Problems at the site...

Med. Foundation pres. has room with a view.
November 26, 1999... From his seventh-floor office in Northwest San Antonio, Jim Reed often finds himself looking out the window. It's a magnificent view that includes green trees, streets brimming with business traffic and some of the premiere medical facilities...

Financial reform act drawing mixed reviews from lenders.
November 26, 1999... Local banking industry officials are offering mixed reviews of the Financial Services Act of 1999, the recently enacted, groundbreaking legislation that redefines what banks can and can't do. The differences in opinion seem to be based...

Engineering firm Force 3 cuts 30 jobs.
November 26, 1999... Force 3, an information-technology solutions provider, has scaled back its local engineering team, laying off some 30 employees due to a shortage of new contracts, according to company officials. Force 3's local operation is part of the...

Talk Around Town.
November 26, 1999... Air Force office turns 1 The Air Force Outreach Program Office, the national center that assists small businesses seeking contracts with the Air Force, recently celebrated its first birthday at Brooks Air Force Base. Officials with the...

Abraxas looks to Kansas to expand natural gas reserves.
November 26, 1999... Abraxas Petroleum Corp. has entered into an agreement with a Kansas oil and gas producer to explore for natural gas on some 40,000 acres of land in south central Kansas. Abraxas' decision to explore in Kansas marks the company's first...

NEWS BYTES.
November 26, 1999... Tesoro Tesoro Petroleum Corp. has agreed to sell its Bolivian-based Exploration & Production business to BG International Ltd. for $100 million. The transaction will be structured as a stock purchase and is scheduled to close by Dec. 31,...

Earnings power in Texas is on the rise, recent study shows.
November 26, 1999... Texas has been experiencing the second highest annual growth rate in total personal income nationwide, according to newly released federal economic data. Figures compiled by American City Business Journals -- the parent company of the...

Literacy for Life success honored.
November 26, 1999... The San Antonio Tourism Council recently celebrated the success of its 2-year-old program, Literacy for Life. On Nov. 20, the Tourism Council celebrated at the Margarita Huantes Learning Center on the city's West Side, one of the original...

Aptis inks a lease for move from Alamo City to Austin.
November 26, 1999... A San Antonio software firm is moving its headquarters to Southwest Austin. Aptis Inc. recently signed a lease for 75,000 square feet of office space in Two Barton Skyway, a 200,000-square-foot building under development by Prentiss...

Real Estate Roundup.
November 26, 1999... Bexar Appraisal's new building is expected to cost $5.5 million The Bexar Appraisal District has broken ground on its new Office building at 411 N. Frio St. John Gaines, chief appraiser, says the 52,000-square-foot building will cost...

Area HMO gets low financial rating, but study called flawed.
November 26, 1999... A recent study released by Palm Beach, Fla.-based Weiss Ratings Inc. gave E- or "very weak" ratings to 10 HMOs (health maintenance organizations) in the United States -- stating that all are believed to be at high risk of failure. Three...

CAPITOL UPDATE.
November 26, 1999... SBA standards Some small business may find they're not "small" any more, as a result of the U.S. Small Business Administration's decision to adopt a new industrial classification system for its size standards. The SBA plans to...

WEEK AT A GLANCE.
November 26, 1999... Play-By-Play Play-By-Play Toys & Novelties Inc. reported a net loss of $26.1 million, or $3.57 per share, on net sales of $36.7 million for the fourth quarter ended July 31, 1999. That compares to net income of $3.3 million, or 41 cents...

SBC/Ameritech moving away from pro sports sponsorships.
November 26, 1999... SBC Communications Inc.'s acquisition of Chicago-based Ameritech Corp. is apparently going to have major ramifications on the way the telecommunications titan approaches the sports sponsorship world. And as far as the combining companies are...

Marketing & Media.
November 26, 1999... Mexicana Airlines awards ad account to S.A.'s GarciaLKS Mexicana Airlines has named locally based GarciaLKS as its advertising agency of record for the United States and Canada. GarciaLKS will provide marketing and advertising services to...

TRUST IN SUCCESS.
November 26, 1999... South Texas investment team develops formula for high performance When Ronald Calgaard and Charles Wade surveyed the South Texas trust management market in 1996, the pair saw an opportunity. "(Several) years ago banks to some extent...

Retirees feeling more comfortable about their future.
November 26, 1999... Future retirees are no longer preoccupied with concerns about financial security, a recent study shows. Retirees are benefiting more and more from early planning and are worrying less about outliving their financial resources, according...

Reasons for donating real estate reach beyond tax advantages.
November 26, 1999... For business, tax and philanthropic reasons, year-end is a prime time to review your current real estate holdings to determine whether retaining an asset is in your best interest. You may find that you have real estate assets that are...

Be sure you don't leave your retirement fund to the IRS.
November 26, 1999... Have you noticed that the Internal Revenue Service doesn't care if you gamble away your nest egg or spend it on an extremely lavish life style? But upon your death, they care if you leave your Individual Retirement Account or retirement...

Stock market has come a long way since its inception.(history)
November 26, 1999... As we prepare to usher in a new era, one can hardly argue the fact that the stock market has in some way made an impression on each one of us. Whether we prefer to grab the "bull" by the horns and invest our hard-earned dollars with the goals...

Business owner finds her career moving.(Apartment and Relocation Center)
November 26, 1999... When Marietta Alba relocated to San Antonio from the East Coast, she made sure that she didn't get lost in the moving shuffle. Her parents had recently moved to the area, and Alba, fresh out of college, decided that Texas was just the...

If you're tired of the heat, take action to `de-hire' the boss.
November 26, 1999... We've all had them, bosses who are too bus/with their own ego trips to attend to the real work at hand. The "quick fix" vice president who focuses only on the immediate. The senior manager who is hiding his incompetence, who's over his head,...

States may use third parties to collect Internet sales taxes.
November 26, 1999... The nation's governors think they have figured out a way for states to begin collecting sales taxes on purchases made over the Internet. The plan calls for states to contract with third parties to calculate, collect and remit sales...

Shopping for a computer takes a sharp mind in today's market.
November 26, 1999... Car dealerships have nothing on computer sellers. It pays to be a shrewd computer shopper these days, because the computer you think you paid for may not actually be what you take out of the box. And the differences are pretty subtle. ...

Many businesses planning to fix Y2K bug after it strikes.
November 26, 1999... Up to 500,000 small businesses have decided to wait until Jan. 1 to see if they have any year 2000 computer problems, figuring they can address any glitches after they occur, says the White House's Y2K czar. This "fixing on failure"...

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE.(Product Announcement)
November 26, 1999... Accounting/Finance Kevin Moore was recently named manager of the USAA emerging markets fund and a co-manager of the USAA international fund. He will also co-manage international-stock holdings in the USAA cornerstone strategy, the USAA...

Bankruptcies.
November 26, 1999... Texas Family Entertainment LLC, Hondo Bowl Address: 2511 19th Street, Hondo 78861 Chapter 7, Voluntary Liabilities: $0 to $50,000 Assets: $0 to $50,000 Business type: N/A; 99-54850C Newell Industries Inc. Address:...

Bids.
November 26, 1999... CITY OF SAN ANTONIO PURCHASING DEPARTMENT No report from this office this week. BEXAR COUNTY PURCHASING DEPARTMENT Miscellaneous auto parts & services Bid no.: 2000-23 Opening date: December 3 ALAMO COMMUNITY COLLEGE...

Boards & directors.
November 26, 1999... The Trinity University Alumni Association has elected Lowell Keig '85 as president of the 36-member board of directors. Boys and Girls Clubs of San Antonio has selected Jeff Deitrick and William "Casey" Shaefer to its board of directors.

Business notes.
November 26, 1999... Randolph-Brooks Federal Credit Union has opened a new branch located at 12307 Nacogdoches, Nellie Little is the branch manager of the new branch.

Federal bids.
November 26, 1999... SA-ALC/Contracting Directorate/SA-ALC/LPKAF; 485 Quentin Roosevelt Road, Suite 12, Kelly AFB, TX 792241-6419 POC: R.T. Batkins; Tel.: (210) 925-6386 CBD date: 11/5/99; Due date: 12/8/99 Sol. No.: F41608-00-R-43506 2nd Stage...

Federal contracts awarded.
November 26, 1999... To: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc., Hurst For: Nut, Plain, Round Amount: $34,042 Date: 8/25/00 By: Defense Industrial Supply Center To: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc., Hurst For: Shim Amount: $67,170 Date: 8/25/99 By:...

Nonprofit notes.
November 26, 1999... In preparation for Old Man Winter, Christian Senior Services recently partnered with San Antonio Fire Stations to collect and distribute blankets for the senior of Bexar County. For more information, call Patricia Potyka at 735-5115. ...

Sales/leases.(Brief Article)
November 26, 1999... LEASES Property: 6243 I-10 W, Suite 850 Tenant: Ganahmsa Inc. Landlord: MSDW Southwest Partners LP Square footage: 1,947 Tenant rep: Michael Weiss, 4M Realty Co. Landlord rep: Todd Gold, Mission City Property Inc. SALES...

State/local construction bids.(Brief Article)
November 26, 1999... Location: San Antonio Description: Incarnate Word Retirement Community Estimated cost: N/A Owner: N/A Submit bid to: Owner Bid due date: 11/29/99 Location: San Antonio Description: Arnold Elementary School Additions...

State/local construction contract awards.(Brief Article)
November 26, 1999... Harlandale ISD/Capital Bond Improvements Project Location: San Antonio Contractor: C 2M Inc., San Antonio Cost: $3,800,000 NSISD/John Hs & Learning Center-New Fire Hydrants Location: San Antonio Contractor: South...

State tax liens.(Brief Article)
November 26, 1999... Mothers Work Inc. 1013 Centre Road, Wilmington, Del. 19805, $7,489, (Franchise Tax), Book/Page 8181/785, 10/25/99 Harrison Equipment Co. Inc. 13715 Murphy Road, Stafford 77477, $6,890, (Franchise Tax), Book Page 8181/790,...

World trade.(Brief Article)
November 26, 1999... OFFER TO BUY Shoes Taipei, Taiwan sporting goods company is seeking to buy orders of Axion and DC SHOE CO USA shoes, apparel and accessories. Contact to offer quotes. No.: 10011650 Contact Information: Please contact...

The Lead sheet.(Brief Article)
November 26, 1999... The Lead Sheet is a listing of Use and Occupancy Certificates filed with the City of San Antonio, and Sales Tax Permits applied for by Bexar County businesses through the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Use and Occupancy...

Prepare to be beamed into the next century.(Brief Article)
November 26, 1999... Information technology (IT to industry folks) has created and fueled the growth of the global economy. The personal computer revolution of the 1980s and the explosion of the Internet in the 1990s set the stage for today's emerging "electronic...

Search is on for S.A.'s top private companies.(Brief Article)
November 26, 1999... Arthur Andersen LLP, an international accounting and consulting firm, and the San Antonio Business Journal have teamed up again to provide a very special way to recognize San Antonio's leading privately held companies -- the Sixth Annual Top...

Go S.A. Go!
November 19, 1999... Incoming Greater Chamber chairman is on mission to promote San Antonio Earlier this year, Charlie Amato says he ran in the Chicago Marathon with his wife, Cathy. For his attire, he chose to wear jogging shorts and a San Antonio Spurs...

$40 million residential development planned.
November 19, 1999... In his most expensive project to date, developer Brad Galo is planning a 900-acre masterplanned residential development on the city's Northwest Side. Galo estimates the project, to be located along Loop 1604 near Hausman Road and Kyle...

S.A.-based billserv.com raises $4 million in private offering.
November 19, 1999... Unable to move forward with plans for a secondary offering of stock, locally based billserv.com has raised more than $4 million in growth capital through a private placement instead. Close to 20 different investors, including both...

University Health System is facing deficit in coming year.
November 19, 1999... Faced with a roughly $1.8 million deficit next year, the University Health System (UHS) is planning to shelve some of its previously planned projects and make budgetary cuts to the tune of about $1 million. The plans for addressing the...

Doctors' group buys land for medical office building.
November 19, 1999... A local physicians' practice is preparing to close on 1.725 acres of land at Huebner Road. The site will become the future home of the aptly named Huebner Oaks Medical Group, a three-physician group of primary care doctors. "We chose...

The Public Eye.
November 19, 1999... Market forecasters' crystal balls are no clearer than your own Renowned money manager Ken Fisher set out to erase some commonly held misconceptions about the stock market and to explain how the market really works during a recent visit to...

GE Reaves positioning itself as one-stop engineering shop.
November 19, 1999... GE Reaves Engineering Inc. is shifting its marketing focus and expanding its operations to better position itself as a "one-stop" shop for developers and builders. GE Reaves is in the process of expanding the amount of office space it...

NEWS BYTES.
November 19, 1999... MSU Corp. MSU Corp., a company based in the United Kingdom, has formed a strategic partnership with McLaughlin International Inc. in San Antonio and Corstar Business Computing Co. in Hawthorne, N.Y. MSU designs and develops computer...

Real Estate Roundup.
November 19, 1999... Architect Middleman designs building for his own company Architect Barry Middleman is taking a break from designing other people's projects to design a building for his own firm. Middleman, a partner in Middleman de la Garza Neugebauer...

WEEK AT A GLANCE.
November 19, 1999... Lancer Corp. Lancer Corp. reported a net loss of $7 million, or 78 cents per share, on net sales of $29.2 million, for the third quarter ended Sept. 30, 1999. That compares to net income of $1.8 million, or 20 cents per diluted share, on...

CAPITOL UPDATE.
November 19, 1999... Internet taxes The three-year moratorium on new Internet taxes may need to be extended to give a congressionally appointed commission more time to decide whether and how e-commerce transactions should be taxed, says one of the authors of...

LitiTech offers high-tech tool for checking health care costs.
November 19, 1999... Timothy Devereux, chief executive officer of local company LitiTech Inc., likens the myriad of available health care services from hospital care, to doctor visits, to physical therapy and beyond -- to the anatomy of the human body. "Each...

SHORT GAINERS.
November 19, 1999... Beat the clock Construction of Enron Field in Houston is being accelerated from its planned April 1 deadline so the Houston Astros can play the New York Yankees in exhibition games on March 30 and 31, according to Billy Burge, chairman...

Austin-based medical firm finds new fix for bad backs.
November 19, 1999... An Austin-based medical company recently completed its first implementation of a new spinal implant that is expected to take the spinal fixation and implant market to a new level. Spinal Concepts Inc., which provides the medical community...

Boards & Directors.
November 19, 1999... Mission Road Development Center announces the election of officers of the board of directors for 1999-2000. They are: Paul Bracher, chairman; Maxine Farrimond, vice-chairman; Margaret M. Judson, secretary; Bruce L. Weilbacher, treasurer. The...

Federal tax liens.
November 19, 1999... B-12 Adult Day Care Center Inc. 1925 Rigsby Ave., San Antonio 78210, $15,456, (Employee Withholding), Book/Page 8171/1503, 10/15/99 Crystal Cos. Inc. 1515 Rogers, San Antonio 78208, $121,079, (Employee Withholding), Book/Page 8177/205,...

Nonprofit notes.
November 19, 1999... In preparation for Old Man Winter, Christian Senior Services recently partnered with San Antonio Fire Stations to collect and distribute blankets for the senior of Bexar County. Donations of blankets may be dropped off any of the 47 fire...

Patents.
November 19, 1999... Inventor: Gardner, Mark I., Cedar Creek; Kadosh, Daniel, Austin Patent: Method of making a semiconductor device having sidewall spacers with improved profiles Assigned to: Advanced Micro Devices, Austin Issued: 8/10/99 Pat No.:...

State/local construction contract awards.
November 19, 1999... Leon Valley/Sanitary Sewer Rehab-FY 99 Location: San Antonio Contractor: San Antonio Constructors Inc., San Antonio Cost: $178,998 Univ Health System Substation #3-Replace Location: San Antonio Contractor: Vaughn...

SAN ANTONIO MONEY RATES.
November 19, 1999... Savings Money market 1 Year 2 Year $2,500(1) CD(2) CD(2) Financial Institutions Acacia Group...

NAFTA trade corridors still regional issue.
November 19, 1999... For the last eleven years, Dr. John Wirth has directed the Santa Fe-based North American Institute (NAMI) with the goal of encouraging people in Canada, Mexico and the United States "to think as citizens of North America." Recently, Wirth...

Texas economy is a beacon for the nation.
November 19, 1999... Every time I forecast this great state's economy, I marvel at where we've been and where we're going. During the last two decades, Texans have endured a lot. We've ridden out the roller coaster fortunes of the oil boom and bust; we've...

Cyberspace isn't ready for long arm of the tax man.
November 19, 1999... Ten years ago, discount retailers like Wal-Mart were redefining the face of the American retail industry. Today, online retailers like Amazon.com are again redefining not only the ways that businesses interact with their customers, but also...

Tenant leases adapt to changing market.
November 19, 1999... If you're a prospective tenant in search of office space in San Antonio, you'll know by now it's a landlord's market out there. Rental rates and occupancy is up, and as a result, building owners are offering few, if any, incentives to...

Office Market Analysis, San Antonio, Third Quarter 1999.
November 19, 1999... CITYWIDE 1999 1998 Inventory 21,048,056 19,764,757 Available 2,710,341 2,239,471 %Vacant 12.9% 11.3% Average Rent $17.09 $15.62 3Q Absorption 3,449 ...

REAL ESTATE ON THE WEB.(Brief Article)(Directory)
November 19, 1999... A wealth of real estate information is available online. Here are a few sites that those interested in commercial real estate might find useful. www.property.com -- The DealMakers Commercial & Retail Real Estate Referral Database. Offers...

Consider the ADA when investing in property.
November 19, 1999... The items in Real Estate Corner have been provided by the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University. The center can be accessed online at (recenter. tamu.edu). College Station -- Contemplating purchasing or renting an income investment...

Owning real estate outside a corporation.
November 19, 1999... College Station - Many small businesses are structured as regular corporations rather than S corporations, partnerships or limited liability companies (LLCs). A key feature distinguishing the regular corporation from other entities is that...

Developers scrambling to meet demand.
November 19, 1999... Half-inch sheet rock is selling for $7 or more for a four-by-eight-foot sheet. Rolls of 10-gauge, two-strand electrical wire sell for about 32 cents per foot. Wire mesh, used to reinforce concrete, runs $70 a roll these days, compared...

Office Leasing: CENTRAL.
November 19, 1999... Building name Leasing company Total address contact, phone number, fax rentable sq. ft. NOTE- Annual rent ranges may or may not...

Office Leasing: NORTH CENTRAL.
November 19, 1999... Total Building name Leasing comppany rentable address contact phone number, fax sq. ft. 105 Biltmore N/A ...

Office Leasing: NORTHEAST.
November 19, 1999... Total Building name Leasing company rentable address contact, phone number, fax sq. ft. 1800 Plaza, SIA REOC...

Office Leasing: NORTHWEST/WEST.
November 19, 1999... Total Building name Leasing company rentable address contact, phone number, fax sq. ft. 301 N. Frio, SIA D.B....

Office Leasing: SOUTH/SOUTHEAST.
November 19, 1999... Building name Leasing company Total address contact, phone rentable number, fax sq. ft. 210 W. Peden, SIA D.B....

Industrial Space: CENTRAL.
November 19, 1999... Building name Leasing company Total square Address contact, phone number, footage fax of building 123 Cevallos St. W., N/A ...

Industrial Space: NORTH CENTRAL.
November 19, 1999... Total Building name Leading Company square Address Leasing contact, phone footage number, fax ...

Industrial Space: NORTHEAST.
November 19, 1999... Total Leasing company square Building name Leasing contact, phone footage Address number, fax ...

Industrial Space: NORTHWEST.
November 19, 1999... Total square Leasing company footage Building name Leasing...

Industrial Space: NORTHWEST/WEST.
November 19, 1999... Total Leasing company square Building name Leasing contact, phone footage of Address number, fax...

Santikos selling theaters.
November 12, 1999... Developer John Santikos is listing for sale at least five retail/entertainment properties here totaling nearly half-a-million square feet. David McWhorter, executive director of land sales with Santikos Investments, says Santikos has...

Hurst lender embroiled in lawsuit over bank merger.
November 12, 1999... Allegations of fraud, embezzlement and the launching of a new bank each play essential roles in a lawsuit filed by Hurst, Texas-based Surety Bank N.A. against the former shareholders of a bank Surety acquired in late 1997 -- locally based...

Talk Around Town.
November 12, 1999... Riding it out You've heard of the man known to be faster than a speeding bullet? Prepare to experience the namesake ride as fast as Superman. Fiesta Texas, a Six Flags Theme Park recently unveiled its new ride, the Superman Krypton...