San Antonio | Deep In The Heart.

[josh]

RECENT IMAGE OF THE CELLARS RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE PEARL

Credit: Raul's Photography

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[josh]

Massing rendering for planned 30-story residential tower in the south end of downtown.

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[josh]

20-STORY LUXURY HOTEL AND RESIDENCE PLANNED FOR DOWNTOWN

The Thompson Hotel and Residences positions itself as the Premier Luxury Boutique Hotel of San Antonio. Consisting of 20 stories, the 170 guestroom – 56 residence hotel will feature 15,000 square feet of riverfront meeting space and a Skybar Club, providing sweeping views of the City. Designed to meet and compliment the needs of the San Antonio market, the Thompson San Antonio Hotel gives way to unrivalled elegance and comfort.

Thompson Hotels is an incredibly upscale luxury brand with hotels in New York, London, Toronto, Chicago, Miami,

[josh]

LOCAL DEVELOPER HAS BIG PLANS FOR INNER CITY NEIGHBORHOOD



This entire city block, as seen from the corner of Cherry and Carolina streets, is proposed for redevelopment as a high-density, mixed-use residential and retail urban center.

The East Side has been experiencing a modest real estate revival, but nothing in the private sector seen to date compares to one developer's plans to construct a Pearl type mixed use community about five blocks south of the Alamodome.

The 7.7-acre site, an area about half the size of the Pearl complex, has been overlooked by other developers for decades. One landowner that has been in talks with the developer said this is the first time anyone has shown interest in the neighborhood.

The site being eyed for an urban revival is zoned industrial, but the Planning Commission recently approved a land use change to mixed use in order to pave the way for a zoning change. It is an asymmetrically configured acquisition that roughly equates to about two city blocks.

The site enjoys numerous advantages that make it ideal for an urban infill project. It is just a block away from Interstate 37's Carolina Street exit, making it convenient for future commuters traveling to and from what promises to become a high density rental community. It is about six blocks east of Brackenridge High School and walking distance from the Alamodome.

Efraim Varga, the developer and head of Varga Endeavors, told VBX he envisions a city block with retail and restaurant enterprises at street level and rental units above. Structures throughout the property would be three and five stories in height, he said.

"It's going to be something like the Pearl, but I think it's going to be a little bit cooler," Varga said.

Varga is developing The Park at Lonestar on Roosevelt Avenue

THE PARK AT LONESTAR RENDERING

The Pearl is known for its historic buildings and the great lengths to which Silver Ventures went to find adaptive reuses during their restorations. The site Varga is targeting does not have such a heritage, therefore he would be free to come up with a 21st century concept. The development would be "like the Pearl" only in the sense that it would be a hip and walkable urban town center for residents, shoppers and after-hours patrons to whatever nightlife appears.

Varga is making a name for himself as a developer of modern multifamily infill developments. He has three such projects underway in the Southtown area, but none of them include a retail component. These include The Park at Lonestar, 519 Roosevelt Avenue; Sunglo Urban Homes, 1519 S. Presa St.; and Lotus Urban Homes, 1603 S. Presa St.

SUNGLO URBAN HOMES RENDERING

Sprinkle & Co. Architects have been designing Varga's communities and Sprinkle has built a reputation, according to their website, for combining minimalist compositions with an inventive use of materials, "creating purposefully anti-heroic constructions."

Sprinkle designed the Cypress Campus Student Center for Alamo Colleges, the Henry A. Guerra Jr. Branch Library, and the SAHA Medical Facility.

It bears repeating that most of the site, if not all, is free of buildings with any architectural or historical significance. Varga hopes to demolish every structure--there are about 14--in order to start with a clean slate. There may be one glitch in that plan, a two-story office building at 604 Carolina Street that was built in 1945, according to Bexar County Appraisal District records.

The office building appears to be architecturally unique to its period, but it is not a designated historically significant structure, according to the Office of Historic Preservation. In any case, that will get sorted out through OHP channels should Varga seek a demolition permit.

Varga has the site under contract and anticipates closing on the properties during the month of April. He said plans are to have architectural plans complete by the end of the year and he would like to begin construction in the first quarter of 2017. Varga acts as his own general contractor. He works with Big Red Dog on the civil engineering.

The project has caused a lot of buzz among neighboring landowners. City planner Mary Moralez-Gonzales approached Varga after the Wednesday Planning Commission meeting. She is responsible for notifying neighbors of a zoning change; she said neighbors are excited that such a project is being planned, and some were wondering if their properties might be wanted for future development.

This industrial park is surrounded by more aged industrial properties to the south, west and partially to the north. To the east and partially to the north, it is adjacent to Denver Heights, a very old neighborhood in terms of housing stock. Most of the homes were built between 1910 and 1950 and are in poor to fair condition.

Varga expressed an openness to the idea of future land buys. Maybe the project will grow?

Staff comments from Development Services Department:

"The applicant requests this Plan Amendment and associated zoning change in order to rezone to ... Infill Development Zone Airport Hazard Overlay District with uses permitted in 'C-2,' Commercial, Multi-family Residential Uses not to exceed 100 units per acre, bar, micro-brewery, beer garden and hotel. The requested mixed use classification supports the Arena District/Eastside Community Plan objectives of establishing land use patterns that are responsive to the existing land uses and provides the necessary improvements to enable infill development and redevelopment."

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[Plutonic Panda]

Pretty badass interchange is coming to the 10 and 410.



San Antonio: Newly posted depiction of I-10E/I-410 interchange plans

[josh]

Pretty badass interchange is coming to the 10 and 410.



San Antonio: Newly posted depiction of I-10E/I-410 interchange plans

This would be the fourth interchange like this in San Antonio, fifth if the 10/1604 interchange gets built first.

I actually drive through that interchange on my way to work every day. It's on the Far East side of San Antonio in a very industrial area album this upgrade is greatly needed.

Also, currently, two half four stack interchanges are being built at 151/410 and 151/1604. Both on the far west sides of San Antonio.

[Plutonic Panda]

Very nice! You guys are lucky. I wish OKC would get just one of these for the time being. :/

[josh]

A couple of exciting urban core announcments have been made in the last couple of days.

The first is The Floodgate, a proposed ten story residential building planned for the core of downtown right on the River Walk. This will be built right next to the planned 21-story Canopy Hotel.

The second one is the Thompson Hotel and Residence, proposed for the River North area adjacent to downtown, has been submitted for HDRC approval and has a new modern design.

I will post renderings and info on both.

[josh]

A couple of exciting urban core announcments have been made in the last couple of days.

The first is The Floodgate, a proposed ten story residential building planned for the core of downtown right on the River Walk. This will be built right next to the planned 21-story Canopy Hotel.

The second one is the Thompson Hotel and Residence, proposed for the River North area adjacent to downtown, has been submitted for HDRC approval and has a new modern design.

I will post renderings and info on both.

My mistake. The Canopy will be 24 stories.

[josh]

THOMPSON HOTEL AND RESIDENCE │ 21-STORIES
273 FEET TO ROOF - 305 FEET TO TOP OF STRUCTURE

The Thompson Hotel chain is a very upscale brand with locations in places like New York, London, Chicago, Toronto and Miami.

Their first and only Texas location will be in San Antonio's urban core neighborhood of River North.

Adjacent to downtown, River North has seen great residential growth since the opening of the Museum Reach of the Riverwalk.

The Thompson Hotel and Residence will be built across, the Riverwalk, from The Tobin Center for the Performing Arts.

The height will be nearly 300 feet at 21 stories and contain both a hotel and residential units.

This will be the tallest structure in River North.

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[josh]

THE FLOODGATE │ 10 STORIES

The Floodgate, named after the nearby bridge and floodgate, will be a ten story residential development in the heart of downtown.

The Floodgate will replace older, dilapidated one and two story buildings that are mostly vacant.

The interesting thing about this building, besides its design, will be that it is being built right next to a separate development, Canopy Hotel, by another developer. You can actually see the Canopy Hotel in the top rendering. It is seen in the far top left of the rendering.

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Just for reference. This is the 24-story Canopy Hotel.

[josh]

165 MILLION DOLLAR MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT PLANNED FOR HEMISFAIR


Conceptual rendering of potential mixed-use development for the northwest corner of Hemisfair.

After narrowing in on the 11 responses it received, the Hemisfair Park Area Redevelopment Corporation has made the proposal submitted by Zachry and The NRP Group its top choice and will now take the next step toward finalizing the urban park's second public-private partnership.

The joint proposal from the two San Antonio firms would be to develop two parcels encompassing five acres in the northwest quadrant of the park — right at the corner of South Alamo and South Market — with the potential uses included new shops, restaurants and 380 residential units next to approximately nine acres of green space.

While it is avoiding any specifics, HPARC CEO Andres Andujar told me the proposal includes 800,000 gross square feet, which includes those residential units along with 75,000 square feet of retail; 70,000 square feet of office; a boutique hotel; and plenty of public parking.

The value of the mixed-use development would be $165 million.

NRP and Zachry's joint bid was submitted along with 10 others following HPARC's issuance of a request for qualifications in March 2015. Those were then narrowed down to four submissions, which also included Dallas-based Cambridge Holdings Inc., Minneapolis-based Ryan Cos. and San Antonio-based Lynd Co.

Following its invitation to respond to request for proposals, HPARC then narrowed the list to the NRP-Zachry joint submission as well as one from Cambridge. With the help of a panel including Williams and Dame Development's Homer Williams, USAA Real Estate Co.'s Bruce Petersen, and Page Architects' Larry Speck, HPARC scored the proposals based on their development expertise, design, financial returns to HPARC and their compatibility with the park's master plan.

With the higher score, Zachry and NRP emerged as the winner.

Similar to the first public-private partnership agreement the committee made with AREA Real Estate in December, the committee's selection will need to get final approval from the city council. For now, Zachry and NRP will enter into negotiations with HPARC, and approval of a final development agreement is expected to be made sometime later this year.

"The grading was based on the best overall proposal based on suitability to the environment and park," Andujar said. "Having locals on the project is an added benefit in these particular two instances, but the proposals came from across the country."

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[DenverPoke]

Some really world-class projects going on in San Antonio. Thanks for all the updates you provide.

[josh]

This news is a week old.

60 MILLION DOLLAR, 338 UNIT MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT PLANNED
FOR SOUTH END OF DOWNTOWN

This proposed development will replace a parking lot on the south end of downtown.

Commissioners Court showed high interest Tuesday in a Dallas developer’s plans for a $60 million, mixed-use development just two blocks south of the downtown courthouse complex.

The Encore Riverwalk development proposal with 338 apartment units dovetails with the county’s efforts to increase affordable housing downtown, officials said. Construction on the project, which includes parking and 5,000 square feet of retail space, would start later this year and conclude in mid-2018.

Queried about the proposed rent structure, Encore Enterprises development and finance manager Charlie Keels said “right now, it’s all market-rate rents. We’re still defining the unit mix.”

Adding that the average unit size is about 885 square feet, Keels said “we thinking it’s going to really be similar to what Greystar’s project, Agave Riverwalk, is getting … it’ll average about $1,500, $1,600 a month. So it’s at the top end,” with five-story, wood-frame construction and a six-story parking structure.

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[josh]

SAN ANTONIO WAS THE SIXTH FASTEST GROWING METRO IN THE COUNTRY

The population growth boom for metro San Antonio continued between 2014 and 2015.

Per the Census, between 2014 and 2015, San Antonio's metro population grew by 2.2 percent and added over 51,000 people. San Antonio was the sixth fastest growing metro in the US.

This years numbers are across the board higher than the previous year.

Between 2013 and 2014 the metro grew by 2 percent and added a little over 46,000 people.

[josh]

delete

[josh]

HOV LANES COMING TO SECTION OF I10 ON FAR NW SIDE

As part of an expansion, Interstate 10 will get lanes reserved for transit and other high-occupancy vehicles, a design that planners hope to duplicate on other highways in San Antonio.

At its meeting Monday, the Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization approved a plan to widen I-10 north of Loop 1604 by adding two lanes in each direction between La Cantera Parkway and Ralph Fair Road, likely by 2019. One lane will be for high-occupancy vehicles, such as buses and carpools, and the other for all vehicles to use.

The vote ended a somewhat contentious debate that started in December, when the Texas Department of Transportation introduced the HOV idea to replace a plan to add toll lanes and direct connectors on that part of I-10. The plan is similar to one to convert the part of U.S. 281 between Loop 1604 and Borgfeld Drive into a six-lane freeway with two HOV lanes, the first ones approved in the San Antonio area.

U.S. 281 and I-10 might pave the way for HOV lanes on other busy corridors. The MPO is studying the feasibility of adding them to highways now slated for tolled expansions, including Interstate 35 and Loop 1604.

I10 JUST BEFORE LOOP 1604


I10 JUST AFTER LOOP 1604




VIDEO OF I10 DRIVE FROM EAST SIDE TO FAR NW SIDE

[josh]

BASEBALL STADIUM PROPOSED FOR URBAN CORE

Owners of the Double-A San Antonio Missions baseball club are expected to announce at a City Council meeting next week that they’re working toward bringing a Triple-A club to the Alamo City.

The proposal would include a new stadium downtown, which would likely be largely publicly financed. Officials from the Elmore Sports Group, which owns the Missions, are scheduled to meet with Mayor Ivy Taylor next week prior to the announcement.

“I can confirm that I have been in detailed discussions for months with the San Antonio Missions. The Missions are committed to being a partner in a downtown baseball project and are exploring every option available to bring a Triple-A baseball club to San Antonio,” Taylor said. “However, Minor League Baseball will have to approve any teams moving into or out of our city.”

Centro San Antonio has conducted a site study to help determine potential locations for a stadium. President and CEO Pat DiGiovanni could not be reached for comment, but multiple sources with knowledge of the matter said locations include the northwest corner of Hemisfair, at South Alamo and Market streets; the Institute of Texan Cultures; Fox Tech High School; an area south of the Alamodome; and sites near Lone Star and the Pearl.

[josh]

It's been almost four months since I've posted. I apologize as I've been incredibly busy in real life and haven't had the time to do any updates. But I'm back with a few updates.

[josh]

This happened in April, but I never got around to posting about it. The city decided to redesign the Riverwalk barges, They held a national competition for a new design and the winner was selected in April.

OLD/CURRENT:



NEW DESIGN:



NIGHT TIME




LED LIGHT UNDERWATER



VERSATILE DESIGN

“METALAB’s versatile design allows for modular deck components that can accommodate a variety of uses,” according to a news release. The barge design increases legroom and wheelchair accessibility and the materials used will reduce ongoing maintenance. All submissions included electric motors.

The barges will accommodate tours, dining cruises, river parades, and commuters on the San Antonio River, but the designers suggested several other uses in their proposal as well including yoga classes, concerts, play pens for kids, and more.

“(The new barge) will be another one of those great, iconic images of our city,” said Councilman Roberto Treviño. “It’s truly a very modular design that we can do so many different things with … new capacities that we haven’t considered before.”

[josh]

9-STORY HOTEL PLANNED FOR RIVERWALK

It will have both street level retail as well as separate Riverwalk level retail.

[josh]

INVESTORS PLAN TO MODERNIZE 96-YEAR OLD ROBERT E. LEE BUILDING

A group of New England investors is applying for state incentives to redevelop the historic Robert E. Lee apartment building downtown and add retail to the ground floor.

“Our main goal here is to maintain the property’s affordability and bring it to modern standards,” said Todd McClutchy, a principal at JHM Group, a Connecticut development firm that is overseeing the renovations. “The goal is to focus on the ground floor.”

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[josh]

LOCAL FIRM REVEALS AMBITIOUS PLAN FOR FORMER CHILDREN'S MUSEUM BUILDING

GrayStreet Partners announced Wednesday that the company has purchased the former San Antonio Children’s Museum building at 305 E. Houston St. The developer owns at least seven other properties on East Houston Street — the entire north side of the 300 block — including the adjacent Court and Kress buildings.

GrayStreet also owns properties in Southtown and will celebrate the June 30 opening of West Elm at 210 Grayson St, near the Pearl complex.

At a Centro San Antonio cocktail event held in the Starlight Lounge inside the Majestic Theatre Wednesday evening, GrayStreet Managing Partner Kevin Covey told Centro members that he plans to connect the next-door Kress building, which has stood empty for over two decades, and the former museum.

“We will create one cohesive, unique space,” Covey said. “We will have office space above-street level and street-level retail. And by ‘retail,’ I mean ‘put in your mouth’ retail.” Plans include multiple vendors and chefs who will operate out of pods in a food-hall environment.

Covey said that a principal tenant will be announced in the coming weeks, and that a tech company, cybersecurity firm, and law firm are expected to sign leases, too. Construction and renovations are expected to take “the better part of next year.” Once renovated, the two buildings will add 100,000 square feet of office and retail space to East Houston Street, which is thriving after decades of vacancy and underutilized historic buildings.

“Given our existing ownership on Houston Street and the contiguous assets we have on either side of this property, we are the logical buyer of this iconic building,” Covey stated. “This purchase will further cement our position on Houston Street, allowing us to more completely create synergy. This will give us not only a competitive advantage in leasing and in maximizing value, but we also hope this will make downtown that much more exciting.”

The five-story, 43,592 sq. ft. building, which includes a basement and mezzanine, was constructed in 1935. It has been vacant since the Children’s Museum, now known as The DoSeum, closed in March 2015 and moved to its new location on Broadway.

GrayStreet, Weston Urban and AREA Real Estate all have purchased historic buildings located along East Houston Street over the last four years. Tech startups and other tenants are quickly filling many of the long-vacant and underutilized properties, leading to what is now being called the downtown tech district.

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[josh]

19-STORY HOTEL/OFFICE TOWER PLANNED FOR DOWNTOWN

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[josh]

NEW FROST HEADQUARTERS TOWER RENDERINGS REVEALED

Construction on the 23-story, 400 foot tall building will begin later this summer. Completion is planned for 2018.

There will also be a six-story parking garage will wrap around the building, with 20,000 square feet of retail space on the ground level that Weston Urban plans to fill with high-end shops facing Houston Street and San Pedro Creek.

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