SAN ANTONIO │ Tobin Center Mixed-Use Parking Garage │ 5 FLOORS │ U/C
 

Height: 5 Stories (6 levels)
Retail: 10,000 square feet (Ground floor)

Is it a church with a parking garage on top, or a parking garage with a church beneath it?

Lol. I think it's the latter. What is that ground floor space anyhow? It looks like a bus station waiting area?

This article states:

Looks pretty good, it's just too bad parking was an afterthought in the planning process for the Tobin Center, I hope that doesn't hurt it's opening year.

Also, this garage will also hopefully open up some of First Baptist's other lots for development (particularly that one that's right on the river across 4th street from the Tobin).

This is false. Parking was not an after-thought; it has just taken a long time to develop a plan for additional parking.

More than 5 years ago now I was working with COSA downtown real-estate for site selection for an additional Parking garage for the Tobin Center. This location was the Prime Target. Back then the problem was dealing with the First Baptist Church.

It is not that it was an afterthought, it is that it has taken a long time to come to fruition.

Make no mistake, there are a lot of parking garages in the area (within 3 blocks) of the center. The point of the Garage, was to have closer/premium parking options.

Below is a mock-up that was prduced for a meeting in January 2009 showing the same location as the prime location and the FBC parking lots as an alternate location, as well as a possible St Mark's parking garage (no idea what happened with this). It also shows some of the nearby garages that were interested in being open for shows.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...d.jpg~original

My mistake then, based on what the Express-News had printed on this project I had assumed it had only started to take shape in the past year or two.

You are right that they probably should have had it part of the original plan (even if they are two separate projects), but I am glad that they pushed forward with the Tobin Center without additional parking finalized.

I feel that having to walk 3-5 blocks to see a show from parking is acceptable, but obviously all do not.

I walked by this site after my lunch today, and noticed that it is being cleared.

http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/d...e.jpg~original

Finally! I wonder which retailer will take up the space aside from the church.

[IMG]https://ibb.co/mRCiwk https://ibb.co/kPhiwk https://ibb.co/bQ7u2Q[/IMG]

Crane is down. Bricks are going up.

Thanks for the pictures!

Now this is what I call a parking garage. Very nice, indeed.

This project does in fact contain a retail element? And if so, any ideas of what it might be?

A church. Maybe something else at the other end? Although churches don't pay taxes, so technically they may not be retail.

They were able to build the garage on that land by reaching a deal with the church to build them new facilities on the ground level. I'm not sure if they are taking all of the retail but I believe it will be the majority.