SAN ANTONIO | Urban Core Development Thread

[Paul in S.A TX]

http://www.goodyclancy.com/projects/...t-master-plan/

[whatdoyouwantandwhy]

I like the shading structure on the second photo. Is this pure concept, or is this actually being planned for the future? My only dislike is the extremely generic architecture.

[arkitekte]

Originally Posted by whatdoyouwantandwhy

I like the shading structure on the second photo. Is this pure concept, or is this actually being planned for the future? My only dislike is the extremely generic architecture.

Concept, however there are 250 or so units that are soon to begin construction just to the north on Center...structured parking and 4/5 levels of residential.

[sirkingwilliam]

Originally Posted by Paul in S.A TX

http://www.goodyclancy.com/projects/...t-master-plan/

This article from last May should explain the conceptual renderings above.

[cole world11]

I love St. Paul Square. The thought of driving into downtown and seeing three clusters of cranes - downtown, RN, and St. Paul - excites me.

I almost forgot all about this page. Great things happening around town.

[aggie2008]

It would be GREAT to see something like this happen on the near eastside. It reminds me a lot of the development in other major cities. There is definitely potential with the distance to downtown from St. Paul Square and the historic structures would be a great addition to help keep the area all that I love about San Antonio. I love the highrise development. I just wonder if it's actually feasible. I'm happy about the mid-rise that is being built next to the Vidorra tower, although it's kind of unfortunate that it isn't another high rise. I wonder though, why is it not? I would expect that the rents in the midrise (Crockett Street Urban Lofts) will be around the $2 a square foot we've seen in other areas of downtown. Is that not enough to support a high rise? What is the magic number? From looking at some articles from the Atlanta Business Journal, it seems like the $2 mark can be used to support high rise development. Is it land costs that are keeping us back? Or is the market just too new for it? Or the developers working in San Antonio just not experienced enough in it?

[sakyle04]

Originally Posted by aggie2008

It would be GREAT to see something like this happen on the near eastside. It reminds me a lot of the development in other major cities. There is definitely potential with the distance to downtown from St. Paul Square and the historic structures would be a great addition to help keep the area all that I love about San Antonio. I love the highrise development. I just wonder if it's actually feasible. I'm happy about the mid-rise that is being built next to the Vidorra tower, although it's kind of unfortunate that it isn't another high rise. I wonder though, why is it not? I would expect that the rents in the midrise (Crockett Street Urban Lofts) will be around the $2 a square foot we've seen in other areas of downtown. Is that not enough to support a high rise? What is the magic number? From looking at some articles from the Atlanta Business Journal, it seems like the $2 mark can be used to support high rise development. Is it land costs that are keeping us back? Or is the market just too new for it? Or the developers working in San Antonio just not experienced enough in it?

margins. if you could build a building with 200 units for $10million or build a taller building with 250 units for $20million, which would you build.

height is only introduced when land prices or availability limit lots that support mid-rise...OR if prices are so high that the additional units will increase gross profitability of the project.

but going higher just to do so (since building up costs considerably more) doesn't make economic sense.

[Sigaven]

Originally Posted by whatdoyouwantandwhy

I like the shading structure on the second photo. Is this pure concept, or is this actually being planned for the future? My only dislike is the extremely generic architecture.

The rendering is purely concept, literally photos of buildings from other places copied and pasted into the image. The shade structure appears to be this structure in Seville, Spain: http://blog.ricksteves.com/wp-conten...a-mushroom.jpg

Edit: Also, notice how they completely demolish the Alamodome parking lot and replace it with buildings. Not sure if that's feasible...

[aggie2008]

Originally Posted by Sigaven

The rendering is purely concept, literally photos of buildings from other places copied and pasted into the image. The shade structure appears to be this structure in Seville, Spain: http://blog.ricksteves.com/wp-conten...a-mushroom.jpg

Edit: Also, notice how they completely demolish the Alamodome parking lot and replace it with buildings. Not sure if that's feasible...

Wow! Didn't notice that they took out the parking lot. I wonder if the land will ever become valuable enough for a developer to make a deal that replaces (or nearly replaces) surface parking in structures or underground parking. There are 2,800 spots around the Alamodome according to their website, it would be a lot of parking to replace..

[JoninATX]

210 Development Group Breaks Ground on Second West Side Urban Development

By Bear Witness Staff
September 30 2015

The 210 Development Group broke ground Sept. 29 on the Vitré Apartments at Cattleman Square, with designs to bring more living space to the western edge of downtown San Antonio. This will be a 20-month, $28 million construction project involving 242 apartments and more than 5,000-square-feet of retail space. It’s a featured project emphasized by the San Antonio Department of Center City Development and Operations.

http://bexarwitness.com/photos-210-d.../#.VhSmiVco5cu

[SAinthe21stC]

EN reports Bexar County's plans to demolish the old jail on Laredo St. which straddles San Pedro Creek. This is welcome news as the city continues to improve the western edge of DT and create a Civic District. Not sure what will be built in its place, but it definitely opens up prime real estate.

http://www.expressnews.com/news/loca...il-6554623.php

[jaga185]

YES! I've been saying demolish that eyesore for years. We also need to move the prison out of the downtown area. All of those bail bond places are eye sores.

[STLtoSA]

Originally Posted by SAinthe21stC

EN reports Bexar County's plans to demolish the old jail on Laredo St. which straddles San Pedro Creek. This is welcome news as the city continues to improve the western edge of DT and create a Civic District. Not sure what will be built in its place, but it definitely opens up prime real estate.

http://www.expressnews.com/news/loca...il-6554623.php

It was stated back when the deal with Weston Urban was made that the City and County were both looking to sell there land from Santa Rosa through the old City Hall Annex site. They felt that the offer for Metro Health(which also sits along San Pedro creek) was far too low with the San Pedro Creek redevelopment going forward.

It appears that the city plans on selling these lands/buildings to developers who would want to cash in on San Pedro Creek. The return will help balance the costs of purchasing and renovating the Frost Bank Building.

I would imagine that the County has similar plans. They are moving their Communications Center out to Tradesman on the north side, and I wouldn't be surprised if they plan on getting out of their annex entirely.

[Fireoutofclay]

Aww, I think it has potential for a prison themed hotel. They can keep the cells in place and honeymooners can role play lol I remember when the Fiesta carnival went through there the prisoners would wave at us, and us at them. Good times, I'd swear they had the best view.

[SAinthe21stC]

It was stated back when the deal with Weston Urban was made that the City and County were both looking to sell there land from Santa Rosa through the old City Hall Annex site.

Interesting. I've also heard the County is looking demolish the IT Annex building across the street from the County garage on Nueva, close to the old SAPD HQ. Not sure what will happen in its place, but I could potentially see a lot of development there along with the adjacent lot.

[STLtoSA]

Originally Posted by SAinthe21stC

Interesting. I've also heard the County is looking demolish the IT Annex building across the street from the County garage on Nueva, close to the old SAPD HQ. Not sure what will happen in its place, but I could potentially see a lot of development there along with the adjacent lot.

Like I said their Communications group is moving out of that building and into a new facility fairly soon. I think that they take up about 1/4 of that building.

[Fireoutofclay]

State is buying historic buildings facing the Alamo
By Scott Huddleston
San Antonio Express News
October 5, 2015 Updated: October 5, 2015 11:40pm
http://www.expressnews.com/news/loca...ty-6552271.php

The Texas General Land Office is buying three major historic buildings across from the front of the Alamo, raising the potential for a plaza renovation or a new museum to house artifacts from the shrine.

Brittany Eck, press secretary with the Land Office, which oversees the state-owned Alamo complex, said the agency is under contract to buy the Woolworth, Palace and Crockett buildings at 518 E. Houston St., 319 Alamo Plaza and 321 Alamo Plaza.

[The Model]

Originally Posted by JoninATX

210 Development Group Breaks Ground on Second West Side Urban Development





http://bexarwitness.com/photos-210-d.../#.VhSmiVco5cu

[sirkingwilliam]

That's going to be a really good sized building right off the freeway.

[venshard]

Visit this site regularly but don't really ever post. I live at the intersection of Houston and Santa Rosa, a couple blocks away from this development, and there is a pretty hefty homeless population literally exactly where this development is taking place. I wonder how they're going to deal with that.