SAN ANTONIO | Projects and Construction

[texboy]

Updated: 10/20/08

Update 10/20/08 - Added Drury Plaza Hotel Stone Oak
Update 3/18/08 - Added JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa I & II to "under construction".[/url]
Update 2/21/08 - Added Tesoro Headquarters and The Broadway to "under construction"
Update 7/2/07 - Added Loma Vista Condominiums


San Antonio's Skyscraper Boom:
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Notes:

Buildings that are listed here as highrises are known to be atleast 115 feet tall from information obtained through construction documents at the construction site, developer's presentations and newspaper articles.

The heights and information for these projects will likely change as these projects progress.

TO = Topped out.

color code:

red = over 1,000 ft <-- ? :banana:
darkblue = 900 - 999 ft
olive = 800 - 899 ft
magenta = 700 - 799 ft
green = 600 - 699 ft
blue = 500 - 599 ft
brown = 400 - 499 ft
chocolate = 300 - 399 ft
purple = 200 - 299 ft
Black = under 200 ft


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Highrises:

Name Use Struct. Ht. Mainroof Flrs. Year
Under construction:


Grand Hyatt San Antonio (http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/sh/?id=101035&txt=Grand+Hyatt&button=Search) Hotel/Res. 424 ft 389 ft 34 2008 Website: R (http://www.altezaliving.com/)/H (http://grandsanantonio.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/index.jsp;jsessionid=P14NXKZUCTFGRTQSNW2VAFWOCJWYOUP4) Downtown Convention Center District
Vidorra I (http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=vidorrai-sanantonio-tx-usa) Residential ??? .. ??? .. 22 2007 Website (http://vidorraliving.com) Downtown Saint Paul Square
Broadway San Antonio (http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/sh/?txt=Broadway+San+Antonio&id=101035&button=Search) Residential ??? .. ??? .. 20 2009 Website (http://www.thebroadwaysanantonio.com/) Northside Uptown Broadway
The Vistana (http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/sh/?txt=The+Vistana&id=101035&button=Search) Residential ??? .. ??? .. 14 2008 Website (http://www.thevistana.com/) Downtown
Tesoro Headquarters (http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=tesoroheadquarters-sanantonio-tx-usa) Office ??? .. ??? .. 14 2009 ....... Northside
Courtyard by Marriott (http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/sh/?txt=Courtyard+by+Marriott&id=101035&button=Search) Hotel ??? .. ??? .. 17 2007 ....... Downtown
Drury Plaza Hotel Stone Oak (http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu?id=druryplazahotel-sanantonio-tx-usa) Hotel ??? .. ??? .. 12 2009 ....... NW.Side
Drury Inn & Suites San Antonio Northwest (http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=ulitsaaviakonstruktoramilya8-moscow-russia) Hotel ??? .. ??? .. 10 ???? ....... NW.Side
JW Marriott S.A. Hill Country Resort & Spa I (http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=jwmarriottsanantoniohillcountryresortandspai-sanantonio-tx-usa) Hotel ??? .. ??? .. 9 2010 Website (http://www.jwsanantonio.com/) Northside
JW Marriott S.A. Hill Country Resort & Spa II (http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=jwmarriottsanantoniohillcountryresortandspaii-sanantonio-tx-usa)Hotel ??? .. ??? .. 8 2010 Website (http://www.jwsanantonio.com/) NW.Side
Medical Arts & Research Center Hospital ??? .. ??? .. 8 2008 ....... North Side S.Texas Med. Cen.


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Name Use Struct. Ht. Mainroof Flrs. Year
Site prep/Demolition:




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Name Use Struct. Ht. Mainroof Flrs. Year
Approved:


Vidorra II (http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=vidorraii-sanantonio-tx-usa) Residential ??? .. ??? .. 22 2008 Website (http://vidorraliving.com)
Piazza San Lorenzo (http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/sh/?txt=Piazza+San+Lorenzo&id=101035&button=Search) Office ??? .. ??? .. 12 ???? Website (http://www.piazzasanlorenzo.com/)


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Name Use Struct. Ht. Mainroof Flrs. Year
Proposed:


319 East Houston Street (http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/sh/?txt=319+East+Houston+Street&id=101035&button=Search) Hotel/Res. 311 ft ??? .. 27 ????
South Texas Med. Center Research Tower (http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/sh/?txt=South+Texas+Medical+Center+Research+Tower&id=101035&button=Search) Office ??? .. ??? .. 20 ????
San Antonio Aloft Hotel (http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu?id=sanantonioalofthotel-sanantonio-tx-usa) Hotel 188 ft 173 ft 15 ????
120 Villita Street (http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/sh/?txt=120+Villita+Street&id=101035&button=Search) Office/Res. ??? .. ??? .. 16 2009
Embassy Suites San Antonio Riverwalk (http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/sh/?txt=Embassy+Suites+San+Antonio+Riverwalk+&id=101035&button=Search) Hotel ??? .. ??? .. 16 2008
Hotel Talavera (http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/sh/?txt=Hotel+Talavera&id=101035&button=Search) Hotel/Res. ??? .. ??? .. 13 2008
Loma Vista Condominiums Residential ??? .. ??? .. 9 ????


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Renderings:

Notes:


- Click on the thumbnails to view the full sized image in a new window.

- Asterisk indicates that building is under renovation


[u]Under Construction:

Grand Hyatt San Antonio - 425 feet - 34 floors - 2008
http://img53.imageshack.us/img53/8902/sanantoniorenderingsgracb0.th.jpg (http://img53.imageshack.us/my.php?image=sanantoniorenderingsgracb0.jpg)http://img95.imageshack.us/img95/8392/sanantoniograndhyatt2uw7.th.jpg (http://img95.imageshack.us/my.php?image=sanantoniograndhyatt2uw7.jpg)

Vidorra I - 22 floors - 2008
http://img95.imageshack.us/img95/1972/sanantoniorenderingsvidda3.th.jpg (http://img95.imageshack.us/my.php?image=sanantoniorenderingsvidda3.jpg)


Broadway San Antonio - 20 floors - 2009
http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/9831/sanantoniothebroadwaysacw6.th.jpg (http://img176.imageshack.us/my.php?image=sanantoniothebroadwaysacw6.jpg)

The Vistana - 14 floors - 2008
http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/5990/sanantoniothevistana3ax0.th.jpg (http://img503.imageshack.us/my.php?image=sanantoniothevistana3ax0.jpg)

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Approved:

Piazza San Lorenzo - 12 floors - ????
http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/443/sanantoniopiazzasanloreer9.th.jpg (http://img150.imageshack.us/my.php?image=sanantoniopiazzasanloreer9.jpg)

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Proposed:

Hotel Talavera - 13 floors - 2008
http://img372.imageshack.us/img372/3162/sanantoniohoteltalaveravt0.th.jpg (http://img372.imageshack.us/my.php?image=sanantoniohoteltalaveravt0.jpg)

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Related threads at SkyscraperPage:

Highrise Construction Threads

SAN ANTONIO | Grand Hyatt Hotel | 424 FT / 129 M | 34 FLOORS (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=80919&highlight=Hyatt)

SAN ANTONIO | The Broadway San Antonio | 20 FLOORS (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=139929&highlight=Antonio)

SAN ANTONIO | The Vistana | 209 FT / 64 M | 17 FLOORS (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=137271&highlight=Antonio)

SAN ANTONIO | Vidorra | 20 FLOORS (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=137273&highlight=Antonio)

SAN ANTONIO | Courtyard by Marriott | Height ? | 17 FLOORS (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=137272&highlight=Antonio)

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Texas Sub-forum Compilation Thread

San Antonio Downtown Update (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=129468)

Here is a list so far of what I can find right now in news articles and off the top of my head.

Condos

- Fair field Resorts at La Cascada. This is a 10 story condo project with units ranging in size from 800sf to 1400 sf and to be sold at 225 to 300 dollars per sf. This sits right next to the now almost fully bought and leased La Cascada tower on the river walk.

- Neisner Building Condos. 40 Luxury Condos will fill the soon to be renovated Neisner Building at the Corner of Broadway and Houston Streets.

- Dillards Lofts. 62 Condos are planned to go in over the Dillards department store downtown. (This one may be stale at the moment, bc the mall has new owners)

- 32 story lofts. The only information I have on this at this time is that the structure will be 32 stories and will be "across from the Alamodome." It is supposed to break ground sometime during the first quarter of 2006.

Hotels

Feel free to add on!!! These projects are mostly off the top of my head!

[starvinggryphon]

Can you give anymore info on the 32 story tower across from the Alamodome? I have heard nothing about this. Any sources?

[texboy]

My source is the Vice President of Yates Construction Company here in SA. I am currently looking for more info on it.

[starvinggryphon]

If it is built on the other side of I-37 it would be our new tallest outside of downtown........hell it would be one of the tallest period.

[SayTownboy]

Across from the Alamodome kind of makes me think it'll be somewhere in the Saint Paul Square.

I know they want to turn that area into a major 24/7 entertainment district.

With House Of Blues there and street construction going on to widen the roads, I'd venture to guess that's where the 32 story would go.

[texboy]

That would make sense to me. I was just in that area today. It would be a perfect spot for a hotel of that size.

[texboy]

Here are some more projects that came to mind.


-San Antonio International Airport Expansion. The terminal expansion will happen in phases, to where terminal B will be built first, then terminal 2 will be Razed, and then terminal C will be built bringing the gate total in the end to about 35 gates. The City threw out all the original bids in April bc all were well above the budget, and went back to the Council to revise the budget. Final renderings are due out in June.

-Methodist hospital Stone Oak. This state of the Art Hospital will be located on the corner of Hardy Oak and Sonterra in the exploding area of Stone Oak in North San Antonio. It is being built in phases and once finished with cover much of the 40 acres of land purchased by Methodist. It is being built in response to Baptist Health Systems Expansion of their Stone Oak hospital, that in the end will double the amount of beds in the Baptist hospital. Stone Oak is now being billed as "San Antonio's Second Medical Center".

-Hotel Contessa. Nearing completion this upscale hotel in downtown San Antonio is sitting at 13 floors tall and will be a landmark on the San Antonio River. Its modern yet elegant design will entice guests with exquisite dining and shopping, and will offer a full spa hotel experience.

[Paul in S.A TX]

CONTESSA LOOKS LIKE IT'S AT LEAST 15 OR 16 FLOORS.

PGA RESORT
TOYOTA PLANT
LA CANTERA MALL
THE RIM

[Paul in S.A TX]

THERE IS A NEW 15 STORY HOSPITAL TO BE NAMED ST.LUKES PLANNED IN THE MED CENTER.IT WILL HAVE HUGE MURALS ON ONE SIDE OF THE STRUCTURE.

[texboy]

San Antonio Moves Forward with PGA Resort
After years of legal wrangling and stiff opposition from environmentalists, Lumbermen's Investment and its new partner, PGA Tour Properties, are moving forward with the TPC of San Antonio. In its earlier incarnation, the 36-hole project was called PGA Village San Antonio. That proposal involved the PGA of America (which is different than the PGA Tour). But PGA of America officials grew tired of being cast in a bad light by the project’s opponents and withdrew in 2004.

The most recent proposal was approved in late January by the San Antonio city council by a 10-1 vote. The overwhelming support was based primarily on assurances given by developers to protect the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone – San Antonio’s primary source for drinking water – underneath the site.

The developers and their engineers are now developing the most involved system in the country to protect the drinking water, which is located deep underground. It involves combining a waterproof clay layer, a closed-loop irrigation system and water monitoring stations to prevent pollutants from entering the aquifer. The closest similar design might be the one used by the Environmental Protection Agency when it builds golf courses over highly polluted Superfund sites.

In recent comments to reporter Anton Caputo of the San Antonio Express-News, Scott Halty, director of resource protection for the San Antonio Water System, said he’s been unable to find another system like the one planned for the TPC of San Antonio anywhere in the country. Vernon Kelly, president of PGA Tour Properties, said the system will probably add millions of dollars to the club’s price tag and will go far beyond what the tour has done for its 26 other TPC facilities.

Not everyone is convinced the aquifer will be spared from pollution. “I feel like our aquifer is the guinea pig for the project,” said San Antonio city councilwoman Patti Radle, who cast the lone anti vote. “Why would we go ahead and risk something like this?”

If the golf-related project wasn’t allowed to proceed, Lumbermen’s threatened to develop a residential-only for the 2,855-acre site in northwest Bexar County, as current zoning allows. “I think the argument is that this is definitely better than anything that is not monitored and has higher impervious cover,” council member Art Hall told Caputo. “I know they have never built this before, but I’m sure they are getting the right engineers and consultants who have the knowledge.”

Besides promising an intricate system to protect the aquifer, Lumbermen’s has downsized the project from its original proposal. Instead of several thousand homes and a major community, the project now involves less housing, the two 18-hole courses (one of which will be designed by Pete Dye), some commercial elements, an 800-room Marriott hotel, and recreational amenities. Much of the property will be left as open space.

Approximately $300 million will be spent on the golf courses and hotel facilities, which as part of the agreement with the city of San Antonio, must be completed by 2010.

Even though the aquifer-protection system will boast the best engineering known to man – with constant testing and monitoring to assure the drinking water from the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone remains clean – there are no guarantees it will work over the long haul.

George Veni, a local hydrogeologist and expert on the recharge zone, said that small amounts of contamination – from insecticides, herbicides and other man-made chemicals – have already been found in the water, but there hasn’t been any research to determine the cause or effect. Veni argues that makes it impossible to estimate how much more pollution the aquifer can take before the water becomes truly fouled and needs to undergo treatment before flowing into the drinking glasses of San Antonio residents.

“The more we look, the more we find (instances of pollution),” Veni told Caputo. “The aquifer itself is not contaminated, but there is contamination in the aquifer.”

But Tim Howe, environmental compliance supervisor for the local water system, says officials won’t fall asleep at the switch in making sure the water is safe to drink. “The water system has gone all out for a good water monitoring program,” Howe said. “Water sampling isn’t done halfway. I want people to know that we take this thing seriously and we have the professional people that can do the job right.”

[CTroyMathis]

Good to see an all-inclusive San Antonio development thread.

[texboy]

Yea I was wondering if there is a way to get this thing permanent like the Austin and DFW threads.

[SayTownboy]

Big Tex Grain in South Town.

http://www.alamoarchitects.com/firm/images/bigtex1.jpg
http://www.lifshutz.com/images/bigtex_large.jpg

Alamo Architects is developing the Master Plan for this unique mixed-use development. On the site of the former Big Tex Grain Company, this community is being built on an industrial site directly across from the historic King William district just south of San Antonio. The Master Plan calls for the sprawling site to be redeveloped into 123 multifamily units, 12 townhouses, and 50,000 square feet of new and remodeled commercial space and live/work units. The site is bound on one side by the San Antonio River, and by a highly active railroad line on the other side, creating numerous challenges for Alamo Architects. The finished project will result in creative solutions for these challenges in areas such as noise abatement, access and utilities. Residents will enjoy proximity to the Blue Star Arts Complex (http://www.bluestarcomplex.com/) and the hike and bike trail that is to run the length of the river, highlighting the many features of the finished development.

Link to an aerial photo of the site Big Tex Grain will be built:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=San+Antonio,+TX&ll=29.405401,-98.492249&spn=0.005579,0.007918&t=k&hl=en

[SayTownboy]

King William Townhomes also in South Town.

http://www.kingwilliamtownhomes.com/images/elevation_map.gif

http://www.kingwilliamtownhomes.com/images/largemap.gif

http://www.kingwilliamtownhomes.com/images/guenther.jpg
http://www.kingwilliamtownhomes.com/images/rear.jpg

[SayTownboy]

Victoria Commons

Victoria Commons recently finished phase I of four phases.

Phase I: Refugio Apartments.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v478/TimManuParker/SA_075.jpg

In this masterplan rendering of Victoria Commons, Phase I is colored in yellow.

http://xs404.xs.to/pics/05215/victoriacommons-.PNG

Picture of another phase of the mix use development Victoria Commons.

http://www.lifshutz.com/images/victoriaprojects.gif


Older aerial picture of the Victoria Commons site:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=San+Antonio,+TX&ll=29.413598,-98.481231&spn=0.011158,0.015836&t=k&hl=en

[SayTownboy]

The Courtyard at Brackenridge Park. The courtyard will be two four story luxury office condominiums.
Open: Spring 2006

Villaje Del Rio. Mixed-use redevelopment project underway with retail, office, and apartments. To be built off of of Broadway St. and the San Antonio River in north Downtown.

http://www.villaje-del-rio.com/Property/VillajeDeRio/Assets/ElevationsVDR.jpg

[SayTownboy]

Is it ok to post projects going on outside of the central loop/downtown?

[texboy]

YEA!!! Please post whatever you want about SA! we just need to get a good thread going here of all the projects going on in SA. SA is really underated right now in here, for the amount of stuff going up around the city!

[SayTownboy]

Ventura Plaza

http://www.alamoarchitects.com/images/Ventura_1.jpg

Three, two-story buildings will combine to provide 74,400 square feet of retail, restaurant and office lease space at this center. Located on Loop 1604 between Blanco Blvd. and Stone Oak Parkway, the center was situated and designed to capture the available scenic views of the Canyon Creek Country Club Golf Course from the courtyards and the second floor professional service lease spaces, thus creating more of an integration between the built environment and the natural environment than normally is found at such a center. This integration, combined with an appealing aesthetic color palette and finishes, will attract and enhance the pedestrian experience throughout this center.

Link (http://www.alamoarchitects.com/firm/ventura.html)

[SayTownboy]

Park North Plaza

http://xs404.xs.to/pics/05215/parknorthplazasign-.PNG

Central Park Mall was one of San Antonio's earliest indoor mall and at one time a very successful mall. But then its neighrbor North Star Mall, just across San pedro Ave., became San Antonio's powerhouse mall. Central Park Mall quickly became an ugly after thought for retail at the San perdo/410 interchange. Tenants left, people stop going, it became a ghost town. All that stood was a Sears. But then last year developers bought what was called the best piece of retail land in all of SA (at a very very busy San Pedro and 410 Interchange) and is now building Park North Plaza.

Over three Million square feet of retailers are located in this regional intersection; including North Star Mall, which is anchored by Saks Fifth Avenue, Macy's, Foley's and Dillards.

Day time population within two miles is in excess of 123,000 individuals and in excess of 280,000 vehicles per day circulate the Park North site.

Central Park Mall was recently razed and construction has just begun on Park North Plaza.


http://xs404.xs.to/pics/05215/parknorthplaza.PNG

http://xs404.xs.to/pics/05215/parkernorthplaza2.PNG

http://xs404.xs.to/pics/05215/parknorthplaza3.PNG

http://xs404.xs.to/pics/05215/parknorthplaza4.PNG

http://xs404.xs.to/pics/05215/parknorthplaza5.PNG

http://xs404.xs.to/pics/05215/parknorthplaza6.PNG

http://xs404.xs.to/pics/05215/parknorthplaza7.PNG

http://xs404.xs.to/pics/05215/parknorthplaza8.PNG

http://xs404.xs.to/pics/05215/parknorthplaza9.PNG

http://xs404.xs.to/pics/05215/parknorthplaza10.PNG

http://xs404.xs.to/pics/05215/parknorthplaza11.PNG

http://xs404.xs.to/pics/05215/pnp12.PNG

http://xs404.xs.to/pics/05215/pnp13.PNG

http://xs404.xs.to/pics/05215/pnp14.PNG

http://xs404.xs.to/pics/05215/pnp15.PNG

http://xs404.xs.to/pics/05215/pnp16.PNG

[SayTownboy]

The Shops at La Cantera


http://www.alamoarchitects.com/firm/images/lacantera1b.jpg
http://www.alamoarchitects.com/firm/images/Lacantera-pop2.gif
http://www.alamoarchitects.com/firm/images/Lacantera-pop4.gif
http://www.alamoarchitects.com/Lacantera-pop3.gif

A preeminent open-air retail marketplace in the exclusive Texas Hill Country with Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Dillard's and Foley's.

Located on 1604 just west of I-10.

Nestled at the foot of the Texas Hill Country, The Shops at La Cantera will be reminiscent of a lively mercado, filled with an abundance of retail offerings from Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Foley's and Dillard's. Located in northwest San Antonio, an area known for its wealthy international visitors and high-income residents, The Shops at La Cantera will enjoy unparalleled access to a metropolitan area of explosive growth. A bustling main street, naturally landscaped courtyards, shaded arcades and meandering water features will serve as an enchanting backdrop for retail shops and world-class restaurants.

Construction on this 1.3 million-square foot began in 2003, and is scheduled to open in Fall 2005.

Link (http://www.alamoarchitects.com/firm/lacantera.html)

[SayTownboy]

REGAL HILLS

http://www.turnberry.com/imgdir/regal_hills_cnr.jpg

Regal Hills is located in Texas’ most dynamic growing North San Antonio market with a population of over 1.5 million within a 20 minute drive. The center will feature a versatile mix of national and regional retailers and a lifestyle element featuring indoor and outdoor dining, cafes, bookstore and entertainment retailers. This open air center is architecturally designed with pop fountains, lush landscaping in a pedestrian friendly setting for locals and families to enjoy.

Regal Hills is a super regional power center with a lifestyle component featuring a diverse mix of regional and national specialty retailers and anchor stores including indoor and outdoor dining, entertainment, bookstore and cafes. The center is centrally located on the southeast corner of State Loop 1604 and Interstate 10.

Construction will begin in early 2005, with a projected opening in the Fall of 2006.


Cross Streets:
Southeast corner of State Loop 1604 and I-10

:: Interstate Access:
I-10

:: Metro Center:
San Antonio, TX

:: Type of Center:
Super regional power center with lifestyle component
::

Description:
650,000 square foot regional power center with 100,000 square foot lifestyle component

:: Total Gross Leasable Area:
750,000 Sq. Ft.

:: Year Opening:
Construction to commence early 2005
Scheduled opening Fall 2006

Link (http://www.turnberry.com/r_regalhills.htm)

[SayTownboy]

Hotel Contessa

http://www.benchmarkhospitality.com/img/media/display_31_2.jpg
http://www.benchmarkhospitality.com/img/media/display_31_1.jpg
http://www.thehotelcontessa.com/images/ExteriorRiverwalk.jpg
http://www.thehotelcontessa.com/images/LobbyFinal.jpg
http://www.thehotelcontessa.com/images/renderinglarge.jpg

Covered at the top of the thread by Texboy.

[SayTownboy]

texboy, I hope you don't mind, I started a Devlopment thread at another board and used some of your posts, I did crdit you of course, hope it's ok. If you don't like it, I'll be more than happy to remove them.

Here's the LINK. (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=4259730#post4259730)

[texboy]

haha its cool. Its good we have this going!

[Mopacs]

San Antonio Retail Update/Status Report... from United Commercial Realty's website:
http://www.ucrrealty.com/news_detail.php?id=45

-------------------------------------------

Texas Retail Update - San Antonio
May 9, 2005 by Jeanne M. Peterson

There can be no doubt that San Antonio is experiencing an abundance of growth throughout its industries and key economic factors. San Antonio has firmly established itself as a major Texas city. From advances in its biotechnology services fields to the manufacturing industry with the Toyota plant construction and the explosion of retail projects; San Antonio has seen positive growth as a result of its diversified economy.

The release of the 2004 Fourth Quarter Economic Report, from the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, marks the eleventh consecutive quarter of positive growth for San Antonio. The job market has expanded rapidly with over 12,000 new jobs added in 2004 alone and economic forecasters anticipating an additional 18,500 jobs for 2005. In comparison with other major cities in Texas, San Antonio generated almost twice the number of new jobs than Austin. In mid-April San Antonio received another boost to its current economic trend with the announcement that the National Security Agency (NSA) had leased the former Sony chip plant on the West Side, and will bring in 1,500 white-collar jobs while simultaneously attracting more military contractors and suppliers to the area as well.

Records continue to be broken as housing-starts surpass those from 2003 by 12 percent. During 2004 12,700 starts were recorded and the projection for 2005 is expected to increase by 5 percent. In the first quarter of 2005, San Antonio Water System (SAWS) has already approved water and sewer service for over 14,000 new homes, to be constructed on the Northwest Side. Residential growth is driving retail growth in San Antonio. Thanks to this housing boom, 180,000 new residents are expected in West San Antonio alone in the next decade. The North-Northeast and Northwest areas are experiencing major growth as well. San Antonio’s superb cost of living is fueled by the healthy demand in the housing market as well as competitive pricing due to the many new builders entering the market including California based Standard Pacific Corp. which recently opened an office in San Antonio. Existing home sales also increased over the past year with as increase of over 8 percent.

Commercial real estate values have also taken an upward turn. Retail development is brisk and the leasing activity is extraordinary. With the demand so high and the supply relatively low, rental rates are increasing. At the end of the fourth quarter of 2004 average rate per retail square foot was $14.75. Within the past year retail vacancies fell just under 1.0 percentage point, notwithstanding the addition of over 900,000 square feet of retail space.

One shadow on the retail market in San Antonio is the Walzem Road/East area. The area is struggling with enormous vacancy, including Windsor Park, a dead mall. While the market is good, there is always room for improvement and clarity of the Unified Development Code (UDC) put into effect two years ago is still subject to interpretation. Government bureaucrats and developers and their engineers don’t always agree on the intent of the written word. Stricter interpretation would actually be more helpful in that it would create more consistency. The San Antonio retail market will continue to be strong in 2005 and 2006, but it will be sensitive to the interest rate. As interest rates rise, so will cap rates, and building activity will slow some. However, there is currently a lot of money available in the lending and equity markets. As long as it does not get too expensive, the financing environment will continue to be strong.

All types of retail projects are doing well, especially big box and lifestyle centers. Big box and lifestyle tenants, like Super Target, HEB and Wal-Mart Supercenter are the most sought-after retailers in part because they attract other tenants. The submarkets currently reflecting the most intense development and growth are found in the North- Northeast and Northwest areas. Berndt Interests, Inc., Birnbaum Property Co., General Growth and many other developers are working on major retail projects in those areas. The highly anticipated Shops at La Cantera will debut high-end retailers such as Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, and Tiffany & Co. into the San Antonio market beginning in September 2005. Over 4 million square feet of retail space is proposed, at the intersection of IH-10 and Loop 1604. The planned developments at US 281 and Loop 1604 and Potranco Road and Loop 1604 have put San Antonio on the list of top Texas cities for retailers to consider.

Source: San Antonio Express News
“Economy in SA propels it to the top” 2/11/05
“Another big year expected in the housing market” 2/17/05
“California home builder enters SA market” 3/7/05
“SAWS OKs service for big subdivisions” 3/16/05
“NSA will let its dollars do the talking” 4/16/05
Metrostudy Report - 2004
Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce
“2004 Fourth Quarter Economic Report”


©Copyright 2005 United Commercial Realty. All rights reserved. | Disclaimer

[texboy]

Great article!

[texboy]

http://photobucket.com/albums/y280/TexasGuy286/?action=view&current=MethodistHospitalStoneOak.jpg

This is the new Methodist Hospital of Stone Oak!

[Mopacs]

I really like the Central Park redevelopment (Park North). The mix of retailers will compliment the higher-end stores of neighboring North Star Mall. Even with some of the big box retailers, it does seem a bit more dense than most surrounding retail centers.

Has the old Sears store been torn down too, or is it still up and being reconfigured as a Sears Grand? We're also getting a Sears Grand here in Austin (Parmer and I-35). I see that JC Penney will also build one of their new format stores (which are mostly located in strip malls/power centers).

[texboy]

Sears has not been torn down yet. What they have started is some digging and excavation at the Northwest corner of the project.

[texboy]

The Tower of Americas renovation should really be a big boost for the structure. Most of the renovations will be on the inside. Landrys will be a much better tenant I think!


Tower Restaurant to close after 37 years

After 37 years of continuous operation, Tower of the Americas Restaurant will officially close on Monday, May 30.

This date marks the end of locally based Frontier Enterprises' contract with the city to operate the restaurant. The restaurant, which sits atop of the city's tallest landmark, first opened as part of HemisFair '68.

Last year, City Council voted to award the Tower Restaurant contract to Houston-based Landry's Restaurant. Landry's operates more than 280 full-service restaurants in the United States, including a Landry's Seafood House and a Joe's Crab Shack in San Antonio.

The restaurant will be closed for more than a year and will undergo $9 million worth of renovations. The new Tower Restaurant operated by Landry's is tentatively slated to reopen in late 2006.

[SayTownboy]

Stone Oak Methodist Hospital:

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/TexasGuy286/MethodistHospitalStoneOak.jpg

[texboy]

Ok how do you do that!?!?! The only thing that I know how to do is put a link on there to a piture page!

[SayTownboy]

One of the coolest things about Park North has to be this:

http://xs404.xs.to/pics/05215/parknorthplaza6.PNG

It's called Plaza Sky Park. From the looks of it, it seems to be a parking structure with a "park" on the roof. water features, grass, and a basketball court.

Edit: Didn't notice it had a track.

Edit: Or a beach volley ball court.

[SayTownboy]

Ok how do you do that!?!?! The only thing that I know how to do is put a link on there to a piture page!

Just get the .JPG link and code it with **.

** = .JPG link.

[jaga185]

[b]Villaje Del Rio. Mixed-use redevelopment project underway with retail, office, and apartments. To be built off of of Broadway St. and the San Antonio River in north Downtown.

http://www.villaje-del-rio.com/Property/VillajeDeRio/Assets/ElevationsVDR.jpg

This project is pretty much dead, unfortunately.... read these

Lawsuit, disputes plague project
Web Posted: 12/07/2004

Adolfo Pesquera
Express-News Business Writer

Real estate developer George Geis dreamed, toiled and campaigned for more than 13 years to transform an old strip of auto sales lots along Broadway north of downtown into a vibrant complex of apartments, offices and retail businesses.

Construction began on the 4.5-acre project in the summer of 2003 with a $17.5-million loan underwritten by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

But the project is now more than a year behind schedule, and a falling out between Geis and an old friend has led to a lawsuit that, should the court decide against Geis, would strip him of control over the Villaje Del Rio development.

Geis had hoped to complete the complex — with its multistory central parking garage, 253 apartments and 48,000 square feet of retail and office space — by about now. Now he hopes to see it finished by early May 2005.

"We have to finish pouring the concrete," Geis said. "Then it's just a matter of finishing out, get all the curbs and landscaping in so the project looks complete."

Geis admitted that even excluding the many rain delays, the construction work is six months behind schedule.

"It is unusual," he said without elaborating.

Since the project's inception, four subcontractors had filed mechanic's liens on it. An electrical contractor and an engineering firm acknowledge they were later paid in full, but there was no county online record of a lien release from the fire sprinkler installer, who could not be reached.

Geis claims all were paid except a $481,302 bill from Safety Steel Service Inc., the firm that supplied and installed the steel for the parking garage.

"We're trying to get it resolved right now," Geis said.

Geis also is trying to resolve a lawsuit he is embroiled in with Marcia Sampson-Hayslip, a former friend who loaned him money for the project. Geis contends the suit is not affecting the project, nor has it taken up much of his time. Nevertheless, the dispute does not appear to be lifting anytime soon.

Geis took Sampson-Hayslip to court in February when she attempted to foreclose on the land. Her notice of foreclosure was filed because she claimed Geis refused to pay a $200,000 promissory note that was long past due.

A district court judge granted Geis a temporary injunction to prevent her taking the land.

Answering through her attorney, Thomas Bassler, Sampson-Hayslip complained that she had been involved in the project since 1995. She said she supplied the Villaje Del Rio name, provided the artistic renderings Geis relied on for his presentations to prospects, and was "repeatedly reassured (that she) was part of the team."

Sampson-Hayslip alleged Geis relied upon her contacts for clients. She spent $75,000 to renovate the old Smith Chevrolet showroom into a prototype of a Villaje Del Rio unit as part of Geis' marketing efforts. She also had intentions of running an interior design business in Villaje Del Rio.

She said their relationship ended when Geis would not repay the note, which came from monies she had taken out of a trust. She claimed that when she filed a notice of foreclosure, Geis evicted her from the Smith Chevrolet showroom without notice and confiscated some of her valuable antiques and heirlooms.

"I didn't evict her," said Geis, who believes the claim is the result of her attorney positioning her for trial. As to her other claims, Geis calls them laughable.

"It's 100 percent false," he said. "She never did any drawings, never did any designs, never put any money into the project and she didn't sign the note."

Geis, however, acknowledges that they were once good friends.

"That is what's so surprising about all this," he said. Geis claims the dispute is really over offsets between what each owes the other.

"She has a lien on the property that was not dismissed at closing," Geis said. "I have some offsets on rent where she was leasing a property from me."

Geis claims there was an undetected error when the promissory note was drafted that committed a parcel of land Geis was building his development on and mixed it in with parcels on land she was leasing.

"There's a title policy on the property guaranteeing that there were no errors," Geis said. "Nobody picked up on it, not even the title company."

Bassler said that if his client is successful with the foreclosure, "she would own the project. But realistically, if it gets to that point, they're going to pay us off one way or the other."

In addition to the money claims, Sampson-Hayslip is asserting through another attorney, Ed Batis, that there is a de facto partnership between her and Geis that should be formalized and recognized by the court. A trial date is set for May.

Meanwhile, Geis pushes ahead with the project, hoping for a settlement and anxious to get tenants. He has no doubt of the project's potential.

"We get about 75 calls a month," he said. "Over the weekend, I got about 12 calls. We're showing the commercial building now."



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Villaje Del Rio project still faces uphill battle
Web Posted: 04/02/2005

Adolfo Pesquera
Express-News Business Writer

Despite the disassembly of a construction crane this week, the developer of Villaje Del Rio — the conspicuously massive, partially finished apartment, retail and office complex at Broadway and Interstate 35 — insists the project may be moving forward soon.

Project owner and manager George Geis spent long hours this week with attorneys trying to salvage the project.

Villaje Del Rio was to have been his crown jewel. He has worked on the development since the early 1990s, planning for a central parking garage, 253 upscale apartments and 48,000 square feet of retail and office space.

Construction began on the 4.5-acre site in the summer of 2003 with a $17.5 million loan underwritten by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. It was originally scheduled to be complete by mid-2004.

But Geis had disputes with his general contractor, and now faces several lawsuits and nearly $1.7 million in mechanic's liens that subcontractors have filed against him.

Geis anticipates that the lawsuits will be dismissed soon and the subcontractors will return to work in about two weeks.

"We had a long meeting (Thursday) with the lender, HUD and the attorneys," Geis said. "It looks like we've got it resolved. But until the liens are paid, nothing is resolved."

Meanwhile, the only activity that has taken place at the project in recent weeks is the disassembly of the huge construction crane, left dormant for months. It belonged to the original general contractor, Dallas-based Andres Holding Corp. The company has since severed its ties to the project.

Geis became embroiled in a dispute last October with Andres. He notified the subcontractors Oct. 28 that he was terminating the contract. But Andres shot back, telling the subcontractors that it considered the termination legally ineffective.

"It fails to comply with the contractual requirements for termination and the owner has not identified a single fact to support its claim that Andres is in default," the contractor told the subcontractors.

Andres argued in its defense that Geis failed to make payments on time or to fulfill other obligations under the contract. The contractor stopped work Oct. 29, and since then the subcontractors have been fending for themselves.

But several subcontractors hard-hit by the project's halt filed hefty mechanic's liens and lawsuits.

Aluminum Window & Glass Store, a small San Antonio business, filed a lien in February for $319,084. Safety Steel Service Inc. claimed it was owed $481,302 for the steel it supplied and installed in the multistory parking garage.

CFS Concrete Forming Structures made claims against Geis and Andres totaling $715,795 for its installation of "all formwork, shoring and reinforcing and concrete."

Safety Steel Service and CFS Concrete Forming Structures retained attorney Lee C. Elms to represent them in separate lawsuits filed in December and March.

Geis said the subcontractors would not be paid as much as they claim in their liens because they included their retainages — accounts held by the bank that are drawn out on a periodic schedule to ensure completion.

"We want to get those subs back on the job," Geis said. "To show good faith, we're releasing a portion of the retainages."

Geis said he has not yet selected a general contractor to replace Andres, but the selection process is under way.

Meanwhile, Geis' lender, Boston-based Berkshire Mortgage Finance Ltd., was acquired through merger last December. The $26.7 million note now belongs to Deutsche Bank Berkshire Mortgage Inc.

[JACKinBeantown]

Ok how do you do that!?!?! The only thing that I know how to do is put a link on there to a piture page!

Just get the .JPG link and code it with **.

** = .JPG link.

OK, here's my test...

http://nomoon.org/tycho1/031.jpg

[JACKinBeantown]

Hey, it works!

[SayTownboy]

They'll get the Villaje up and going again.

Trust me.

[SayTownboy]

.

[texboy]

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/TexasGuy286/MethodistHospitalStoneOak.jpg


GOT IT!!!! YESSSS!!!!

[CTroyMathis]

I'm sure it's already been noticed, but, thread pinned along w/other P&C projects.

(I don't want to offend people trying to work the Gulf and Okla threads though. I suppose if they take off real well, they'll get pinned/stickied to the top as well.)

[texboy]

I just thought this was interesting.

Shopping center makeovers
Web Posted: 05/27/2005 12:00 AM CDT

Adolfo Pesquera
Express-News Business Writer

Boarded-up retail strip centers don't stay empty as long as they used to.

With more demanding development rules on new commercial projects, land developers are finding abandoned urban anchors like Kmarts and obsolete Wal-Marts more attractive.

San Antonio code requirements add significant costs to new projects on raw land. It makes developers wonder whether they wouldn't be better off investing in older neighborhoods.

"You can landscape far below what is required on a new site," said Mark Neville, the architect for retail center Mission Crossing. "There is no need for a retention pond to offset storm waters."

At Mission Crossing, at Goliad Road and Southeast Military Drive, there is more parking space and more entrances than Neville could build into a new center. It has six entrance-exit curb cuts, where a newer project would have only two. Some are closer to the main intersection.

Chris Cox, Mission Crossing's owner and developer, is pleased with the project's success. Even after cutting 14 feet off an old Kmart store to allow for future development of a Walgreen's pharmacy, he has 167,000 square feet of leaseable space.

And after dividing the building for multiple tenants, he's leased all but one space in less than a year. The neighboring Brooks Corner and City-Base Landing shopping centers still are under construction.

With Anna's Linens, Big Lots, Goodwill Store and a Chinese buffet as major tenants, the site had encouraged neighbors who were chagrined over Kmart's departure.

"We've been very excited about how well it's been received," Cox said. "Several neighbors have dropped by and told us how excited they were that we were doing something positive at that location."

Cox believes in the intersection, despite news that Brooks City-Base may lose its Air Force missions. The coming of Toyota and the prospects for a Texas A&M campus and other corporate moves to Brooks bode well for the area.

Mission Crossing is Cox's second project in collaboration with Neville. He first hired Neville on the renovation of a former H-E-B grocery at Harry Wurzbach and Austin Highway.

When selecting an old retail center for acquisition and renovation, Cox said he looks first at the synergy around the intersection. Both of these sites were blessed with a nearby mix of an H-E-B, Lowe's and Wal-Mart.

"The main thing I look for is other major players that will generate additional traffic," he said.

Neville, a principal with Villa Park Architecture, specializes in renovations. He also does new developments — he was the architect on Boardwalk, a new retail/office center opposite The Dominion — but returned after a job stint in Chicago to his native San Antonio with plenty of ideas.

"This kind of renovation work is a lot more prevalent there," he said. "There are a lot more old buildings."

As older strip centers age, there is increasing pressure to give them a face-lift to keep up with the new competition. And stricter codes on new projects provide an incentive to owners.

Neville returned to San Antonio in 1999, and his first renovation was Southwest Junction at Flores Street and Military Drive. He has returned to the intersection to work with the owners of the empty Kmart opposite Southwest Junction.

The owners who bought it in 2004 also own the Melrose women's fashion stores. Neville anticipates it will be one of the tenants in what will be known as Military Plaza Southwest.

"We're working on preliminary pricing of some of the design concepts," he said.

Architects have their artistic streak, and Neville finds this another reason to gravitate toward renovations. It's a chance, he says, to take a drab facade and jazz it up.

And the absence of harsher code restrictions can leave more money in a developer's budget for visual extras.

"The budget is always a big deal," he said.

[texboy]

Tower closing for makeover
Web Posted: 05/28/2005 12:00 AM CDT

Christopher Anderson
Express-News Staff Writer

One of San Antonio's signature attractions soon will be out of business — for about a year.

The restaurant and observation deck at the top of the Tower of the Americas will be closed Tuesday as part of an $11million renovation that promises to make the 750-foot-tall landmark a more popular destination for residents and visitors when it reopens next year under a contract awarded to Landry's Restaurants.

The tower-top restaurant will be reborn as Eyes Over Texas at the Tower of the Americas, serving regional and continental dishes. Banquet and private dining rooms will be added to the observation level.

Landry's also will expand the base of the tower to include casual dining for the first time at ground level and a multisensory theater and a gift shop.

"I know that a lot of San Antonio residents have been very eager to see this project start," said City Councilman Roger O. Flores. "The Tower of the Americas is an icon for San Antonio and one of the things people come specifically to see."

The Houston restaurateur was awarded a 15-year contract to operate the 37-year-old facility over longtime operator Tower Foods of San Antonio in part because it guaranteed minimum payments to the city totaling $14.7 million over the life of the deal.

Landry's also got the nod because city officials thought the tower needed a major makeover and a fresh start.

"In any facility that has a long history, at some point over its life you're going to have to refreshen the atmosphere for the present time," Flores said. "It's been 30 years since we've done anything with that facility."

T.J. Connolly, a spokesman for Frontier Enterprises, which owns Tower Foods and operates the Jim's Restaurant chain, said that Jim Hasslocher, the company's founder and chief executive officer, would be at the Tower of the Americas Restaurant from 1 to 2 p.m. Monday to commemorate its final day.

"Mr. Hasslocher wishes both the city and Landry's the very best," Connolly said. "They leave the Tower of Americas with nothing but very fond memories and an awful lot of emotion."

Jonathan Stampley, Landry's project manager, said the company would spend $9 million to improve the tower, with the city contributing another $2million.

The city's contract with Landry's calls for the tower to reopen no later than mid-June 2006.

"We plan to do a complete renovation of the restaurant to provide an upscale, first-class restaurant experience at the top, and we're going to completely renovate the observation level and include more education material," Stampley said.

Meanwhile, another major project is also scheduled to begin soon in the same area.

The city's 750-car parking garage adjacent to the Convention Center will be closed today and razed as soon as next month to make way for a 1,000-room Convention Center Hotel.

Assistant City Manager Chris Brady said the construction of the hotel, expected to open in 2008, would require the closure of one lane on Market Street, while Bowie Street would be open only to southbound traffic.

But the biggest impact is sure to be on people who walk to the Alamodome. The familiar walkway east of the Convention Center that leads under U.S. 281 and Interstate 37 will be closed.

Brady said alternative pedestrian routes are under consideration and he promised the city would make an announcement and install signs before the next major dome event to help direct people walking there.

[elmariachi]

Adolfo Pesquera
Express-News business writer

The developers of a River Walk luxury condominium community with river- and street-level retail this week bought three downtown buildings on the proposed site.

RTK Development Group and Raba Design Group bought the site for the Piazza San Lorenzo, an Italian-style plaza first proposed for the site in 2003. Their $10 million acquisition of the Book, Clegg and Solo Serve buildings brought the project a big step closer to reality.

Demolition of the Solo Serve building is expected to begin in 120 days, said Larry Raba, head of RTK Development. The other two buildings are considered historic and will undergo renovations.

"We're probably 50 percent complete with all of the architectural and engineering plans," Raba said. "We'll be going back to the Historic Design Review Commission for approvals."

The 1.29-acre site will include an eight-story, 25-unit riverside condominium tower with an adjoining 47-unit, 11-story fractionally owned vacation condominium tower facing Soledad Street.

There are 17,000 square feet of river-level retail shops and cafés planned, with another 30,600 square feet of boutiques and eateries around the street-level plaza.

"We expect most of the condominium units to be presold and essentially all of the retail, restaurant and office space to be leased within 60 days," said Brian Carlton, associate director of Holliday Fenoglio Fowler LP, a national commercial loan broker that arranged financing for the project.

Oklahoma-based Stillwater National Bank made the deal possible with a $7.5 million loan.

"(HFF) grabbed hold of this project and within three weeks had it funded," Raba said. "We approached (Stillwater) on the loan and they closed 11 days later. They loved the project."

Sales on the sole-proprietor condominiums will be through an RTK subsidiary, Condos at San Lorenzo. The fractionals will be sold though an international group that Raba declined to identify. Retail leasing will be through D.B. Harrell.

Carlton said HFF is working to arrange construction financing. Construction should begin in late summer with completion sometime in early 2007.

[jaga185]

Its funny, San Antonio is the only city on here that lags real good renderings of its more, sought after, projects. The CC Hotel, 32 story Condos, Piazza, River Improvements, Pearl Brewery, etc. are just to name a few.

[SayTownboy]

That's so true. I mean there is a ton of things going on, yet we can't get renderings.

[texboy]

Most of the things you mentioned though are just starting out. The 32 story project is still in the beginning phases of design. And Piazza is 50 percent designed. I think there are plenty of renderings on the first page and some damn good ones too. Now Pearl Brewery has some great renderings for the Aveda spa, but I can't figure out how to get it off their website. Heres the Link.

http://www.avedaisa.com/

[jaga185]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v708/jaga185/aveda.jpg

Aveda Spa - Pearl Brewery

[texboy]

Alamo City in spotlight at national retail conferenceBy Tricia Lynn Silva

San Antonio Business Journal
Updated: 8:00 p.m. ET May 29, 2005LAS VEGAS --

Developers, retailers and brokers from San Antonio have always flocked to Las Vegas for the annual Spring Convention that is sponsored by New York-based industry organization the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC). But this year's event shined an ever-brighter spotlight on the Alamo City -- and the slate of high-profile projects in the works for the city.

What a difference a year makes. For the third time, The Shops at La Cantera was on display during the Spring Convention. In the past, however, it was Columbia, Md.-based The Rouse Co. that was showing off the project -- which will initially bring 1.3 million square feet of shopping space to the Loop 1604/Interstate Highway 10 intersection in Northwest San Antonio.

At this year's conference, the project took center stage at the booth for General Growth Properties (GGP), the Chicago-based real estate investment trust that recently purchased Rouse. The Shops was the developer's featured project, says Bob Rubenkoning, who is vice president and communications director for GGP.

Also under development at the intersection of Interstate 10 and Loop 1604 is The Rim, a 1.5 million-square-foot lifestyle center being developed by Atlanta-based Thomas Enterprises. This is the second year that Thomas has showcased The Rim. But last year, all the developer could unveil was the potential for a mixed-use project that would ultimately span as much as 700 acres.

And despite continued buzz over the past year about a major outdoors sports retailer coming to The Rim, it was only at this year's ICSC conference that the retailer's name could be spoken: Bass Pro Outdoor World -- to be developed by Springfield, Mo.-based Bass Pro Shops.

A year ago, many real estate insiders in San Antonio were still wondering what would become of the site that was once Central Park Mall. This year, local developer Mark Granados was using his booth to showcase his plans for the site -- a project known as Park North Plaza.

The place to be
"There are quite a few projects here from San Antonio," says Granados, who is the principal of Hill-Granados Retail Partners LP.

As for his own project, Granados says that he is about 90 to 120 days away from announcing the first major tenants for Park North, which is slated to bring 1.2 million square feet of retail to the site of the former Central Park Mall at Loop 410 and San Pedro Avenue in North Central San Antonio.

Initial plans call for a movie theater that will be built on top of a five-story garage in the middle of the project. Two discount retailers have also approved the site for new stores.

While Granados is not mentioning specifics at this point, the talk has been that the movie theater tenant will be Kansas City, Mo.-based AMC Entertainment Inc. As for the discounters, Bentonville, Ark.-based Wal-Mart Corp. and Hoffman Estates, Ill.-based Sears Corp. are names that continue to come up -- with the latter expected to build a Sears Grand store.

"I will not confirm or deny anything at this point," says Granados, when asked about these particular tenants. "I will say that we are working on long-term plans for Sears and Wal-Mart on the site."

Should Sears Grand take its place within the project, Park North could be one of the first retail projects to bring this superstore concept to San Antonio. Ranging in size from 151,000 to 210,000 square feet, the Sears Grand stores sell everything from refrigerators to milk.

The trick has not been to find interested tenants, as Park North has caught the eyes of several retailers, banks, institutional investors, even other developers, Granados says. The challenge, he adds, has been to come up with the master plan for how all of the pieces of the project will fit together.

As for the attention the project has garnered, he says he never expected anything less.

"Nothing compares to it," says Granados of Park North. "This is the place to be."

The same could be said for San Antonio in general, according to retail industry officials.

"San Antonio has gotten people's attention," says Jerry Anderson of Thomas Enterprises. And while he would love to give all of the credit to his own project, The Rim, Anderson knows that there is a lot more to this success story.

His own project, however, has netted some other tenants to join Bass Pro -- including new stores by Plano-based J.C. Penney Co. Inc. and Wilkesboro, N.C.-based Lowe's. Right in the middle of the project, Thomas Enterprises is planning to develop a hotel.

"There are so many neat things going on (in San Antonio)," Anderson says. "It's on people's radar screens."

"Our retail and restaurant partners are thrilled about the growth in San Antonio," adds Rubenkoning. "And the retailers make us excited."

Competitive synergy
When the first phase of The Shops opens this September, it will bring with it 30 stores that will be new to the local retail landscape. Besides the jeweler with its signature blue box (Tiffany's), noted fashion retailers like Hugo Boss, Lacoste and Tommy Bahama are also coming to town. To date, the first phase of The Shops, a total of 1 million square feet, is about 93 percent occupied, Rubenkoning says.

And GGP is already hard at work marketing phase two of the center -- 300,000 square feet that will include another new movie theater by AMC and a mix of retail and office tenants.

GGP is also in the midst of a multimillion-dollar renovation of North Star Mall at Loop 410 and McCullough Avenue -- further evidence of the corporation's bullish stance on San Antonio, Rubenkoning says.

"These projects create synergy for our partners," Rubenkoning adds. "Between the two, we can create a competitive edge for our retailers and restaurants."

And further surprises are still in store for the Alamo City.

In February, Cincinnati-based Federated Department Stores Inc. and The May Department Stores Co., which is headquartered in St. Louis, announced plans to merge. As part of the deal, Federated has stated that it will likely convert its existing May's department store brands -- which include Foley's -- into its Macy's brand.

But what happens when you have both a Foley's and a Macy's department store in the same shopping center, like at North Star Mall?

Rubenkoning answers coyly, "Federated thinks highly of North Star. I expect we'll see another of its brands coming to the market."

[Mopacs]

More San Antonio-related 'snippets' from the Texas Real Estate Center's semi-weekly RECON report:
------------------------

REGAL HILLS COMPETES WITH THE RIM AND THE SHOPS AT LA CANTERA

SAN ANTONIO (MySanAntonio.com) – Galleria Ventures Ltd. has given the northernmost 100 acres of a 400-acre tract at Loop 1604 and I-10 to Turnberry Associates to build a one million-square-foot retail palace dubbed Regal Hills. Galleria will receive partnership in Turnberry in exchange for the acreage. Galleria plans to build houses and commercial buildings on the remaining 300 acres.

Construction is slated to begin in summer or early fall this year. Regal Hills could open by fall 2006. Turnberry officials said they are finalizing leases with tenants for the center, which is the third to be developed at the intersection.

The Shops at La Cantera will open later this year with 1.2 million square feet. The Rim, which is immediately north of Regal Hills, is under construction with one million square feet of retail and diversions.

http://www.turnberry.com/imgdir/regal_hills_cnr.jpg
http://www.turnberry.com/r_regalhills.htm

------------------------------

RABA BUYS RIVERWALK SITES FOR MIXED-USE CONVERSION

SAN ANTONIO (GlobeSt.com) – Local architect Larry Raba has purchased three historic Riverwalk structures totaling 1.3 acres for a $67 million, mixed-use conversion. The Piazza San Lorenzo redevelopment will include 17,000 square feet of riverside restaurants, 30,600 square feet of piazza-level boutique retail, 37,500 square feet of office space, 25 condominiums for purchase and 47 two- and three-bedroom fractional ownership units.

With the site secured, officials said that the condo reservations will become sales and the letters of intent will turn into leases. Piazza San Lorenzo has 315 feet of Riverwalk bank frontage. The three buildings that were purchased for the project include the Book Building at 140 E. Houston St., the Clegg Building at 130 Soledad St. and the Solo Serve Building at 114 Soledad St.

Prices for the condos, which average 2,800 square feet, hover between $300 to $350 per square foot. Local builder Bartlett Cocke will be the general contractor. The Solo Serve Building will be demolished and developers will construct the residential portion of the development on the site, including eight stories on the Riverwalk side and 11 stories on the Soledad St. side. Construction is projected to begin in September with developers eyeing completion in first quarter 2007.

[jaga185]

Why all this outdoor stuff, what are the benefits to these types of developments, besides maybe cost for the developer?

[SayTownboy]

I've heard through the vine thatone of if not the main tenant for Regal Hills will be IKEA.

[Mopacs]

Why all this outdoor stuff, what are the benefits to these types of developments, besides maybe cost for the developer?

These outdoor "lifestyle" retail centers are all the rage right now, across the country. They come in various shapes and forms (including 'downtown' centers, etc), but they generally contain the same type of lifestyle-oriented retailers (The Gap, Barnes and Noble, Movie Theaters, etc.). You now see a lot of major mall developers (Simon, etc.) building these outdoor centers in lieu of traditional indoor malls.

[texboy]

Personally I like shopping outdoors especially in San Antonio. Instead of saving shopping for a rainy day, bc I don't like to be inside on a nice day, I can go shopping pretty much anyday and not have to be in a cramped mall. Thats just me personally. The Shops at La Cantera have really nice overhangs in front of the stores so it makes it even EASIER for me to go shopping, still be in the shade, but still be outdoors!

[jaga185]

I just have no preference I guess, I like all kinds of malls.

[texboy]

Ok so I had a day off from work so I decided to take a little trip through San Antonio and Take some pictures of a few things that may be of interest to some people on this forum! Keep in mind I am an amateur at photography so just bare through some of the less than great pics! Enjoy!

Lets start out with The Shops at La Cantera. I had a hard time getting a good angle but here is a glimpse of the mall.

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OK, onto downtown. Traffic on 10 was AWEFUL thanks to construction but I got there.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/TexasGuy286/IMG_0738.jpg

So my first stop on the tour was the Hotel Contessa.

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Just a walk down the street and I was at the site of the new Hyatt Convention Center Hotel. The existing garage has been closed and should be demolished within the next few weeks and the city of San Antonio will vacate the lower offices withing the next week.

This is the "hole" where the new hotel will stand.
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Looking into the window of the office on the first floor of the garage. Its a beautiful scale model of the current convention center. Wish they had one with the hotel in it! You can see exactly where the new hotel will sit. The footprint is exactly where the garage is.
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The garage to be demolished
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La Cascada on the south end of Downtown.
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Random Pics.
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This is a VERY popular upscale club/lounge in DT San Antonio called Club Rive.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/TexasGuy286/IMG_0751.jpg

The Valencia Hotel Center.
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Need I say more?
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[sanantoniorocks21]

Cool. Do you have a high-res version, say 1024x768, of the pic with the Weston Centre and Crown Plaza in it?

[texboy]

No I don't. Sorry bout that.

[JACKinBeantown]

Nice pics Texito.

[Llyod Banks]

nice pics man

[texboy]

I just thought this was an interesting little blurb.

San Antonio named among best U.S. cities for summer fun

San Antonio has been ranked the 10th most fun city in America for summer travel, according to Verizon superpages.com

Verizon superpages.com, the online yellow pages directory published by Verizon Information Services, on Monday released a list of the Top 25 Most Fun U.S. Cities.

Verizon compiled the list from more than 1,000 locations where the company publishes yellow page directories.

Cities were then ranked by the number of "fun" places listed in the company's phone book -- including amusement parks, nightclubs, casinos, zoos, aquariums, museums, historical places, botanical gardens, observatories, golf courses, movie theaters and performing arts halls.

Dallas is the most fun city to visit for summer travelers, according to the list. Dallas is followed by Phoenix; Miami; Boston; Portland, Ore.; Denver; Atlanta; Minneapolis; Fort Worth; and San Antonio.

Florida is the most fun state on the list with five cites there making the cut.

"Everybody has his own idea of what's fun," says Eric Chandler, vice president of e-commerce marketing for superpages.com. "But we think these listings are representative of the places where a tourist or local resident could have a really good time."

Verizon Information Services is a division of Verizon Communications Corp. (NYSE: VZ) in New York. The directory publishing division earns $3.6 billion in revenues from Verizon SuperPages, superpages.com and superpages.com/espanol.

[texboy]

This was on the council agenda today....

Deliberations regarding the proposed construction of residential condominiums by a Texas limited partnership to be organized by Faulkner USA and built above the convention center headquarters hotel as contemplated in project agreement previously approved by City Council, pursuant to Texas Government Code Section 551.072 (deliberation regarding real property); and discussion of related legal issues, pursuant to Texas Government Code Section 551.071 (consultation with attorney).

[DerekfrmSA]

Mixed-use developer eyes site by Quarry

Meena Thiruvengadam
Express-News Business Writer

Most apartment dwellers in San Antonio don't have upscale restaurants and shops at their doorsteps. But that could change in the Quarry Market area.

Developers are planning to turn a piece of land sandwiched between Basse Road and the Quarry Golf Course into an upscale apartment or condo complex with restaurants and a shopping center.

The development at the northeast corner of Jones Maltsberger and Basse roads — tentatively dubbed the Village at Quarry Market — is slated to have 280 residential units and nearly 82,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space, according to a project summary by Reata Real Estate Services, the group handling the property's commercial leasing.

Developers, citing a changing preliminary plan, wouldn't discuss the project. The multistory complex must still gain city approval of its storm-water system before construction can begin. And no leases have been signed yet on any restaurant or retail spaces.

More than 240,000 people work within 5 miles of the location, and average income in the surrounding one-mile area is nearly $94,000.

The project, if completed as planned, would be part of a nationwide trend toward mixed-use developments, said Nathan Cherry, vice president of RTKL Associates, an international architecture, engineering and planning firm.

"The land values in the metropolitan areas are just now justifying the costs of these types of projects," he said. "In metro areas, the first wave of development was the downtown core, the second was the suburbs. Now that those two opportunities are largely built out, this is sort of a third wave of development."

The projects require greater cooperation between developers and governmental organizations and more consideration for things such as zoning and parking, he said.

Such mixed-use projects, Cherry said, generally cater to a more affluent crowd accustomed to an urban village type of lifestyle.

"A great deal of mixed-use developments are fueled by demand by two demographics," Cherry said — "empty nesters looking to simplify their lifestyles and young up-and-comers wanting to live close to work and the cool places."

Link Here (http://www.mysanantonio.com/business/stories/MYSA061005.01D.Quarry_development.2faa70403.html)

[jaga185]

I'm thinkin we should direct this to the development thread...

oops, looks like we already did, my bad

[texboy]

I wonder what exactly "multistory" means?

[jaga185]

280 condos...hmmm, I dont think it will be that tall, probably about 4 stories like the Meridian, separated into about 4 buildings

[texboy]

So the groundbreaking for the convention center hotel was today. Its confirmed that it IS the second tallest in SA and the design stays almost exactly the same! I am currently looking for renderings. They had a REALLY good one on the news that had a side view of the hotel with the tower of the Americas in the background kinda comparing the heights! Its gonna be Awesome!

[texboy]

FaulknerUSA breaks ground on new $285 million hotel

Developer FaulkerUSA on Friday broke ground on a new $285 million, 1,000-room hotel next to the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in Downtown San Antonio.

New York investment group Marathon Real Estate also announced that it is the lead equity investor in the 885,000-square foot project along with Austin-based FaulknerUSA. The hotel should be complete by 2008.

Marathon Real Estate is a division of Marathon Asset Management LLC, a global investment firm with $9 billion in assets.

The balance will be financed with $208 million in revenue bonds that will include a combination of Empowerment Zone Bonds and Taxable Bonds.

The city of San Antonio will own the site. However, Hotel Investments LP -- a partnership made up of Marathon Real Estate and FaulknerUSA -- will lease the site from the city under a 75-year ground lease, with an option to extend the lease an additional 15 years. Chicago-based Hyatt Corp. will manage the property.

"San Antonio enjoys a vibrant market with great opportunities, and is one of the top 10 cities for overnight leisure travel in the U.S.," says Jon Halpern, managing director and head of the real estate group at Marathon Asset Management. "We are proud to be a part of this historic undertaking and are impressed with the city's vision and hospitality."

Halpern adds, "We work hard to leverage our developer experience and flexibility to deliver creative financing solutions for complex transactions, and we are pleased to see that this uniquely structured public/private partnership has come together after much due diligence and hard work."

The hotel will have a grand ballroom consisting of 32,700 square feet of space, a junior ballroom of 21,600 square feet of space and 62,765 square feet of adaptable space.

[texboy]

Honestly, all I have to say is wow to this one! ...... WOW


New retailers and restaurants announced at The Shops at La Cantera

Tricia Lynn Silva

With just 100 days left before the opening of the first phase of The Shops at La Cantera, General Growth Properties Inc. announced the lineup of new retailers and restaurants that will be coming to the Alamo City.

More than 100 retailers will be officially opening on Friday, Sept. 16, including 25 percent that are brand new to San Antonio.

"We are on schedule to debut an exciting, first-class retail project to San Antonio -- in just 100 days," says John Bucksbaum, chief executive officer of General Growth Properties (NYSE: GGP), a Chicago-based real estate investment trust (REIT). "The merchandising mix and quality of retailers and restaurants make The Shops at La Cantera a wonderfully unique retail destination in San Antonio -- and the nation."

Dillard's, Foley's, Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom have already announced plans to open stores to anchor the shopping center. Meanwhile, fashion stores such as Betsey Johnson, Hugo Boss, LaCoste, and Tommy Bahama also will be making their local debut courtesy of The Shops -- as well as high-end apparel firm Burberry and jeweler Tiffany & Co.

The Shops at La Cantera will also feature new restaurants and stores by: Aldo, Anthropologie, BCBG/Max Azria, Brooks Brothers, Bravo Cucina Italiana, Club Libby Lu, Kona Grill, Landau, Lilly Pulitzer, L'Occitane, Lucky Brand, Paradise Pen, Puma, Ralph Lauren, Sigrid Olsen, Sole Mio, Sony, Fossil, Stuart Weitzman and Tumi.

And work has already begun on the next phase of The Shops, which will be anchored by the new AMC La Cantera 12 -- a new movie theater to be operated by Kansas City-based AMC Entertainment Inc. (AMEX: AEN).

Phase two will sit on 34 acres of land just east of the first phase of The Shops. In addition to bringing in more destination retail and restaurants, the second phase also will include some office development.

The Shops at La Cantera is a joint development between GGP and locally based USAA Real Estate Co. The project is expected to generate roughly 2,600 full-time jobs. The construction phase alone has generated approximately 1,500 jobs, with about 80 percent of the subcontractors and work force hailing from San Antonio.

The general contractor of The Shops at La Cantera is Whiting-Turner Contracting Co., which is located in Baltimore, Md. Locally based firms Alamo Architects and Pape-Dawson Engineers Inc. are the architect and engineer of record, respectively, for the development.

[davinSA]

Any word on the condos atop the convention center hotel? Ground breaking ceremony was great! La Cantara development sounds awesome!!:crazy:

[elmariachi]

What happened at the groundbreaking, any models or renderings?

[texboy]

Ground breaking was today, and they had (supposedly) a few models. The condos ARE going ontop! the total height of the building is 525ft. (as of right now at least, the garage may be moved to above ground and if that happens the hotel will be taller)

[davinSA]

So here is the latest on the Hyatt: Seems that the hotel will be on 34 floors, with an addition of 144 luxury residences and 8 penthouse units. Total number of floors was not disclosed at groundbreadking, as the total number or stories the building will have in the end. My guess, maybe 45-50 stories when all is said and constructed??? Any more information on this??

[texboy]

The Hotel is 45 stories. Thats word from the VP of Yate Construction

[starvinggryphon]

Why the lack of renderings? They have already broke ground yet they offer no sources online...what's up with that?

[JACKinBeantown]

My guess is it's either the same design and doesn't need a new rendering, or it's a redesign and the new design isn't finalized yet.

[texboy]

Its been tweaked a little. The design as a whole has been kept majorly under raps though, bc its "controversial".

[davinSA]

Texboy, Whatever do you mean by "controversial?" Hoping they stick with the first design of the building. It was awesome and one of a kind!!!!!

[jaga185]

he means like because its not beige and its glass, which is not what san antonio is used to seeing downtown

[texboy]

exactly. we had some people who were really fighting the design in the beginning. I happen to really like it. I think it opens up the door in downtown for more buildings with "out of the box" designs.

[davinSA]

So does anyone know for sure if the first design is going to be built. Or have they changed the design? Hope not.

[texboy]

OK the design that will be built is the double tower design. The one with the Orange and Blue Colors on it.

[jaga185]

Ideas cooked up for factory

Christopher Anderson
Express-News Staff Writer

A group of historic preservation officials and activists from across the country see something sweet happening again at the old Judson Candy Co. building, although they expect it will take millions of dollars to make the complex tempting to tenants.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation held its annual leadership training program in San Antonio this week, and its almost three dozen participants were asked to come up with ideas on how the former praline, chocolate and jelly bean factory at 831 S. Flores St. can be reused.

Located in the King William area, the site includes two historic, graffiti-marred buildings that have been vacant since 1999, when the company, now known as Judson-Atkinson Candies, moved to the Northeast Side.

Five teams comprising seven people each, including representatives from state agencies and local nonprofit groups, presented proposals on what should be done with the old factory site Friday evening at the Southwest School of Art & Craft.

All of them advocated creating condominiums or loft apartments in at least one of the existing buildings.

Their recommendations also included such novel approaches as creating a community fitness center or a working school for college students interested in the hospitality industry.

Other suggestions included introducing a much-needed grocery store for the area.

Another popular plan was to develop a rooftop garden to help keep air-conditioning costs low and to provide great vistas of the downtown area from the fourth floor of the larger of the two buildings.

A majority of the plans also called for a relatively recent warehouse addition to be razed.

"I think a lot of them had great ideas with amenities that they wanted to offer which are great," said Patrick Shearer, a principal in the Cambridge Realty Group, which is representing the site's owner, Tony Bradfield. He is asking $3.3 million for the property.

Shearer noted that all the plans crafted by the group included considerable construction and renovation costs. "It is a big bite to chew off."

But Shearer expressed confidence that "the right developer" would capitalize on the site's proximity to downtown and Southtown by converting its historic buildings into new homes.

"I think all the demographics are pointing back to more urban living," he said.

Henry Alvarez, president and CEO of the San Antonio Housing Authority, which is studying the possibility of buying the factory site and developing it into a mix of affordable and market-rate housing, balked at the $8 million to $21 million project costs associated with the preservationists' plans.

"Some of the numbers are alarming," Alvarez said.

Don Rypkema, author of "The Economics of Historic Preservation: A Community Leader's Guide," said renovating a historic building is often less expensive than building from scratch.

"They're rarely cheap, but if quality is part of the equation, it will always be a competitive alternative," he said.

[jaga185]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v708/jaga185/HotelConvention.jpg

Image displayed on KENS5 on Sat. June 11

[SayTownboy]

Nortwest Vista College Expansion Master Plan

http://www.alamoarchitects.com/firm/nwv_1.jpg

Current buildings are the three purple ones.
http://www.alamoarchitects.com/firm/images/nwv_pop.jpg

Aerial view of Northwest Vista College::
http://void01.xs.to/pics/05241/nwvc.PNG

[jaga185]

Wow, that looks awesome, I've been to that campus before, it looks nice already, when is the timetable for this expansion?

[BSofA04]

I went there for about a year and always felt it was "undersized" for the amount of students. With UTSA down the road increasing tuition fees every semester, the Alamo Community College District has seen dramatic increases every semester. I think that a full load with books cost me less than $1,500 a semester their, UTSA's tuition cost me $3,000 this semester. I believe the ACCD is also putting a new campus on the NE part of the city, a very good move.

[SayTownboy]

Can't believe I haven'tposted about The Rim nor any renderings.

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[Mopacs]

Woah...impressive architecture! In that aerial rendering, there appears to be some kind of circular, elevated viaduct or track? It almost looks like a monorail or tram setup? Probably just my imagination.

[SayTownboy]

THE RIM


Project Facts:

Location
NEC of I-10 & Hwy-1604, in Bexar County

Total Size
Approximately 1,500,000 SF on 150 Acres

Traffic Counts
111,000 Cars/day on I-10, South of Hwy-1604
85,000 Cars/day on I-10, East of Hwy-1604

Total Space Available
Approximately 1,500,000 SF (1,300,000 SF Anchors, 170,000 SF Shops, & 8 Outparcels)

Bass Pro Shops will lead the co-anchors in retail facet of the The Rim, a 700+ acre mixed-use development that blends urban plazas, courtyards and parks with entertainment, retail, office and residential components.

The Rim will boast approximately 1.5 million square feet of retail space uniquely blended into a complement of tenantry that can and will appeal to all strata of consumers throughout the Greater San Antonio metropolitan area. Thomas Enterprises purchased the site from San Antonio-based Worth Enterprises in 2003, changing the name to The Rim from “North Rim.”

The Rim’s blend of multiple components is designed to meet the retail, service and entertainment needs of San Antonio residents, the local community, and visitors to the area.

The anticipated land use mix includes destination entertainment attractions and retail, lodging, office/commercial space, traditional shopping outlets, as well as a proposed residential component.

The first phase of the project concentrates on the destination retail and entertainment attractions. Destination entertainment and retail by definition is designed to draw in customers from beyond the local economy, bringing new money into the community in the form of de facto tourism.


At completion, the first phase of The Rim is expected to hold tenants and attractions that will have cumulative annual revenues of $503.5 million and employ approximately 3,140 full and part-time workers.

[texboy]

Um I think the floor numbers are a tad off, bc I know for sure that the hotel is going to be 45 stories tall....

Council approves condominiums high in Convention Center hotel
Web Posted: 06/17/2005 12:00 AM CDT

Greg Jefferson
Express-News Staff Writer


In Mayor Ed Garza's last session as San Antonio's top elected official, the City Council on Thursday gave contractor FaulknerUSA the go-ahead to build 144 condominiums atop the planned Convention Center hotel.

The luxury units would take up the uppermost floors, 25 through 33, of the 1,000-room hotel expected to be completed in 2008.

The council voted 9-1 to sell the city's interest in the space, its so-called "air rights," for $1.25 million. Councilman Roland Gutierrez said the original price had been $1 million, based on a city-ordered appraisal, but council members last week directed city negotiators to seek an additional $250,000.

The Austin-based contractor also will pay the city $150,000 for legal expenses and $57,000 for the relocation of a pedestrian walkway and re-platting of a right-of-way, for a total of just over $1.4 million.

According to city officials, the condos would range in size from 765 square feet to 3,903 square feet, and would sell for between $300 and $400 per square foot. The hotel's top floor would be given over to eight penthouses, with six featuring private stairs leading to rooftop cabanas, roof decks and hot tubs.

Garza praised the project, saying it would draw more residents downtown. The ideal, he added, would be a mixed-income housing stock at the city's core.

"This certainly will be the upper echelon of that housing product," Garza said.

The cost of building the condos isn't included in the hotel's $285 million price tag, paid for with $208 million in tax-exempt and taxable bonds and $77.3 million in private financing. The contractor will finance the units' construction separately.

City officials will move next to put the hotel and the condos within a tax incremental reinvestment zone that encompasses 1.5 square miles downtown. Through Sept. 30, 2015, property tax revenue from condo owners would go toward public improvements approved by the TIRZ's board. Assistant City Manager Chris Brady said the money wouldn't be used for condominium or hotel projects.

Property taxes from the hotel, meanwhile, would go into the city's general fund, Brady said.

"I believe this addition is going to bring a whole new dimension to the hotel, and a whole new dimension to the downtown," Councilwoman Sheila McNeil said.

FaulknerUSA officials broke ground a week ago on the hotel, one of the major projects of Garza's second term as mayor. But his legacy is most likely to be tied to his balanced-growth initiative on the South Side, called City South.

Calling his eight years as District 7 councilman and mayor "a dream come true," Garza said he's leaving office with a sense of contentment.

Early in Thursday's meeting, Councilman Julián Castro, who is also leaving office this week after narrowly losing last week's mayoral runoff, said Garza's tenure would be well regarded, despite a litany of complaints about his leadership.

"Contemporary journalists aside, history is going to be very kind to your administration," Castro said.

He also told remaining officeholders that "y'all have a huge task in front of you ... to make sure everybody benefits from the coming wave of opportunity."

Councilman Enrique Barrera, appointed to complete then-Councilman Jose Menendez's term 51/2 years ago, also steps down this week because of term limits. But he said he plans to stay active in the community.

"I'm not going away," Barrera said. "I'll be there. I'll be involved."

[jaga185]

so the hotel is 33 story's, not 45?

[starvinggryphon]

I have read other sources claiming a floor count in the 30s too. I guess we won't know till they finish building the damn thing.

[davinSA]

Is the building 34 floors? Can you fit 8 penthouse suites on one floor? Floors 27 through 33 are the 144 condos and the top floor will be for 8 penthouse suites. 8 penthouse suites on 1 floor???? Don't get it!:???:

[texboy]

As I stated in an earlier post, I am POSITIVE and 100% sure that the hotel is 45 stories. Do not get your facts from the express news. They have no idea what they are talking about 90% of the time.

[SayTownboy]

Sam and Ann Barshop Center for Longevity and Aging Studies

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[SayTownboy]

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[SayTownboy]

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[SayTownboy]

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