[Txdev]

It’s very hard to change plans once they start.

The problem usually isn’t space, it’s separating different uses. At GS1221 there is on street parking, plus about 10 garage spaces for retail before you enter the gated part of the garage.

If you look at a project like Quarry Village (lots of retail, with apts on top) there is lots of surface parking for retail, plus some garage spaces that are kind of awkward, before you get into the restricted apartment parking.

At places like 1800 Broadway, they did a little coffee shop and bike shop, but that was likely more about tenant amenity, and less about retail rent. Plus, they set back the building 15-20 feet from Broadway so there would be room for parallel parking on broadway for that retail.

I think the draw for the apartments is that you’re on the river and a block from Pearl.

For some sites, adding even a tiny amount of retail increases complexity by a lot. (Where does commercial trash go? What happens if cafe noise on Sunday morning disturbs tenants? How do we get the vent hood for the bistro on the street level to vent through 4 floors of apartments above?)

And yes, on big concrete pours, when you need to do one big slab before it dries, contractors will often start at 2 in the morning so they can do a 12-15 hour pour before it dries.