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babysal · #61 Posted **Dec 2, 2020, 9:08 PM**

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Kelly Kapaun Saunders, (210) 207-8031
kelly.saunders@sanantonio.gov

More than 600 New Housing Units Coming to San Antonio’s Urban Core

SAN ANTONIO (Dec. 2, 2020) —The City of San Antonio has received two new applications for incentives under the Center City Housing Incentive Policy (CCHIP), bringing the total to 11 new projects in the center city and SA Tomorrow regional centers since the program was revised in 2018. Upon completion, these two new projects will provide 606 multifamily rental units to the urban core and will contribute more than $3.2 million to the City’s affordable housing fund.

305 Soledad Residential Development
Weston Urban has requested CCHIP incentives that include SAWS impact fees valued at $1 million, which will be requested from the Houston Street TIRZ. In addition, incentives include a 15-year local tax rebate, of which 25 percent of the rebate would be invested in the City’s Affordable Housing Fund for future affordable housing projects. The contribution to the Affordable Housing Fund is estimated at $2.2 million. The project, located in the heart of downtown, will replace a surface parking lot with a 32-story tower that will include 351 apartments and 7,250 square feet of street-level retail space.

Elmira Residential Development
Pearl is expanding its development west of the River with its Elmira Street Apartment project, located 1126 E. Elmira St. The requested CCHIP incentives include reimbursement for SAWS impact fees valued at $500,000, which will be requested from the MidTown TIRZ. In addition, incentives include a 10-year local tax rebate, of which 25 percent of the rebate would be dedicated to the City’s Affordable Housing Fund. The contribution to the Affordable Housing Fund is estimated at $1 million. The Elmira Street project will include 255 apartments and 7,500 square feet of retail space in a seven-story building.

“The City-managed Affordable Housing Fund will assist in the creation of future affordable housing projects citywide,” said District 1 City Councilman Roberto C. Treviño. “The City is currently developing an ordinance that would prevent discrimination against affordable housing residents based on their source of income. If approved by the City Council, any future developments built with Affordable Housing Fund contributions would be required to accept all forms of income from qualifying tenants.”

All active CCHIP incentive agreements can be viewed on the Center City Development and Operations Department online database. The CCHIP program expires on December 13, 2020.

jaga185 · #62 Posted **Dec 7, 2020, 11:49 PM**

Should see renderings by friday or Monday. It's up for approval next week. This one happened very fast.

JACKinBeantown · #63 Posted **Dec 8, 2020, 4:24 AM**

I hope they show a substantial improvement over the initial renderings.

Tornado · #64 Posted **Dec 9, 2020, 11:57 PM**

Here is what I could gather from HDRC's public facing website. They have a portal where you can review everything under review so this shouldn't be taken down since it's already available to the public. What the pdf didn't show were any heights for the building. These were a couple screenshots I took

Here is the website you can view any items under review by HDRC. https://gis.sanantonio.gov/OHP/explorer/index.html

just click the pink "under review" overlay

kingkirbythe.... · #65 Posted **Dec 10, 2020, 12:53 AM**

I like the gray.

jaga185 · #66 Posted **Dec 10, 2020, 1:52 AM**

Looks like it didn't change much. ^_^

sirkingwilliam · #67 Posted **Dec 10, 2020, 2:02 AM**

Tweaked for the better and I really like it. It’s not over the top and it’s not boring. It’s very stated design for the soon tallest residential building in the city.

JACKinBeantown · #68 Posted **Dec 10, 2020, 2:32 AM**

It's a 6 out of 10. I'll take it but it doesn't excite me. Yeah, there's ground level retail represented well, so I appreciate that. But the building itself is pretty average, and I hope they do that underpass valet parking area right. But it adds good height and density to downtown San Antonio, so I'll take it. I just hope the next large building is more exciting.

Side note: It reminds me of the many buildings going up in the Lechmere area of Cambridge, just across the Bunker Hill Bridge from downtown Boston. (Click on the globe to view it in 3D. Then hold down command/control and rotate around at all different angles.)
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Me...!4d-71.1092012

Tornado · #69 Posted **Dec 10, 2020, 3:17 AM**

I like this one a lot. So this leaves the one surface lot directly across the street from the embassy suites. Does Weston own that one too?

Dan In Real Life · #70 Posted **Dec 10, 2020, 2:32 PM**

These renderings don't change what I originally said when the first renderings were posted. Love the height and the location, but not a fan of the dark colors. I'll always hope for something more bold (Frost Tower) over boxy and dark - especially downtown.

That said, I'm very happy for the development and this is absolutely a positive for SA. So no more complaining from me. I'll be cheering this one on as it rises in the skyline.

JACKinBeantown · #71 Posted **Dec 10, 2020, 2:54 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JACKinBeantown

It's a 6 out of 10. I'll take it but it doesn't excite me. Yeah, there's ground level retail represented well, so I appreciate that. But the building itself is pretty average, and I hope they do that underpass valet parking area right. But it adds good height and density to downtown San Antonio, so I'll take it. I just hope the next large building is more exciting.

Side note: It reminds me of the many buildings going up in the Lechmere area of Cambridge, just across the Bunker Hill Bridge from downtown Boston. (Click on the globe to view it in 3D. Then hold down command/control and rotate around at all different angles.)
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Me...!4d-71.1092012

Here's a photo from Boston02124 on ArchBoston.org.
http://archboston.com/community/thre...74/post-386209

texboy · #72 Posted **Dec 10, 2020, 3:52 PM**

I personally love a sexy grey building. Understated, but adds a touch of weight to the skyline without being too imposing. This is a very classy building for SA. Looking forward to seeing it go up!

jaga185 · #73 Posted **Dec 10, 2020, 5:24 PM**

Weston Urban’s 32-story apartment tower to go before HDRC next week

Quote:

Weston Urban’s much-buzzed-about 32-story apartment tower is set to go before the city’s Historic and Design Review Commission (HDRC) on Wednesday, Dec. 16.

Renderings and floor plans for the $107 million project show that it will have three separate retail spaces on the ground floor and a landscaped area with outdoor tables. Several stories up, the renderings show what appears to be an outdoor pool, and a skydeck close to the top of the building.

Most of the tower’s exterior will consist of grey brick and exposed concrete, but the lower levels will have an exterior of earth-colored brick, the renderings show.

Weston Urban is likely to receive $7.6 million in city incentives, which includes an estimated $6.6 million, 75% rebate on city property taxes over 15 years. The other 25% of the rebate, or $2.2 million, will feed the city’s affordable housing fund. The local developer is also expected to receive $1 million in SAWS impact fee waivers.

The building will be approximately 400 feet tall, according to a report from the HDRC’s design review committee, which met in October to examine Weston Urban’s plans for the project.

Members of the committee complimented Weston Urban on the “beautiful” design, according to a report from the meeting. One member expressed concern that the grey brick exterior is out of character for San Antonio, but others said they did not share that concern.

JACKinBeantown · #74 Posted **Dec 10, 2020, 6:24 PM**

It's roughly the same size and shape as the Joske's tower from a few years ago. Too bad they don't just use a modified version of its design. That would've been a gorgeous building.

ajarreguin3 · #75 Posted **Dec 10, 2020, 6:37 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JACKinBeantown

It's roughly the same size and shape as the Joske's tower from a few years ago. Too bad they don't just use a modified version of its design. That would've been a gorgeous building.

What a shame. San Antonio always disappoints, but I hope this is the start of something big residential wise!

kingkirbythe.... · #76 Posted **Dec 10, 2020, 7:03 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JACKinBeantown

It's roughly the same size and shape as the Joske's tower from a few years ago. Too bad they don't just use a modified version of its design. That would've been a gorgeous building.

Missed opportunity.

AwesomeSAView · #77 Posted **Dec 10, 2020, 7:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tornado

Here is what I could gather from HDRC's public facing website. They have a portal where you can review everything under review so this shouldn't be taken down since it's already available to the public. What the pdf didn't show were any heights for the building. These were a couple screenshots I took

Here is the website you can view any items under review by HDRC. https://gis.sanantonio.gov/OHP/explorer/index.html

just click the pink "under review" overlay

Love it!! Beautiful!!

Reminds me of a lot of the beautiful high rise residential towers in New York City, especially in the Chelsea and SOHO districts!!

Also, according to an article on the SA Heron, this building will have a "skydeck"! Very nice!