SA - Windcrest/Walzem/Windsor Park Mall/Rackspace Update

sirkingwilliam · #1 Posted **Jul 10, 2007, 8:43 PM**

Here is the up-to-the-minute latest details regarding Windcrest, Windsor Park Mall, Walzem Corridor and Rackspace.

San Antonio has agreed to realign city boundaries with Windcrest. Windcrest will now cover Windsor Park Mall and land adjacent to 35 all the way to Eisenhauer Road.

Plans by Windcrest are to redevelop/develope the land between Windor Park Mall and Eisenhauer Road with mixed-use projects.

Rackspace will sign a 30-year lease for Windsor Park Mall.

Windcrest, Bexar county and the state are all offering tax incentives so Rackspace can relocate to Windsor Park Mall from their current Datapoint HQ.

Rackspace vows to add 5,000 jobs within the next 2-3 years, all with a minimum starting salary of $51,000.

coddat · #2 Posted **Jul 10, 2007, 8:54 PM**

That is just amazing. With salaries like that, and a strong infrastructure in place that area is just going to boom. Can we start calling it Eastover Hills? Do you have a link to this? I know that the Windcrest EDC meeting was last night and most of it was in closed session. Also the I-35 exits to windcrest are going to be reconfigured.

sirkingwilliam · #3 Posted **Jul 10, 2007, 9:04 PM**

No link yet, I just got done watching the Bexar County Commissioners Court meeting and that is where I recieved my information from. I had no idea that San Antonio realigned the city boundaries with Windcrest. That was shocking because no one thought it would happen, even myself. The one thing I am really excited about is Windcrest and investors had big plans for the land between Windsor Park Mall and Eisenhauer Road. Also, the Mayor of Windcrest was there a spoke.

Speaking of road infrastructure, they also plan to reconfigure Walzem Road running through Windcrest as well as a landscaped median.

coddat · #4 Posted **Jul 10, 2007, 9:17 PM**

One thing though, how does this affect the San Antonio Library Branch that is going to go in to TRHS. That area was always underrepresented by San Antonio. You would think that San Antonio would have done something to prevent the retail exodus of the last couple of years, all that sales tax and property tax going to selma and live oak. Windcrest has always had a pretty strong vision on how it wanted to portray the area, now it can finally act, and once again become the premier community in the metrocom.

sirkingwilliam · #5 Posted **Jul 10, 2007, 9:56 PM**

There'd be no affect on Roosevelt High, the city boundary changes only affect the Windsor Park Mall site and the land to the south of it along 35 up to Eisenhauer Road.

elmariachi · #6 Posted **Jul 11, 2007, 12:32 AM**

Thats great news for an area of town that was once very prosperous. I think within a few years of Rackspace's move this part of town will look a lot nicer.

coddat · #7 Posted **Jul 17, 2007, 5:02 AM**

Here is the public notice from the city of Windcrest Website.
City of Windcrest
Notice of Projects/
Notice of Public Hearing/Expenditures of
The Windcrest Economic Development Corporation Funds

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Windcrest Economic Development Corporation created by the City of Windcrest, Texas (the “City”) intends to participate in a “Project”, as defined in the Development Corporation Act of 1979, as amended, Texas Revised Civil Statutes Annotated Article 5190.6, to revitalize and redevelop the Walzem Road area including the redevelopment of Windsor Park Mall as a corporate headquarters, office facility or retail mall, the development of a mixed use complex along IH 35 between Eisenhauer Road and Walzem Road which may include multi-family housing, retail, office facilities, and restaurant and entertainment facilities, the development of the vacant 17 acres on Crestwind Drive east of Home Depot, the redevelopment and revitalization of retail facilities along Walzem Road, the boulevarding of Walzem Road, and the payment of professional services related to the aforementioned projects. It is estimated that the total costs of this project will be approximately $400,000,000, which is expected to be privately funded or funded with bonds to be paid by tenants, State TEF grants, sales tax revenues from the project, property tax revenues from the project, tax increment financing from the project, Section 380 grants, or with revenues or taxes generated by the Project. A second public hearing on the expenditure of funds for this Project will be held by the Board of Directors of the Windcrest Economic Development Corporation during a meeting to be held at 6:00 o’clock P.M. on 25 July, 2007, at the Windcrest City Hall, 8601 Midcrown, Windcrest, Texas 78239.

21bl0wed · #8 Posted **Jul 17, 2007, 7:22 AM**

Good luck trying to revive that area. They should have just turned it into a rec center or something and put those jobs downtown instead.

sirkingwilliam · #9 Posted **Jul 18, 2007, 8:01 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by 21bl0wed

Good luck trying to revive that area. They should have just turned it into a rec center or something and put those jobs downtown instead.

I disagree, you make it seem like they're trying to turn sand into diamonds. Windcrest is right there, right there. That is a city witha median income of almost $70,000. Walzem Road is already going through a mini-revitalization with Starbucks opening and other stores. What is going to happen to Windsor Park Mall and then the land south of the former mall will only enhance this area.