SAN ANTONIO | Urban Core Development Thread

[Keep-SA-Lame]

Originally Posted by Restless One

jkill did not say DT was not prioritized, but that DT RESIDENTIAL was not prioritized. Slight difference, and surely nothing to be so offended about.

No one is offended about anything, but Decade of Downtown was explicitly about residential development, and I won't have it said otherwise by folks here who ought to remember. The whole thing was we were going to get a DT grocery store and 10,000 residential units. I even went into Centro's office once when that was the big push, and there was a giant banner announcing the progress towards the holy 10,000 units. And again, there was literally a hefty subsidy from the city/county for residential development specifically. Could more have been done? I have absolutely no idea. But people were trying, and it was such a priority that we threw huge tax breaks at residential projects (and still do to some).

[Restless One]

Originally Posted by Keep-SA-Lame

No one is offended about anything, but Decade of Downtown was explicitly about residential development, and I won't have it said otherwise by folks here who ought to remember. The whole thing was we were going to get a DT grocery store and 10,000 residential units. I even went into Centro's office once when that was the big push, and there was a giant banner announcing the progress towards the holy 10,000 units. And again, there was literally a hefty subsidy from the city/county for residential development specifically. Could more have been done? I have absolutely no idea. But people were trying, and it was such a priority that we threw huge tax breaks at residential projects (and still do to some).

Well, at least you're calm about it.

[Keep-SA-Lame]

I will bold key pieces of ignored/unread information all day long. In fact, ignored everything else I wrote, and just read the bolded sentence and that's all we need to say about it. Downtown residential was prioritized, and there was money to back that pledge up.

[theOGalexd]

I hope they don't turn the BofA building into residential... between that and the Tower Life Building getting converted it would probably cut into new projects a decent amount at the least.

[Restless One]

Originally Posted by Keep-SA-Lame

I will bold key pieces of ignored/unread information all day long. In fact, ignored everything else I wrote, and just read the bolded sentence and that's all we need to say about it. Downtown residential was prioritized, and there was money to back that pledge up.

I'm not disagreeing with you. I just think that calm and get along is a better way of living than getting upset with a stranger online. Simple as that.

[JACKinBeantown]

https://25.media.tumblr.com/e3c6ee46...dfzto1_400.gif

[forward looking]

At least the guy running with the " free hugs" sign overhead wasn't a streaker. No,no, please do not post a demonstration of what a streaker is for the youngsters here, Beantown.
What is a political forum without some dissent? The U.S. Senate and House? No, too much dissent there. A Senate debate is not a good metaphor to use here. Too much lying takes place on the floor by the GOP. A football game with no tackles? Some hugs and apologies after a particularly spectacular tackle maybe?
A Boxing Championship match without punches? Anger does not always, have to be the motivation behind disagreement Jack. Unless, maybe bold print online can be interpreted as a left hook combination between Geeks.

Originally Posted by JACKinBeantown

https://25.media.tumblr.com/e3c6ee46...dfzto1_400.gif

[aggie2008]

Originally Posted by theOGalexd

I hope they don't turn the BofA building into residential... between that and the Tower Life Building getting converted it would probably cut into new projects a decent amount at the least.

I kind of doubt that either of the former USAA buildings will be converted to residential. They just sunk a ton of money into renovating half the floors for offices. Conversions are hard to pencil anyways but usually make more sense when it needs a complete overhaul anyways.

[theOGalexd]

Seems like Grayson Street is becoming SA's version of Rainey Street. I remember them saying that Still Golden (or whatever name they're gonna call it now) was going to be at the Jefferson Bank HQ but I haven't heard any news on that.

[Jake Tex]

Originally Posted by theOGalexd

Seems like Grayson Street is becoming SA's version of Rainey Street. I remember them saying that Still Golden (or whatever name they're gonna call it now) was going to be at the Jefferson Bank HQ but I haven't heard any news on that.

I really liked Stay Golden. But it would be a weird fit inside a corporate bank building. I'm sure the rent would have been premium. Pena seems to go for lower-rent properties and upgrade them, which is great.

[theOGalexd]

Originally Posted by Jake Tex

I really liked Stay Golden. But it would be a weird fit inside a corporate bank building. I'm sure the rent would have been premium. Pena seems to go for lower-rent properties and upgrade them, which is great.

This was from the Biz Journal earlier this year, not sure if it's still in the plans or not though. A rooftop spot there would be cool. There's still handful of houses on Grayson that aren't in the best shape, so I wouldn't be surprised if some of those get bought up and reno'd into bars/restaurants soon.

"Jefferson Bank will have a 1,500-square-foot branch on the ground floor, also set to open in November. In 2020, the owner of Still Golden Social House — a bar formerly on the site — secured retail space in the building in an agreement after the developer bought the property.

A rooftop bar with a prep kitchen for a still-unselected tenant will sit above the first five floors of the building."

https://www.bizjournals.com/sananton...kes-shape.html

[JACKinBeantown]

I was snooping around on Google Maps and noticed construction happening at 1800 N. Broadway, the Grayson project.


https://saheron.com/rezoned-properti...y-east-campus/

https://www.google.com/maps/place/31...!4d-98.4729075

Anybody have updates/details/photos?

[Keep-SA-Lame]

https://sanantonioreport.org/broadwa...height-zoning/

This is the latest since Fulcrum bought the property. The only construction currently going on is a section of the development sold to an out of town developer on the block between Grayson and Carson:

https://saheron.com/encore-broadway-east/

Edit: Choice quote from the Sa Report article:
"“We do not support an overlay that would allow development with zero-foot setbacks with maximum heights,” said Kathy Krnavek, first vice president and assistant to the president of the Conservation Society. “New development on this section of Broadway should promote a pedestrian experience.”"

What absolute clowns, go back to Bulverde. Zero foot setbacks are what CREATE a pedestrian experience in an urban context.

[theOGalexd]

Originally Posted by Keep-SA-Lame

https://sanantonioreport.org/broadwa...height-zoning/

This is the latest since Fulcrum bought the property. The only construction currently going on is a section of the development sold to an out of town developer on the block between Grayson and Carson:

https://saheron.com/encore-broadway-east/

Edit: Choice quote from the Sa Report article:
"“We do not support an overlay that would allow development with zero-foot setbacks with maximum heights,” said Kathy Krnavek, first vice president and assistant to the president of the Conservation Society. “New development on this section of Broadway should promote a pedestrian experience.”"

What absolute clowns, go back to Bulverde. Zero foot setbacks are what CREATE a pedestrian experience in an urban context.

Some of these "groups" here are ridiculous. What exactly are they trying to conserve in lower Broadway, empty land and run down buildings?

[JACKinBeantown]

They're talking about a zero foot setback combined with maximum height. Maybe they just don't want all the buildings to combine into one 15-story mass over all 23 acres.

[theOGalexd]

GrayStreet Partners buys downtown restaurant, retail buildings

SABJ - "Local developer GrayStreet Partners has purchased a slate of property downtown, running from 100 to 108 Soledad Street. The building's current tenants include a Lucky's Food Mart convenience store and a Western Brands western apparel store. Both parcels amount to about a .36-acre footprint or 15,708 square feet."

"One of the buildings housed the Mexican Manhattan restaurant, a staple of the urban core that opened in 1958 and closed at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020."

"Terms of the deal weren't disclosed, though Bexar County records show an LLC tied to GrayStreet partner Kevin Covey and Christopher Grossman paying $6 million for the two parcels of land. The 2022 county appraisal of those parcels put their combined value at about $3.9 million."

"When reached via email, GrayStreet development director Peter French and former building owner Larry Karam declined to comment."

Hopefully they actually do something with this but I won't hold my breath lol.

[theOGalexd]

This is such a prime site, hopefully something good goes there.

"McCombs Family Partners purchased the site that sits at the corner of West Jones Avenue and Camden Street and is referred to as the Jones Avenue Service Center, according to a deed filed with Bexar County records on Monday, January 23.

The site was at one time believed to be a prospective site of a baseball stadium for the San Antonio Missions along with six other sites, the Express-News reported in November 2022.

At the moment McCombs is keeping their plans for the property under wraps. He says whatever they do will have to live up to Red McCombs' vision and love for San Antonio while allowing them time to really build out that concept, whatever that will be.

Adams told the San Antonio Report that nothing is off the table but a baseball stadium isn't in the McCombs family's current plans."

[jkill34]

Originally Posted by theOGalexd

Adams told the San Antonio Report that nothing is off the table but a baseball stadium isn't in the McCombs family's current plans."[/I]

Good!

[JACKinBeantown]

Originally Posted by jkill34

Good!

Agreed.

[SproutingTowers]

Originally Posted by JACKinBeantown

Agreed.

I did a measurement test from Google Maps and if you remove Camden St and include the parcel across from it to I-35, then have room for a basketball arena. Having an arena here would be perfect where have direct access to the Riverwalk and walking distance to the Pearl.