SAN ANTONIO | Urban Core Development Thread - Page 161

sirkingwilliam · #**3201** Posted **Dec 17, 2012, 11:37 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by WorldTexas

Weston's involvement in downtown's redevelopment has gone public. It's not the armada of 40 floor skyscrapers we were hoping to see, but it does prove his commitment to turning it into a better urban space.

And it means we have something our neighbor to the north never did - a guy who is willing to bankroll downtown's development.

Read more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/loc...wn-4122784.php

We still dont know what he has planned aside from what he is going to do at the Weston Center.

The startup village could be incredible. It could done in phases. It culd anything. Who knows. But he's incredibly serious about being the catalyst that develops downtown. Exciting times ahead.

Keep-SA-Lame · #**3202** Posted **Dec 19, 2012, 9:10 PM**

http://www.plazadearmastx.com/index....-ands-or-butts

Big news on the downtown grocery front. I'd heard a rumor that the city was close to closing a deal with HEB for a store on the lot HEB owns on Durango at South Main, so this is a pretty big surprise. The lot in question is the carwash at Newel and Broadway that has the "Halloween Market". This is huge for Midtown. It's going to be a real neighborhood!

miaht82 · #**3203** Posted **Dec 20, 2012, 2:43 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keep-SA-Lame

http://www.plazadearmastx.com/index....-ands-or-butts

Big news on the downtown grocery front. I'd heard a rumor that the city was close to closing a deal with HEB for a store on the lot HEB owns on Durango at South Main, so this is a pretty big surprise. The lot in question is the carwash at Newel and Broadway that has the "Halloween Market". This is huge for Midtown. It's going to be a real neighborhood!

So I guess his opposition to the streetcar is for political points... seems he would be a benefactor of tracks being laid a few feet from this development.

But all things aside, this is awesome for the "neighborhood", now we need to get some traffic calming on Newell between Quincy and Broadway and it will get the ped-friendly feel to it. It'll feel like a real neighborhood, but it'll be far from done; there's alot more space for more residents to be within walking distance and more apartments that have yet to break ground.

cole world11 · #**3204** Posted **Dec 20, 2012, 3:17 AM**

Hell yeah! I'm so happy for you folks in River North. And those artist renderings look pretty cool, too! I reallllly like the idea of the open-air bar/lounge on the third floor. I'm sure the views of downtown would be very nice.

kornbread · #**3205** Posted **Dec 20, 2012, 6:55 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by cole world11

Hell yeah! I'm so happy for you folks in River North. And those artist renderings look pretty cool, too! I reallllly like the idea of the open-air bar/lounge on the third floor. I'm sure the views of downtown would be very nice.

Well there is an elevated highway that might be in the way of a 3rd floor. It looks like the open air patio will be mostly facing Broadway; which in time could be great once that area livens up.

It is a nice looking building (with parking in the back, I would guess, and real trees! Shade is good.)

cole world11 · #**3206** Posted **Dec 22, 2012, 5:07 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kornbread

Well there is an elevated highway that might be in the way of a 3rd floor. It looks like the open air patio will be mostly facing Broadway; which in time could be great once that area livens up.

It is a nice looking building (with parking in the back, I would guess, and real trees! Shade is good.)

I over thought that one

:

UrbanTrance · #**3207** Posted **Jan 8, 2013, 2:08 AM**

Maybe HEB's a step closer to coming downtown?

http://www.plazadearmastx.com/index....s-grocery-list

Either way, as the Museum Reach and Southtown areas grow, it is inevitable that they will be able to do their own things on the grocery front.

adtobias · #**3208** Posted **Jan 10, 2013, 8:43 AM**

Why is there such a lack of development downtown in san antonio?

Dom"n"Converse · #**3209** Posted **Jan 10, 2013, 4:15 PM**

-Housing is generally less in the suburbs and our surface street/freeway/highway traffic isn't at that high of a level of congestion to make it more affordable in the long run to live downtown. Basically, why pay $250K on 1250 square feet when you can get over 2K square feet for around $180K and have a 20-25 minute drive?

-Because of the hotel/tourism industry, downtown property owners want more compensation for their land than what it's worth. This makes it harder to turn a profit for businesses outside of hotels who aren't willing to pay the inflated prices.

-The HDRC and the review processes that seems to go on and on and ends with plans that look totally different from what was originally proposed.

-Schools downtown and around downtown aren't the best. SAISD's school board has a level of incompetence that would make even the most liberal of people support school choice.

Keep-SA-Lame · #**3210** Posted **Jan 10, 2013, 5:58 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dom"n"Converse

-Housing is generally less in the suburbs and our surface street/freeway/highway traffic isn't at that high of a level of congestion to make it more affordable in the long run to live downtown. Basically, why pay $250K on 1250 square feet when you can get over 2K square feet for around $180K and have a 20-25 minute drive?

-Because of the hotel/tourism industry, downtown property owners want more compensation for their land than what it's worth. This makes it harder to turn a profit for businesses outside of hotels who aren't willing to pay the inflated prices.

-The HDRC and the review processes that seems to go on and on and ends with plans that look totally different from what was originally proposed.

-Schools downtown and around downtown aren't the best. SAISD's school board has a level of incompetence that would make even the most liberal of people support school choice.

All valid points, but really only the second I think is unique to SA. Most other cities have the same problems.

WorldTexas · #**3211** Posted **Jan 10, 2013, 8:30 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dom"n"Converse

-Because of the hotel/tourism industry, downtown property owners want more compensation for their land than what it's worth. This makes it harder to turn a profit for businesses outside of hotels who aren't willing to pay the inflated prices.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keep-SA-Lame

All valid points, but really only the second I think is unique to SA. Most other cities have the same problems.

Add to that point that wages in San Antonio are lower than average across most industries. That means there's less disposable income to pay high rent prices.

And on top of that, all but 2 of the cities large companies are based in the suburbs. Valero, Tesoro, USAA, KCI, NuStar, Rackspace, etc. are all the owners of very nicely manicured campuses in the suburbs. Unless they are ardent urbanists, why would their CEO's and other highly paid employees pay higher rents for downtown quarters and then still have to do deal with traffic.

The momentum has been on the suburbs' side for decades and part of San Antonio's competitive advantage in business are its lower land and labor costs, which are reinforced by the low-priced suburbs. Changing that mentality takes time, more so in a city like San Antonio which is notoriously risk-averse and weary of "new" concepts.

On the other hand to say that downtown is devoid of any activity would be a misstatement. There is more work planned at Pearl, University Hospital just finished construction, as did Steel House. Construction is moving along on the lofts on South Flores, SAC, the Tobin Center, the 2nd phase of 1221, the new Wyndham in River North, with many announced and unannounced projects down the pipeline. More companies are also starting to look at officing downtown which would provide more potential renters for both office and residential space.

Our city's unique economics of high downtown land prices + lower wages requires makes projects here more price sensitive than other areas. The momentum is building though, and there is a palpable change happening. Graham Weston has also pledged to push the issue. We just need to be patient and great things will be coming our way.

miaht82 · #**3212** Posted **Jan 11, 2013, 1:02 AM**

Speaking of great things...

Dave and Buster's is finally (officially) setting up shop in the Joske's building.

http://www.bizjournals.com/sanantoni...-downtown.html

Quote:

Jan 10, 2013, 3:34pm CST
Dave & Buster’s expanding to downtown San Antonio

Tourists visiting downtown San Antonio and residents who are relocating to the center city will soon have more entertainment options.
Dave & Buster’s plans to develop a new 33,000-square-foot venue at Rivercenter Mall where patrons can dine, play games and watch televised sporting events just a strong skee ball toss from the Alamo.

kornbread · #**3213** Posted **Jan 11, 2013, 6:04 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by adtobias

Why is there such a lack of development downtown in san antonio?

Why would you expect there to be more than there is?

adtobias · #**3214** Posted **Jan 12, 2013, 4:19 AM**

I was in Austin and they seem to have grown their downtown to a place to live, work, play and stay.

kornbread · #**3215** Posted **Jan 12, 2013, 7:39 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by adtobias

I was in Austin and they seem to have grown their downtown to a place to live, work, play and stay.

But that is a different city, and has no effect on downtown San Antonio.
Austin has the economy and demand to support their downtown.

Spoiler · #**3216** Posted **Jan 13, 2013, 12:22 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kornbread

Why would you expect there to be more than there is?

Why wouldn't I expect there to be more than there is?

kornbread · #**3217** Posted **Jan 13, 2013, 12:41 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spoiler

Why wouldn't I expect there to be more than there is?

There is development happening in and around downtown. No one is going to build for the sake of building. We just came out of a recession; the economy is still coming along slowly. Growth will happen exponentially. Things are just starting. Lets see what happens in the next year.

As far as your expectations, you'd have to add some argument/reason why you would expect more. I have no idea what your thoughts are. Besides, I was responding to ATB.

sirkingwilliam · #**3218** Posted **Jan 13, 2013, 7:00 AM**

Nearly 1,500 residential units under construction, hundreds more planned. One, possibly multiple, grocery stores in the pipeline. Tobin Center, Convention center expansion, Hemisfair development, Rivercenter mall redevelopment, San Pedro Creek revitalization, two street car lines, downtown complete streets, etc. Who knows what else.

And people are seriously saying there's no activity.

Oh wait, maybe they should have just written what they meant. "Why isn't there an activity of cranes building high rises."

UrbanTrance · #**3219** Posted **Jan 14, 2013, 12:35 AM**

Does anyone have the details of this article (if there is anything new)?

http://www.plazadearmastx.com/index....5-weston-world

Keep-SA-Lame · #**3220** Posted **Jan 23, 2013, 8:35 PM**

Two new residential projects (one downtown and one near downtown) are in the works:

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/downtow...e-for-housing/

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/downtow...ng-considered/