SAN ANTONIO | Urban Core Development Thread - Page 85

miaht82 · #**1681** Posted **Dec 16, 2008, 1:48 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JACKinNYC

Looks like a great project in a great location. I remember seeing that area from the Tower many times as a kid. Plus, the mixed income aspect is great... that's one of the big ways that large buildings get reduced taxes etc. from the city in New York. Usually it's either 10% or 20% of the units must be for low income families. It gives everyone a chance to live together in a nice place and promotes understanding and all kinds of stuff like that. The mention of retail is a necessary plus too. Bravo, SA!

The mixed income factor gave the developers an extra $11 million from HUD to build a more "quality" and larger product than the original plan and 400K shortfall for an only "market rate" development.

miaht82 · #**1682** Posted **Dec 16, 2008, 2:17 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexjon

What about the River North Streetcar?

There was mention, here is the presentation.
It appears to run up Ave. B, St. Mary's, Lexington, Alamo and Broadway and up the Pearl Brewery in the North.
Here is a snapshot of the slide.

sorry I'm a little late guys, just got back in from D.C. and it was great; amazing what some density will do, the number of cranes there is ridiculous. Felt like I was in heaven for a few days.

sakyle04 · #**1683** Posted **Dec 17, 2008, 9:53 PM**

there is a dense fog advisory tonight in case anyone wants to head downtown and take some cool pictures of ominous (and christmas-lit) buildings enveloped in fog.

sakyle04 · #**1684** Posted **Dec 18, 2008, 7:27 PM**

foggy vistana webcam...
from thevistana.com

oldmanshirt · #**1685** Posted **Dec 19, 2008, 3:31 AM**

Here's an article about the Rivercenter Mall redevelopment, which has now started.

The article states any work on the Joske building is 18 mos away at least.

So far the only restaurant that has signed on is Fogo de Chao, but they're working on getting restaurant chains that are more regional (i.e., less generic).

It sounds like the Macy's is doing really well, unlike the Dillard's that pulled out a few months ago, so its likely to stay at the current location.

No mention of a hotel.

ydoc14 · #**1686** Posted **Dec 19, 2008, 6:59 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by sakyle04

there is a dense fog advisory tonight in case anyone wants to head downtown and take some cool pictures of ominous (and christmas-lit) buildings enveloped in fog.

I was down on the riverwalk last night, and the skyscrapers looked great in the fog...especially Tower Life...it won last night's fog contest. The Weston was a close second. I took a picture, but it didn't come out that great. Here it is anyway.

miaht82 · #**1687** Posted **Dec 30, 2008, 8:11 PM**

blah....

alexjon · #**1688** Posted **Dec 30, 2008, 9:33 PM**

Mike Villareal put a funding bill for electric rail (LRT) apparently a few months back, and the city approved funding a study (read: rubber-stamped) for Wolff's pet LRT line from Camp Bullis past Downtown to Southtown/Fort Sam.

Since the DoD is putting the screws to Wolff, I suppose this is a go in a couple of years if the state ponies up, which they probably will.

The problem, however, is that it looks like if Castro is the next Mayor or Hardberger gets to make the decision on the alignment, we can probably kiss a through-downtown alignment goodbye, since Castro is fond of transit centers (i.e. routes outside, but not through downtown) and Hardberger is trying hard to make downtown a gussied-up show pony for his own legacy.

Keep-SA-Lame · #**1689** Posted **Dec 30, 2008, 9:47 PM**

I want Culebra Meat Market downtown. to heck with these other stores.

STLtoSA · #**1690** Posted **Dec 31, 2008, 3:26 PM**

Have SA residents stooped so low that they would be widhing for an ALDI.

Now that is funny.

I like ALDI's, you can get cheap food there, but if they came to San Antonio they would not be competition for HEB.

And ALDI is not a "true" grocery store. They are a discount grocer that only sells packaged off label brands.

miaht82 · #**1691** Posted **Dec 31, 2008, 3:34 PM**

You're right, I guess San Antonio can't use a discount grocer. I forgot how upscale the whole city is, perhaps we should just shoot for a Whole foods on Zarzamora(no pun intended.)
Never said they would put HEB out of business, just would like some options; and it is truly sad that SA residents have gotten used to having a "central" grocery store for every 5 mile radius.
Now THAT is only funny if you own HEB.

STLtoSA · #**1692** Posted **Dec 31, 2008, 5:42 PM**

It would be great for if Aldi came to SA, the more the better in my opinion. Competition is competition. But it would not be the kind of competition that SA needs and lacks in grocer diversity.

I don't understand this statement?

"and it is truly sad that SA residents have gotten used to having a "central" grocery store for every 5 mile radius."

For one most SA residents don't even have to drive 5 miles to go to a grocery store. I have 4 HEB's within three miles of my house and 6 within 5 miles. Another thing is that I don't know where else in the country that is much different than SA.

I don't want to continue on with the metropolitan grocery store subject because I bet that most of us agree that we need more competition.

The bottom line is that this is a Downtown SA forum. Does downtown SA need or should it strive to get an Aldi? NO! Would an Aldi serve a downtown as well as boutique grocers would? NO!

alexjon · #**1693** Posted **Dec 31, 2008, 5:47 PM**

The point is that you shouldn't have to drive, period, to get to a grocery store if you live in an urban environment.

I have 5 within half a mile, 8 within a mile, and about 18 within 2 miles of me, and I don't even live downtown.

Downtown should have at least one or two.

miaht82 · #**1694** Posted **Dec 31, 2008, 6:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by STLtoSA

It would be great for if Aldi came to SA, the more the better in my opinion. Competition is competition. But it would not be the kind of competition that SA needs and lacks in grocer diversity.

Competition IS competition and a start somewhere is better than a complete halt. Albertsons and Kroger probably aren't going to be coming into town anytime soon, so I don't think we should be too picky; I mean what's our second store here? Culebra Meat Market? La Fiesta?.

Quote:

Originally Posted by STLtoSA

I don't understand this statement?

"and it is truly sad that SA residents have gotten used to having a "central" grocery store for every 5 mile radius."

For one most SA residents don't even have to drive 5 miles to go to a grocery store. I have 4 HEB's within three miles of my house and 6 within 5 miles. Another thing is that I don't know where else in the country that is much different than SA.

I also have 6 HEB's in a 5 mile radius, Whole Foods and Sun Harvest in there as well, but it is sad that one name keeps coming up and that there are hardly any of the others between the HEB's.

But I guess we can agree that diversity is better and we do need more grocery options.

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexjon

The point is that you shouldn't have to drive, period, to get to a grocery store if you live in an urban environment.

I have 5 within half a mile, 8 within a mile, and about 18 within 2 miles of me, and I don't even live downtown.

Downtown should have at least one or two.

Well said.

STLtoSA · #**1695** Posted **Dec 31, 2008, 7:08 PM**

Downtown should have a grocery store, but where would should one go. Right now downtown doesn't have a core residential area. I think that to good future spots would be River North area and the Market square area. Maybe even one off of Durango just south of where CPS is.

What do you guys think about locations that would serve the downtown area well?

In St. Louis it took about four years of a bomming downtown loft Market before a downtown grocer came in (City Grocers 7,000 gsf). Schnucks a major grocer is building a 21,000 gsf downtown store aan urban neighborhood (Lafayette Square) just south of downtown is getting a 35,000 grocery store.
I know that the San Antonio downtown populations are a little screwy (they include areas that are not downtown), but St. Louis has a "true" downtown population of over 10,000 and has only one with another on the way.

The difference in the two cities is a concentrated presence of residential in downtown. San Antonio has nothing like Washington Ave in St. Louis. Hopefully, River North will take off eventually and Market Square will continue to develop. If this happens you will see a downtown grocer, but I don't know if it is there yet.

We had the same thing happen in St. Louis when people started moving downtown. Residents were complaining that there was no grocery store and they shouldn't have to drive to larger grocers miles away. Someone has to suffer until there is a large enough market to support a pedestrian friendly grocer. If you are one of those in San Antonio, keep sticking it out because eventually the market will support such a store.

It can suck to be a pioneer.

kornbread · #**1696** Posted **Dec 31, 2008, 10:16 PM**

Right now there is no reason to put a grocery downtown. It's good to hear that the smaller markets are doing well.

Eventually they could put a Farmer's Market at the Pearl; A co-op near UTSA and another La Michoacana on South Flores (already one on North Flores)
http://www.lamichoacanameatmarket.co...d=34&Itemid=17

miaht82 · #**1697** Posted **Jan 1, 2009, 3:05 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kornbread

Right now there is no reason to put a grocery downtown. It's good to hear that the smaller markets are doing well.

Eventually they could put a Farmer's Market at the Pearl; A co-op near UTSA and another La Michoacana on South Flores (already one on North Flores)
http://www.lamichoacanameatmarket.co...d=34&Itemid=17

I think these locations are all great. They need to feed to the inside of the older neighborhoods vs. the outside which is what SA has going for it right now. What I mean is that all of the development and amenities draw people out instead of in towards town.
Who knows, perhaps UTSA area might not be too bad of an area once the Union Stock Yards area picks up some steam; they already have the produce.

tgannaway89 · #**1698** Posted **Jan 1, 2009, 7:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by miaht82

I think these locations are all great. They need to feed to the inside of the older neighborhoods vs. the outside which is what SA has going for it right now. What I mean is that all of the development and amenities draw people out instead of in towards town.
Who knows, perhaps UTSA area might not be too bad of an area once the Union Stock Yards area picks up some steam; they already have the produce.

UTSA also plans to add housing at the downtown campus eventually.

alexjon · #**1699** Posted **Jan 2, 2009, 6:10 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kornbread

Right now there is no reason to put a grocery downtown. It's good to hear that the smaller markets are doing well.

Eventually they could put a Farmer's Market at the Pearl; A co-op near UTSA and another La Michoacana on South Flores (already one on North Flores)
http://www.lamichoacanameatmarket.co...d=34&Itemid=17

Tourists, workers, students, residents-- there's more than enough activity downtown to sustain a mini-supermarket. Until one is proposed, people generally poo-poo the idea as "well, it's a good idea but not necessary".

I buy a lot of things from the IGA Kress Supermarket downtown since it's on my way home. It's in the middle of downtown and close to my walking route. Good selection, good food.

sirkingwilliam · #**1700** Posted **Jan 2, 2009, 4:52 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by STLtoSA

The difference in the two cities is a concentrated presence of residential in downtown. San Antonio has nothing like Washington Ave in St. Louis. Hopefully, River North will take off eventually and Market Square will continue to develop. If this happens you will see a downtown grocer, but I don't know if it is there yet.

I've never been to STL, what is Washington Ave?