The development could include a small grocery store and coworking space.
By Madison Iszler,
Staff writer
SAEN
July 2, 2024
https://www.expressnews.com/business...t-19545688.php
A 15-story building with condominiums and a small grocery store could be built about four blocks from Pearl, adding to the surge of housing, hotels and restaurants rising around the redeveloped brewery and San Antonio’s limited condo inventory.
The project would be built on two lots in the Government Hill neighborhood at 1312 and 1316 Austin St., which are owned by a company affiliated with Austin-based commercial real estate firm Sabot Development.
The building would have one-, two- and three-bedroom units — though it’s unclear how many — and four levels of parking with 96 spaces, Metropolitan Development Co. principal Paul “Pawel” Hardej and architect Sofia Maritza Ramos told residents at a recent meeting of the Government Hill Alliance Neighborhood Association.
Prices would start in the $300,000s and go up from there. The building’s design would reflect the neighborhood, with brick materials and arches similar to those in Pearl buildings, they said.
Hardej and Ramos also described coworking space and a “community-oriented” grocery store on the street level.
The absence of more grocery options in the area is a frequent complaint among Government Hill residents. H-E-B’s upscale Central Market store is about 2 miles north on Broadway, and its small SoFlo Market store is about 4 miles south in the Lone Star neighborhood. The new 40,000-square-foot Pullman Market at Pearl, however, has a grocery department. When Hardej was studying the neighborhood for his project, he said he was “shocked” by how few options there are.
Sabot has not submitted a rezoning request to the city of San Antonio, as Hardej and Ramos said they wanted to get residents’ input on the project first and the support of the neighborhood association. Several attendees said they liked the plan and asked about pricing and how long construction could take.
“We’re here first because you live here, I don’t, so we want to listen to you,” Hardej, who lives in Austin, told residents.
The two lots on Austin Street total nearly a half-acre. Sabot would ask the city for permission to rezone a lot that is occupied by a moving business and zoned for commercial use. The other lot is vacant and zoned for infill development, which allows for the project. Hardej said construction could begin by the end of 2025 and will likely take about three years.
Metropolitan Development has worked on multiple residential towers with ground-floor retail in Chicago, St. Louis and Austin, including the 44 East Ave, 80 Rainey and One Oak developments in Austin. The firm has also been involved in Flix Brewhouse projects, including the theater at 845 Loop 1604 in San Antonio.