SAN ANTONIO – More renovation is expected in the heart of downtown, specifically the "L" shaped property across the VIA bus stop on Frio and Houston streets.
Nonprofit Alamo Community Group is planning on building 160 low-income units that will be called Cattlemen Square Lofts.
The Center City Housing Incentive Policy passed last month is making the project possible. The nonprofit hopes to start construction by 2020.
Michael Shackelford, with Alamo Community Group, said he understands it's a challenged area, but he’s optimistic.
"I think with the growth of UTSA and the focus of growth in the downtown area and this new development, we will be able to help clean it up a little," Shackelford said.
Alamo Community Group said the first floor of the lofts will have retail space and restaurants. The building will also house a learning center for tenants, where tutoring for students and social services will be provided.
"They will be needing student housing in the area," Shackelford said. "But we also know UTSA will have a great amount of employees that will be working in the downtown area, and we are hoping to capture that market."
Shackelford said they hope to house people who work in the service and administrative industries downtown that want to live in the downtown area.
The city has received four applications for Center City Housing Incentive Policy incentives, all of which include affordable and workforce housing within the center city. Upon completion, the new projects will provide 515 multifamily rental units and 13 for-sale housing units.
Of the 515 multifamily housing units:
- 21 will be reserved for households earning less than 80 percent of the area median income, or $53,440 for a family of four;
- 213 units will be reserved for families earning less than 60 percent of the area median income, or $40,080 for a family of four;
- 25 units will be reserved for those earning less than 30 percent of the area median income, or $20,040 for a family of four.