SAN ANTONIO – Developers of a 13-story luxury apartment complex in the La Villita Historic District got the final approval from the Historic & Design Review Commission to begin construction.
Tim Proctor and The Laney Development Group, LLC expect construction to begin sometime this year, and the units to be ready for move in two years after groundbreaking.
Proctor would not say how much the going rate would be for the 73 apartment units, saying they will see how much the project ends up costing.
The mix-use building will include retail space, two stories of parking for 100 vehicles and living space. It will be located on the corner of South Presa Street and Cesar E. Chavez Boulevard, which is currently a parking lot.
Andrew Garza, who works at a nearby restaurant and lives near the downtown area, is not happy about losing more parking for customers and seeing more expensive apartments go up.
“I feel like it turns people off,” he said about the customers’ plight dealing with already limited parking.
He thinks the construction and additional people in the area will only make it worse.
“It’s San Antonio. This area is growing. It’s becoming very established. It’s that level of gentrification you have to deal with the growing of the city,” Garza said.
Tracy Moon, executive director of the King William Association, was at the Historic & Design Review Commission meeting. She said concerns over the materials being used were addressed, and said the association has not heard any concerns from members one way or the other about the plans.
“The city is changing, and we want to be a part of the change and manage the change as it goes forward,” she said, adding that the construction will likely end up impacting property values for those nearby.