SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio’s Historic Design and Review Commission granted Indiana-based White Lodging final approval to develop a 10-story hotel along South Alamo Street near La Villita and Hemisfair.
The move comes nearly seven months after the commission granted the developer preliminary approval for what was then pitched as a nine-story boutique hotel.
Recommended Videos
“We are thrilled. We have tried with this project to create a place that’s authentic to San Antonio,” HKS Architects’ Aubrey Hartman said.
In early December, the Business Journal reported that HDRC had granted Indiana-based hotel development and management company White Lodging preliminary approval for a project that would include 275 rooms and a rooftop bar and pool. There were some stipulations, including a request for design changes for the hotel and certain infrastructural enhancements.
The revised scope of the project will include a nearly 360-room hotel with a rooftop bar and pool and a street-level restaurant. Two historic German School buildings nearby will be rehabilitated as part of the project.
“The rooftop bar overlooks Hemisfair. We think it’s going be a great celebration space,” Hartman said, noting the pool area will provide a panoramic view of downtown.
Some concerns were raised about the height of the new hotel, which will have one more floor than initially envisioned. But backers have pointed out it will be considerably shorter than the nearby Hilton Palacio del Rio.
White Lodging officials said the intent is to transform an underutilized parking lot into a destination hotel.
City officials have also sought assurances that proposed modifications do not damage existing historic structures.
“That’s been our intent from the beginning,” Hartman said, adding that construction could begin as soon as this fall.
Editor’s note: This story was published through a partnership between KSAT and the San Antonio Business Journal.
Click here to read the full story in the San Antonio Business Journal.