Conceptual plans for a 10-level, 500-space parking garage with 13,000 sq. ft. of ground level retail space in downtown San Antonio were approved by the Historic and Design Review Commission Wednesday afternoon.
The mixed-use development will replace a small, 0.6-acre parking lot at Commerce and Navarro Streets across from a CVS Pharmacy and the Westin Riverwalk hotel.
Silver Ventures, which developed the historic Pearl Brewery into a vibrant “live, work, play” complex, and Hixon Properties, which has completed projects like the River House and has plans to turn the Broadway Cadillac dealership site into multi-family project, are partners on the project that also could bring two new restaurants and three shops to the city’s urban core.
Alamo Architects drew up preliminary design renderings and now will start work on final designs for approval in the coming months.
According to City documents, the HRDC’s 10 members (the District 2 seat is currently vacant) had a short and minor list of concerns about the design:
- The scale of the ‘PARK’ text on the building exterior (too big)
- The patterning of the fac?ade screens
- Water collection and storage
- Tree mitigation
- The incorporation of the elevator lobby into the design
- The proposed screening presenting the garage’s fac?ade as being too similar to a building
Project managers agreed to communicate with staff about addressing these finishing touches as the final plan emerges.
“The applicant has noted that the corner signage reading ‘PARK’ is, at this time, part of the conceptual request. However, the applicant has not specified specifics regarding size, materials or lighting for the proposed signage,” states the official agenda item.
Hixon Properties representatives could not be reached for comment Wednesday evening, but according to the San Antonio Express-News, the firm’s Chief Investment Officer John Beauchamp “declined to divulge the project’s timetable or cost.”
*Top image: Rendering of the proposed parking garage at 210 E. Commerce as seen from the corner of Navarro and Commerce streets. Image courtesy of Alamo Architects.
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Jose
Finally
It would be so cool if we could put all parking lots underground. That would leave more room above ground for parks / bikes / light rail / streetcar / trolleys
It would be so cool if there were more parking garages and mixed use buildings in the urban areas.
Very disappointed that such a valuable piece of land in the heart of downtown is going to become a parking garage.
The question I have for the historical committee and city council is: “What goal or plan is the parking garage meeting for the citizens of San Antonio?”
Here we go again. MORE PARKING. And above ground. I agree with you Otoniel. What is wrong with that. Besides this new rendering of the proposed garage is DEFINITELY UGLY. And they say that the committee to preserve the looks of downtown picked this. THEY have bad bad taste. Let us make sure there is enough lanes to drive thru the streets of TINY DOWNTOWN San Antonio instead of filling it up with more garages. Mass transit is what is needed. DO not build another ugly looking B L O C K.