Construction of a 327-unit apartment complex on Dwyer Avenue downtown gained final approval Wednesday from the Historic and Design Review Commission.
The five-story development located at 307 Dwyer Ave. – Heritage Plaza – is designed by Dallas-based GFF architects. It includes a five-and-half-story parking garage with entries and exits on South Main Avenue and Old Guilbeau Street. A historic structure – a law office that is still in use today – will remain onsite and be partially surrounded by the new construction.
The project is being led by Austin-based developer Argyle Residential. Project officials are still hashing out a construction timeline, but groundbreaking likely will be in spring of 2018, said Josh Pollock, acquisitions manager and development associate at Argyle.
A representative from the San Antonio Conservation Society on Wednesday said she would like the developers to explore adding ground-floor leasing for commercial tenants to attract more pedestrians to the area. Earlier plans included ground floor retail on the northwest and southeast corners of the development, Pollock said. Officials will continue to look at that possibility, and see how they can finance it.
“We agree that activated streets that have a mix of uses are desirable and [make] a better living environment for all parties,” Pollock said.
Heritage Plaza is one of several new developments planned for downtown. The 338-unit Encore Riverwalk, on the northwest corner of Main Avenue and Old Guilbeau Street, is under contruction, and a 32-story office and residential tower is planned a few blocks away. Additionally, the new federal courthouse will be constructed at the site of the former public safety headquarters nearby.
Bexar County commissioners just gave the green light to a new 700-car parking garage on East Nueva Street to ease the current parking shortages in the area and accommodate future parking needs.
