Ever since the Frost Tower project broke ground in March 2017, San Antonio has watched the new glass office building drill its way onto the skyline as the first structure of its size the city has seen in 25 years.
With construction nearly complete, it’s time to move in.
Frost Bank employees began moving into the 24-story building at 111 W. Houston St. on June 10. By July 1, over 2,100 employees will have relocated from the bank’s former headquarters to the first 12 floors of the tower, which was designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects of New Haven, Connecticut, alongside local architectural consultant Alamo Architects.
Construction on some parts of the tower is continuing, said a Frost Bank spokesman, so not all areas of the building are open. He said a grand opening is planned for September or October.
“Moving to our new tower represents a significant milestone honoring our employees, our customers, our shareholders, and our community,” said Candace Wolfshohl, group executive vice president for culture and people development at Frost Bank.
While the building is not yet open to the public, the Frost Bank financial center will open July 1 in the first-floor lobby. The public also will be able to access the “Frost Loft,” on the mezzanine level overlooking the lobby. The loft will feature exhibits and interactive displays about the history of Frost Bank and San Antonio.
Frost Bank sold its current headquarters on 100 W. Houston St., and a 732-space parking garage, to the City, which plans to consolidate its administrative offices there.
In the tower, Frost Bank employees will occupy the second through 12th floors, and the 14th and 15th floors will provide meeting rooms for customer conferences and employee gatherings. The meeting rooms there are named for Texas cities where Frost Bank operates as well as peppers native to the state, Alamo defenders, and renowned members of the San Antonio Spurs.
The remaining floors in the tower, about 150,000 square feet of Class A++ office space, will be occupied by other tenants of the building. Reports indicate that Ernst & Young and staffing company Insight Global will be among the tenants.
The project’s developer, Weston Urban, has plans for a restaurant and retail shops on the street level of the building, which sits alongside the San Pedro Creek Culture Park as well as within the green space of a 1.2-acre park under construction across the street.
The developer also owns the nearby Milam Building, a 1920s-era building that stands 21 stories tall and will become an apartment tower with some office and retail tenants.
Frost Bank’s downtown financial center will close at the end of the day on June 28 and open in the new tower on July 1.
