San Antonio Independent School District issued a list of demands Wednesday in exchange for selling a parcel of land needed to complete a proposed downtown minor baseball league stadium.
In response to the owners of the San Antonio Missions, which approached the district about selling the land, SAISD released a 54-page presentation outlining its “terms” for the sale include funding the construction of a new building for its Advanced Learning Academy, which SAISD had planned to expand on the property.
The district also wants guarantees of more affordable housing within SAISD’s boundaries, to help mitigate already shrinking enrollment that’s contributed to the closure of 13 campuses this year.
The Missions’ ownership includes local developer Weston Urban’s co-founders CEO Randy Smith and Graham Weston, who in addition to the baseball stadium, plan to construct roughly 1,500 new apartments in the surrounding northwest downtown area.
The district’s letter said such a plan “works against SAISD’s interests” by “reducing affordable and appropriate housing for families,” which it says contributes to fewer school-aged children in the area.
“Student enrollment directly impacts school funding, making the availability of affordable housing a vital factor in the district’s financial health and mission to serve the community,” SAISD Board President Christina Martinez said in a statement.
The developer is currently building a 255-unit residential tower in the area near San Pedro Creek. Half of those units will be leased to people who make up to 80% of the area median income, or AMI, which for a family of four is $66,800, and 20% of those apartments will be available to people making 60% of the AMI. All of the affordable units will not exceed 30% of a renter’s income.
SAISD is expected to benefit greatly from an increased tax base spurred by the stadium district, which is estimated to bring the district $12 million per year, Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai told Texas Public Radio.
But the district contends it already had plans for the property, and needs to be a part of the decision-making when it comes to the overall stadium district within its boundaries.
“Initially, the district had no intention to sell the Camaron Street property, which currently is used as essential parking for employees at the district’s central office and the Fox Tech campus,” SAISD said in a press release. “However, in the spirit of collaboration, the district’s administration and board considered the potential for a mutually beneficial solution.”
Other SAISD demands include a seat on the Houston Street Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone and $400,000 per year to compensate for interest the district says it could have collected by selling the property through other means.
The district’s administration is asking its board of trustees to sign off on the district’s terms at a Nov. 18 meeting, and inviting the public to comment, before determining next steps.
Shari Biediger contributed to this report.
Correction: This story has been updated to correctly refer to SAISD’s presentation, which was shared publicly ahead of the district’s Nov. 18 board meeting.
