Construction crews working on the Loop 1604 North Expansion project reached another milestone in early December.
In the latest movement on a $1.4 billion effort to improve the highway that began in 2021, the flyover ramp serving eastbound 1604 to westbound Interstate 10 opened Dec. 3, the first of eight ramps that will replace an outdated cloverleaf interchange.
Two more flyovers are expected to open in 2025, and the entire segment of the 23-mile expansion is expected to be complete in 2027.
The Texas Department of Transportation project is one of many bringing construction cranes to the skyline, and crews to the ground across San Antonio.
Here are some of the major development projects you can expect to see completed, or started, in the coming year:
San Antonio International Airport
While travelers await a new terminal at the airport set for 2028, SAT’s new ground load facility is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2025.
A ground load facility, commonly used at smaller airports and by low-cost carriers, is designed to efficiently move people on and off airplanes with lower costs, thus reducing airfares.
The two-story, pre-engineered metal building will connect at the southwest end of Terminal A and feature three departure and arrival gates along with new concession space.
Basila Frocks
Though construction on the historic Basila Frocks building at 501 N. Zarzamora St. was expected to be completed by the end of 2024, work on the $3 million project will continue into the New Year.
The DreamOn Group and Prosper West are partnering on the redevelopment of the vacant Westside building, with second-floor office space for the economic development nonprofit and co-working spaces. The first floor of Basila Frocks will be dedicated to retail and medical spaces.
An updated timeline now calls for completion in March 2025, said Julissa Carielo, president and cofounder of DreamOn Group.
San Pedro Creek Culture Park
The linear park project that began in 2018 to improve flood mitigation and beautify the downtown creekway is nearly complete.
With phases 2 and 4.1 of the San Pedro Creek Culture Park completed in October 2023, the San Antonio River Authority has been working on phase 3, the last piece of the project.
The final segment spans from South Alamo Street past Cevallos Street to the confluence with Apache Creek, and is expected to open in the spring. It will feature similar elements to the other phases, including landscaping, pedestrian paths, lighting and signage.
World Heritage Center
The 6,000-square-foot visitor center serving San Antonio’s Spanish colonial missions is nearly complete and is expected to open Feb. 7.
Initially planned for a September 2024 opening, the World Heritage Center project on the city’s South Side received additional funding for improvements that were expected to be complete in later phases, said Colleen Swain, director of the city’s World Heritage Office. Those improvements including completing the entire inner ring road circling Mission Marquee Plaza.
The World Heritage Center will serve as a gateway to the missions, designated along with the Alamo a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2015.
Pearl
Of the two multifamily projects Oxbow has in the works, Coopers Row Residences at 1118 E. Elmira St. is expected to be completed in 2025, and a restaurant will open in the building later in the year.
In addition, the Riverside Icehouse has a 2025 opening date, according to Oxbow Director of Development Omar Gonzalez, and two new pedestrian bridges should open to both sides of the River Walk this year.
Continental Hotel
Construction on the Continental block development between Dolorosa and West Commerce streets is ongoing with completion expected in late 2025.
Developer Weston Urban is renovating the 1896 Continental Hotel into a residential and retail space and the 1926 Arana Building into retail and office space. Between the two is a residential tower with 290 units of mixed-income housing, a five-level parking garage and 22,000 square feet of commercial space.
Interior work on the first restaurant is also planned for the new year, said Mark Jensen, vice president of multifamily development at Weston Urban.
Tower Life Building
The work to convert the 1929 Tower Life building into a 244-unit residential tower, with restaurant spaces at street level and along the River Walk, is set to begin in the coming months.
Demolition on the interior of the 31-story building is expected to start soon with construction getting underway about three to four months later, said developer Ed Cross, who purchased the building at 310 S. St. Mary’s St. in May 2022 with the late San Antonio businessman Red McCombs and real estate investor Jon Wiegand.
“We’re hoping to finish the summer of ‘26,” he said.
JCB factory
The Britain-based heavy equipment manufacturer broke ground for the $500 million factory located on the South Side in June and site work is nearing completion, said a spokeswoman.
The 720,000-square-foot facility will produce telescopic handlers and mobile elevating work platforms starting in 2026. JCB plans to start recruiting for the 1,500 jobs on site in mid-2025.
San Pedro II
Under construction since October 2023, UTSA’s downtown expansion project known as San Pedro II is expected to be mostly complete in October.
The 180,000-square-foot facility will serve as the university’s innovation, entrepreneurship and careers building and be open to students in January 2026.
