Southtown Flats coming to the former Slab site

Posted on January 22, 2015 by - Uncategorized

If you haven’t been down Cevallos St or Clay St recently you’re in for a surprise. The Slab at Probandt St is now gone and a 229 unit apartment complex named Southtown Flats is under construction. You’ll also notice ground has been broken for a new in-fill project that will feature eight new single-family homes between Clay and Cevallos. Recent Zoning signs have been spotted along Clay St with plans for more single-family in-fill homes as well as another multi-family apartment complex. Oh yea, and Big Tex (or Blue Star 2) is also now under construction. This area of Southtown is booming with development. Here’s the article written by Stephanie Guzman for the January 2, 2015 San Antonio Business Journal. Link to article.

Southtown to gain new multifamily option

Construction crews will break ground on a large residential development south of downtown San Antonio this month, bringing more apartments to the community known as Southtown.

Transwestern Development Co. will partner with the real estate investment firm Amstar to develop a 229-unit apartment building at 111 Probandt St., just across the street from Blue Star Brewing Company.

In a neighborhood populated by older single-family and historic homes, a brand new five-story apartment complex will rise for renters who want to live downtown. It’s unclear how much rent will cost at the new complex, named Southtown Flats. Yet with its resort-style design, it appears the complex will be marketed to high-income renters.

Southtown Flats’ high-class amenties include a pool with cabanas and hammocks, outdoor kitchens, fire pits and a rooftop deck with downtown views. A clubhouse on the property includes a catering kitchen, dining areas, lounges with televisions and fitness center — including a yoga studio. The property also comes with a large parking garage and bike storage rooms.

Southtown is already popular with high-income renters. Right around the corner from Transwestern’s 2.3-acre project site is Cevallos Lofts, another luxury apartment complex opened in 2011 that has done well with renters. Rents there range from $1,200 to $2,800 monthly and the building is 96 percent occupied and 99 percent preleased, according to its leasing office.

This isn’t a surprise considering San Antonio’s overall multifamily market remains steady. San Antonio’s multifamily occupancy rate sits cool at 90.5 percent, a little less than Texas’ overall 91.7 percent occupancy rate, according to commercial real estate firm, CBRE.

With occupancy rates so high, it’s no wonder Transwestern is beginning to dip into the multifamily market. The Houston-based real estate firm typically builds and manages commercial properties and large office buildings. Yet the company has begun to develop a string of new high-end apartment complexes, including projects in Fort Worth and Houston.

This is Transwestern’s first multifamily project in San Antonio. The development company is confident its project will be in high demand because of Southtown’s proximity to restaurants, art galleries and its downtown location.

Amstar, which provided the equity behind the project, agrees.

“Southtown is an easy place to like because of its restaurants and activity and the scene is a lot of fun,” said Amstar Managing Director Daniel Cohen. “We’re excited about this project and excited to move forward. We like San Antonio’s employment story of growth in addition to the urbanization we’re seeing downtown.”

Southtown Flats will be on the market by spring 2016.

Cedar Street Townhouses coming to King William

Posted on January 13, 2015 by - Uncategorized

The December/January King William Association newsletter included this story of the new townhouses being developed by long-time neighbors Steve Yndo and Jim Bailey. They have been working diligently with the neighborhood, neighbors, and the KWA to produce a top-rate product. I look forward to seeing them go up and can assist anyone interested in purchasing one.

“Growing Pains” written by Cherise Bell

With the SA2020 initiative, the City has set a goal to add 7,500 new residential units downtown. Already built are Cevallos Lofts and 1010 S. Flores. Currently under construction are the Elan Riverwalk apartments and the Big Tex apartments, both which have 350 units. In the planning stages are a 150 unit complex on “the slab” next to La Tuna Restaurant and a project on Cedar Street with 12 units and 5 units.

The Cedar Street Townhouse are being developed by Steve Yndo, with Jim Bailey of Alamo Architects. In order to accomplish this project, the Children’s Shelter would be demolished. After presenting their plan to the KWA Board several times, the number of units was reduced and the configuration of the site plan was rearranged to reduce the visual impact on adjoining neighbors. The KWA Board approved the concept and zoning changes at its June 18 meeting. Currently, the zoning for one of the two lots is MF-33 (multi-family with maximum of 33 units); the other lot is zoned RM4, so no zoning change is required to accommodate the proposed 5 unit structure. Yndo will be changing the zoning of 133 Cedar to IDZ – with residential uses, specifically tied to the site plan. Zoning for 311 Pereida will go from MF-33 to RM-4 (single-family dwelling.) Yndo, KWA and SAISD are working together to try and move the Solon Stewart House from 114 Cedar to 311 Pereida. The KWA Board, using the KWA charter and mission as guidelines, approved the change in the use of the Children’s Shelter property (from commercial to residential) and putting a single-family house on the vacant lot at 311 Pereida.

SoJo Crossing Townhomes coming to Pearl area

Posted on January 8, 2015 by - Uncategorized

With almost all of the East Quincy Townhomes under contract the demand for more for-sale inventory heats up in Midtown. Steve Yndo will be building more inventory with his new project, SoJo Crossing Townhomes. I’d be happy to assist anyone interested in purchasing one.

More for-sale product near Pearl

Posted on December 29, 2014 | BY Benjamin Olivo of the San Antonio Express-News
SOJO Crossing

In an effort to infuse the River North area with for-sale product, a relatively new developer soon will break ground on SoJo Crossing, 27 three-story townhomes in the area across the San Antonio River from the Pearl.

Located on the southeast corner of Myrtle Street and East Euclid Avenue, the townhomes are being developed by SoJo Urban Development, a group that includes prominent developer Steve Yndo.

“We need for-sale housing in the area, so our hope is that the area between the river and St. Mary’s Street is more of a for-sale market,” Yndo said.

The area could be quieter than the bustling stretch of apartments along Broadway, but with just as much access to the Museum Reach stretch of the river, Yndo said. Units start at $400,000 and range from 1,600 square feet to nearly 2,200 square feet.

Designed by Alamo Architects, the $14 million SoJo Crossing is expected to break ground in March and be completed in spring 2016. The group’s first project was the nearby 25-unit East Quincy Townhomes by the River, which is scheduled for completion early next year. It is 92 percent sold.

Link to the article is here.