The historic Robert E. Lee residences are headed for a serious renovation, however it should have to be empty for development.
San Antonio Housing Belief leaders have outlined a plan to make the downtown constructing extra accessible, add a second elevator and convey teaching programs and new facilities. Building may take 18 months to finish, so the Housing Belief plans to assist rehouse residents whereas it remakes the residences.
The $22 million undertaking was offered to San Antonio metropolis council members on April 1. Metropolis officers will contemplate forgiving a 30-year-old $1.7 million federal mortgage and awarding one other $4.5 million mortgage to help the housing undertaking.
Metropolis Council is scheduled to vote on it on April 16.
The 72-unit residence constructing is within the coronary heart of downtown at 111 W. Travis St., only a few blocks west of the River Stroll. It was constructed as a 200-room lodge in 1922 and its well-known neon indicators on its roof have been added in 1938.
The lodge was shut down within the Nineteen Seventies, however the metropolis facilitated a $1.7 million federal mortgage in 1995 to assist flip the constructing into reasonably priced housing. It at present homes San Antonio residents who make lower than 60% of the world median earnings (AMI), round $40,620 for a one-person family and $57,960 for a household of 4.
The Housing Belief purchased the constructing in 2025 for $3.27 million amid curiosity from downtown developer Weston City, which owns the close by luxurious residence complicated 300 Fundamental. A studio there begins at $1,500 per thirty days, whereas reasonably priced month-to-month rents for an individual making 60% of AMI are round $1,000.
Now that the nonprofit is preparing for one more spherical of considerable modifications to the constructing, it may get some assist from the Metropolis of San Antonio.
The director of the town’s Neighborhood and Housing Providers Division, Veronica Garcia, offered a request for reasonably priced housing funds at a metropolis council assembly earlier this month.
Garcia beneficial that metropolis officers approve a $4.5 million mortgage from the reasonably priced housing bond and forgive the $1.7 million mortgage from 1995. The whole undertaking may value as much as $22 million and would lead to 63 one- and two-bedroom residences.
13 items can be for households that make lower than 30% of the world median earnings, round $20,300 yearly for a one-person family and $29,000 for a four-person family, and 50 can be for households underneath the 60% AMI threshold.
Providers like meals, monetary literacy and well being applications and facilities like a health heart and enterprise heart with free Wi-Fi can be added. Items can be renovated to higher accommodate residents with disabilities.
A number of metropolis council members endorsed the trouble, however will make a remaining choice later this month.
“I’m so pleased with 111 West Travis,” stated Councilwoman Sukh Kaur (D1), who represents the district the residences are in. “It was a possibility for that constructing to have gone to the market and probably fully rehabbed to be full market fee housing.”
Rehousing effort takes form
Pedro Alanis, the Housing Belief’s govt director, stated all residents might want to transfer out. The nonprofit is contracting with Franklin Property Administration to supervise the rehousing course of. Alanis stated the brand new property managers are serving to residents tour residences in and out of doors the Housing Belief’s portfolio.
The nonprofit will even assist residents with deposits, utility charges and shifting bills, Alanis added.
The renovations may take greater than a yr. Alanis stated the timeline continues to be tough as a result of the Housing Belief is in search of tax credit for low-income housing and historic buildings, however the undertaking may very well be carried out on the finish of 2028.
Present residents could have a possibility to then transfer again in. Alanis stated they are going to be notified 90 days earlier than development ends and get excursions of the rehabilitated Robert E. Lee residences.
“I anticipate some will love their new places and want to keep,” Alanis stated. “That is, after all, their selection. However once more, we will likely be paying for deposits, utility charges and shifting bills associated to their transfer again.”
Ruben Valdez, who has lived on the residences for 2 years, stated he would help the plan so long as the Housing Belief follows by means of on its guarantees.
“They stated that we may come again. Hopefully they’ll assist us out,” he stated. “That’s their phrase, hopefully they do it.”
Alanis stated the renovation is about serving these residents.
“On the finish of the day, it’s about offering residents with choices and help. They perceive the necessity to quickly relocate because of the extent of the renovation, and we now have had engagements with the residents to debate their imaginative and prescient for the property,” he stated. “In any case, we’re doing this to present them the dignity of residing at a neighborhood they may love for years to return.”
Different housing tasks
Metropolis council members are contemplating a half dozen reasonably priced housing and homeownership tasks, together with the Robert E. Lee residences, by means of the 2022 Reasonably priced Housing Bond. The six tasks would use $8.5 million in federal funding and $10 million in metropolis bond funds.
The tasks have been chosen by a committee of metropolis workers and native specialists who evaluated them primarily based on affordability, readiness, builders’ expertise, funds requested and different components. The 5 different tasks moreover the Robert E. Lee residences are:
Judy at Vida, 68 studio, one- and two-bedroom items close to Texas A&M College-San Antonio.
Aurora MLK, 288 one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom items on the East Aspect.
Heritage Estates at Medina, 86 one- and two-bedroom items on the West Aspect
Rancho Verano, 47 new $155,000 properties on the South Aspect
Casitas Reasonably priced Properties, 4 new $130,000 properties on the West Aspect
