SAN ANTONIO – Plans for a new, downtown baseball stadium got an early nod Tuesday, a little under two years before the minor league ballpark is expected to open.
The Historic and Design Review Commission voted unanimously—and without discussion—Tuesday afternoon to grant “conceptual approval” to designs for the 7,500-person ballpark as well as three related, private development projects.
- BALLPARK: A 4,500-seat minor league baseball stadium that can hold up to 7,500 people, located between Camaron Street and North Flores Street, along San Pedro Creek.
- 309 TRAVIS: A 27-story residential building with 410 units and a parking garage at 309 West Travis Street on a now-demolished portion of the Soap Factory Apartments. The project also includes the rehabilitation of an historic gymnasium.
- THE YARD RESIDENCES: A 14-story residential tower with 271 units and a 389-space, six-story parking garage located at 327 West Martin Street, to the south of the ballpark.
- THE YARD HOTEL: An eight-story hotel with approximately 160 rooms located at the corner of West Martin Street and North Flores Street.
The four separate projects still need final approval from the commission before they can get permits to build.
The Double-A baseball team, owned by Designated Bidders LLC, wants to build its $160 million stadium between Camaron and North Flores Street along San Pedro Creek, just south of the San Antonio ISD administration building.
Previous estimates put the ballpark’s expected completion before opening day in April 2028.
Team ownership is working with development firm Weston Urban — whose co-founders are also part of Designated Bidders LLC — on a plan to build about $1 billion worth of new private development in four phases to help fund the stadium’s construction.
The team would kick in $34 million, but the newly-created San Pedro Creek Development Authority is expected to provide $126 million in bonds, which would be repaid through a combination of annual lease payments, ticket fees and property tax revenue funneled through the Houston Street Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ).
However, before the bonds are issued, the first phase of private development has to be ready to go, and the design on the second phase of development needs to have begun.
Weston Urban Vice President of Multifamily Mark Jensen told KSAT they are still trying to secure financing for the three private development projects.
He did not have an estimate for when the firm would seek final approval from the HDRC, but said they hope to start work this year.
Jensen said he could not speak to the timeline for the baseball stadium.
A spokesman for the Missions told KSAT the ownership had no further comment about the project beyond a Mar. 26 news release, which stated “upon completion of the design phase and the HDRC’s review, financing and scheduling for building the facility will proceed.”
During a mid-January briefing to council members, city staff shared a preliminary schedule that put approval of bond issuance in June and the actual bond sale in July.
A city spokesman said staff plan to update the city council on the project in late April or early May.