From the start, the people behind an ambitious office-to-residential conversion ongoing downtown since last fall have pointed to a major asset, the San Antonio River Walk.
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But it wasn’t always that way. In 1929, when the Tower Life Building joined the skyline, the developer saw it differently, and built the structure with its back to the river.
In the almost-century since, flood-proof walls blocked access.
That will change with the plans now coming into focus for riverfront retail at the base of San Antonio’s iconic skyscraper.
In 2022, McCombs Enterprises partnered with real estate investor Jon Wiegand and developer Ed Cross to acquire the Tower Life Building at 310 S. St. Mary’s St. from descendants of the construction and engineering magnate H.B. Zachry.
The developer team then launched a major renovation of the 31-story, historic structure, following a nationwide trend with plans to turn office spaces into a residential tower with 244 units, five penthouse-level units and a full suite of modern amenities.
The project is expected to be completed later this year.
McCombs Enterprises recently filed a notice of the next stage of the project — renovating the river- and street-level of the building for retail spaces in keeping with design renderings the developer released in 2023.
The filing estimates a cost of $3.5 million for the 23,000-square-foot remodel that would be completed in April 2027. The city’s Historic and Design Review Commission approved plans in May that were submitted by San Antonio-based Beaty Palmer Architects.
Though he’s not ready to release other details, real estate investor and project lead Jon Wiegand said it won’t be a traditional retail project, but something that supports the neighborhood, from coffee to cocktails.
“Tower Life isn’t being redeveloped as a retail project with apartments above it,” Wiegand said. “Rather, the building is being redeveloped as a residential neighborhood whose ground floor happens to be one of the most compelling retail opportunities in San Antonio.”
Designed by noted architect Atlee B. Ayres, and built on the eve of the Great Depression, the Gothic Revival-style Tower Life was until 1968 the tallest building in San Antonio.
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The first section of the River Walk wasn’t completed until 1941, about 12 years after the Tower Life.
Until then, “the river was a ditch,” developer Ed Cross said during a pre-construction tour of the property. “So what we call the back of house — the elevator, fire stairs and freight elevator — were all against the river which is now the most valuable property.”
The building’s earliest occupant was in fact a retail tenant. A Sears department store operated for 10 years on the first six floors, according to a National Register of Historic Places document, and guests of the adjacent hotel could enter the flagship department store through a tunnel below St. Mary’s Street.
Above the store, the tower adorned with stone gargoyles housed a bank of six elevators and offices for lawyers, insurance agencies and other business people.
The building’s future set of retail and food-and-beverage outlets hasn’t been determined, Wiegand said.
“Our objective is to curate a cohesive collection of experiences,” he said. “The limited amount of retail space gives us the opportunity to be highly selective and create a mix of concepts that serve residents, attract neighbors, and reinforce Tower Life’s identity as a vibrant mixed-use destination.”
In addition to McCombs Enterprises and Jon Wiegand, the developer team includes developer Ed Cross, and individuals from Front Porch Design Group, Alamo Architects and Jordan Foster Construction.
Also lending expertise in adapting heritage buildings for modern use is Wisconsin-based J Jeffers & Co.
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