San Antonio: Omaha Developer Shelves Business Park Plan for Multifamily
Feature Photo (above): Dial Ike Drive curves left and right from a back street exit of the Walmart Supercenter at Walzem Road. An 88-unit multifamily complex is being planned for the lots that line Dial Ike.
Posted: 9-18-2019
by Adolfo Pesquera
San Antonio (Bexar County)–An Omaha, Nebraska developer with land investments in northeast San Antonio has shelved plans for a business park and instead plans to be an 88-unit multifamily community with a recreational green space.
Land use and zoning attorney James Griffin of the Brown & Ortiz law firm requested and obtained a zoning change Tuesday from the Zoning Commission. The 8-acre site west of the intersection of Walzem Road and Dial Ike Drive was zoned General Commercial and recommended for conversion to Limited Density Multifamily.
Griffin told the commission the site was platted and zoned for a business park about 15 years ago. The Dial Companies, as developer, had the properties on the market for years.
“Obviously, that never took off,” Griffin said.
Operating through a special purpose entity, Dial Eisenhauser LP, Dial Companies now wants to construct 44 duplex buildings for a total of 88 apartment units.
Concept rendering of the style duplex The Dial Companies plan to build. Courtesy: Dial Eisenhauser LP.
Griffin met with area residents through Walzem Road Area Revitalization, a community redevelopment district. Responding to their concerns that the neighborhood lacked green spaces for children to play, he said the developer would includes trails and a small soccer field adjacent to a planned detention pond that is to be construction on a southeast lot within the development.
The total recreational area will be about 1.5 acres, he said.
When Dial Companies laid in the infrastructure and roads for a business park, the area around a dead-end cul-de-sac became a destination for illegal dumping. Griffin added during his presentation that all the accumulated debris would be cleaned up.
The project site is comprised of nine lots that are divided into three sections by Dial Ike Drive and a private road that leads to a Walmart Supercenter. Within walking distance, there is also an HEB supermarket, Goodwill Store, Walgreens, and numerous small retail and restaurant enterprises.
When asked by the commission whether there would be any other green spaces, Griffin said each duplex would also have its own front and back yard.
He added that total impervious cover will be about 40-to-50%.
The Dial Companies land holdings by Walzem Road. The area shaded red is designated for multifamily development; in green, for open space recreational use; in blue, for commercial. Image: Google Earth.
A week ago, Sept. 11, the Planned Commission approved a request to amend the land use plan. This opened the way for a zoning change.
Dial Companies also owns the vacant lot at the northwest corner of Dial Ike and Walzem. That remained zoned for business. Given its location, it will likely become more attractive to retail businesses once the multifamily project is completed.
Dial Companies is a private real estate investment, development and property management company that operates in 11 states in the Midwest and Colorado. Projects include development in office, retail and multifamily.
adolfo@virtualbx.com
