Weston Urban add to Downtown San Antonio portfolio

Weston Urban continues to make a mark on San Antonio’s city center.

The firm recently purchased a 2-acre lot with a La Quinta Inn at 900 Dolorosa St., which now gives the developer control of the entire 4-acre block, the San Antonio Express-News reported.

Deed records show that Next to Denny’s LP, in partnership with Weston Urban, bought the property from Cavalier Texas LP for an unknown amount. The property was valued at $8.2 million in 2022, though, according to the Bexar Appraisal District. 

Weston Urban also owns the neighboring Washington Square office building, comprising an additional 1.95 acres at Dolorosa. CEO Randy Smith said the firm has no imminent plans for the newly purchased building, but its close proximity to University of Texas at San Antonio and their expanding campus was a motivating factor behind the deal. 

“Our bullishness on that stretch of downtown has only been amplified by UTSA,” Smith told the outlet. “We just felt like, given our current investment there at Washington Square, that it made all the sense in the world from a long-term perspective.”

The firm has acquired over 22 acres of land in downtown San Antonio since starting operations in 2012. They own another 1.8 acre block down the street, including San Pedro Creek, which is currently being developed into a park with walking trails, landscaping and art. 

Weston Urban is planning on building a 16-story tower with over 300 apartments, offices and retail space where the Continental Hotel, Arana building and Melchio de la Garza house formerly stood. The firm partnered with nonprofit Bexar County Public Facility Corp. as part of the multi-structure redevelopment – the nonprofit as the buyer and Weston as the leaser, making the new project tax exempt.

One of the firm’s biggest projects currently is finding a new site for the San Antonio Missions baseball team, as they were one of the investors to purchase the team last year along with Spurs legends Manu Ginobili and David Robinson, among others. A potential site is at the former Fox Tech High School baseball field, which Weston is set to acquire from the San Antonio Independent School District, the outlet reported.

In addition, the firm is building a 32-story tower with about 354 apartments and is expected to open next spring. 

-Quinn Donoghue