SouthStar Communities is scheduled to start construction Feb. 26 after having to postpone the VIDA development for almost a year due to the pandemic. The project near campus will include homes, a Southwest ISD school, retail stores, restaurants, entertainment and nature trail.
SouthStar officials say the first phase of construction, which had been scheduled to begin in April 2020, will not affect traffic or parking on campus.
“It was just a matter of time to get back in the process of starting (construction),” Thad Rutherford, president of SouthStar, said.
“Last year was a very difficult year,” he said. “We hope this idea is going to bring a little bit of good news.”
This month’s groundbreaking was pushed back for several reasons. SouthStar originally had told The Mesquite it would start the first week of February. It was later scheduled for the following week because of a delay getting vendors on site, Gretchen Howell, a vice president at SouthStar said.
It was rescheduled to Feb. 26 after the winter storm struck San Antonio.
The VIDA development will take up 600 acres of land.
“Our project will grow everything in between the highway and Jaguar Parkway, and then out to Zarzamora,” Rutherford said.
VIDA construction will not disrupt the flow of traffic.
“Because that’s an area that’s pretty isolated from campus, we don’t anticipate traffic impacts as we get underway,” Howell said.
Cynthia Teniente-Matson, president of A&M-San Antonio, said this was a smart location to start construction since there won’t be much disruption.
First phase brings housing options
The project has been divided into six to seven different phases. It will take 10 to 12 years to develop.
The first phase will only be building homes in the northwest corner of the 600 acres between South Zarzamora Street and University Way.
“When you have a project of this size and magnitude, you start off with the things that are going to start off right away…we kind of know what works and what will bring more value into these communities,” he said.
SouthStar is expected to build 250 single-family homes throughout the first phase. Multifamily homes, duplexes and apartment buildings will be built later on. There will be new homes built each year.
“We feel confident we can get houses started in the $190,000’s,” Rutherford said. “We might even have some options in the low $300,000’s. The primary focus is to keep it attainable and affordable for people to buy and rent.”
Rutherford said the first phase is expected to be completed in about a year.
Howell said the first residents will be able to move in in a little over a year.
Students, faculty and staff are expected to be able to move in during the Spring 2022 semester.
Rutherford said multifamily homes are projected to be ready in Fall 2022.
Matson said new housing could be a good option for faculty and staff.
“If faculty and staff want to live there, they could live there and walk to campus or ride a bike to campus, be part of the campus community,” Matson said.
SouthStar has three different builders and about 40 different models to choose from.
“There’s so many different (housing) options because we recognize the university attracts so many different people who are either part of that culture, or want to be near it,” Howell said.
Different housing options will allow students, faculty, staff and their families to live closer to campus.
“We look at housing as not only a great convenience… but also really being a complement to the student housing offered now,” Howell said.
Rutherford said student athletes need housing options since they tend to spend more time on campus.
“They want to be on campus all the time. To practice, to be closer to their coaches, advisers and teachers,” Rutherford said.
Natalia Guajardo, a member of the softball team, said housing for student athletes is convenient for the team.
“It would just be more convenient for athletes to be here, especially for our morning workouts,” she said.
Guajardo said it would be easier to be with her team if they all lived near campus.
SouthStar wants to contribute to the evolution of campus life and bring more energy to campus, Rutherford said.
Rutherford said his goal is to bring the energy A&M -San Antonio has to the area 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
VIDA to include town center and trails
The VIDA development also includes a town center, the Zócalo. The Zócalo will be located directly in front of campus. It will take up around 30 acres.
SouthStar has not yet determined during which phase the Zócalo will be built.
“When we chose to call it The Zócalo, we envisioned the energy and nexus formed by Mexico City’s Zócalo,” Howell said. “It’s a place vibrant with activity. That is what we are planning for VIDA.”
Matson said this would create a retail-community living concept near campus. She said this is designed to support both the university and residents of VIDA.
The Zócalo will have parking, office spaces, entertainment, shops and restaurants. The Zócalo will be a space to host community events such as movie screenings and festivals. It will be a place full of nightlife.
“I really think it would be a good thing for this campus and the environment around here,” Guajardo said. “The closest thing to us is probably a 10-minute drive. Some people don’t have cars, so then having that nearby would be really beneficial for students.”
SouthStar will leave 35 acres of outdoor space and trails called The MAD, after Sen. Frank Madla.
“It will also have trail connectivity to the campus,” Howell said.
Construction will not increase traffic
Traffic flow will not be affected, but there will be more construction vehicles on the roads.
“There’s so much infrastructure already with University (Way) and Jaguar (Parkway)… they’re what’s called overbuilt,” said Rutherford. “They’re built larger than they need to be… They’re built to allow our cars to be on the road as well.”
Short term, there will be no changes done to the roads.
“Jaguar (Parkway) and University (Way) are beautiful roads,” he said. “We will not be closing them or tearing them up. We will not be stopping any flow of traffic. Hopefully the improvements we do in our community will actually help those roads.”
Rutherford said SouthStar will revamp the intersection at University Way and Jaguar Parkway so it is pedestrian friendly. Students and faculty have been complaining the intersection is difficult to cross.
“I can see how it’s a problem because it’s such a big intersection,” Guajardo said. “I would say stop lights could help.”
Construction starting in February will not affect parking along University Way.
SouthStar has been talking about building parking spaces for the university.
“We are talking to the university about better parking options; we want to think about everything,” Rutherford said. “Like can we build a parking structure that’s closer to campus that’s a benefit to the university.”
There will not be a groundbreaking event because of safety reasons.
Rutherford said SouthStar is committed to their development and will need the support of students and faculty.
“The university has set such a high bar, delivering this beautiful campus that has so many wonderful traditions and opportunities,” Howell said. “I think we look at this as our opportunity to achieve a similar bar on the other elements of campus life that really round out this campus experience.”
Matson said VIDA will help strengthen the campus community.
“VIDA is going to be brand new,” Matson said. “This project is important for an innovation zone that the university can be part of and have this outstanding community.”
