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Building 125, the last building along Probandt Street at the back end of the property, will be partially demolished to make room for a new four-story, commercial/residential development. Blue Star Arts Complex is on the list of the National Register of Historic Places.
The San Antonio Current has obtained a notice that was distributed to Blue Star residents informing them of the plans. The letter indicated that a portion of Building 125, which is toward the back of the complex near the Probandt exit, will be torn down to make room for what is described as "a four (4) story building that will include commercial/retail space on the ground floor and up to twenty-for (24) apartment lofts on the second, third and fourth floors."
According to the letter, five current residential units will be affected. An email was sent out notifying those residents that they would need to vacate their units by August, according to one of these residents who does not wish to be identified at this time.
Blue Star Arts Complex, which is owned and managed by Lifshutz Companies, is on the National Register of Historic Places. Building 125 was built in the 1960s, according to property owners.
Lifshutz manages a number of other residential and commercial properties in downtown San Antonio including the Soap Works apartments in northwest Downtown, and the Cadallac Lofts near Madison Square Park.
A number of Blue Star residents accuse their landlords of lacking transparency regarding their future plans for the popular downtown space, starting with the way they were notified without any input on their part.
The San Antonio Current contacted Lifshutz Companies regarding plans for its mixed-used development. Representatives from the company confirmed sending the letter but declined to provide specific details, including whether their plans took into consideration their site's historic designation. One resident argued that improvements could not be made to her unit because of that designation.
"Our plan is to demolish the 1960s building, which contains 5 apartments, at the south end of Blue Star. We will replace it with a contemporary, and far more beautiful building, that will contain 23 apartments. We hope to have conceptual drawings in the coming weeks," owner James Lifshutz wrote in an email to the San Antonio Current.
We'll keep readers updated as this story develops.
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Blue Star Arts Complex property managers notified residents of a new 4-story mixed use development planned for the historic property.
