The SOGRO Apartment complex, to be built at 4320-50 South Kingshighway in Southtown, is moving ahead.
The development, which replaces an old auto repair plaza and Armory building, will bring the first new construction apartment complex to South Kingshighway in decades and will be the largest single investment in the area in decades. The developer of the project is John Clancy, who is known for then Planet Fitness franchises around town. The architect is Dallas Texas-based Humphrey's and Partners.
Since my last story on the project, which was in August, the project has grown a little bit in the scale and cost categories. In August, it was reported that the SOGRO complex would include 333 apartment units in 5 buildings spread out over three phases with a phase 1 cost of $37.2 million and overall cost of $72.2 million. The latest plans call for 346 apartments in four buildings spread out over three phases with a phase 1 cost of $44.4 million and overall cost not specified, but estimated on my end at around $77 million-$79 million. The latest plans call for a 1:1 parking ratio, meaning that there will be 346 surface parking spaces.
Remaining the same from August is the recommended tax abatement by the LCRA, which is a total of 20 years with 15 years of the term being at 95% and the remaining 5 years at 90%.
It's hard to really tell what the unit breakdown of Phase 1 will be since the numbers are so fuzzy in the LCRA document, but it appears that there will be 175 apartments constructed in phase 1, which includes 3 of the 5 buildings. Phase 1 also establishes a street wall along Kingshighway, as seen in the rendering, meaning that the surface parking spaces will be hidden from view when passing by on Kingshighway.
No retail space is planned as part of the development. Previous reporting stated that construction would start in the Spring of 2021, but progress is no where to be seen at this point. The LCRA will review this project at their April 27th meeting.
The SOGRO joins a few other developments happening in this part of the City, all of which are spearheaded by Garcia Properties and whose purpose are to restore the historic commercial buildings that line Kingshighway with renewed commercial spaces and apartments.