The Unsung Heroes of San Antonio
San Antonio Construction Projects Hot List
There are those who do things to get noticed. We’ve all seen them. And that’s the point. They do their best to put their best foot forward and make sure the world notices them.
And while that’s all well and good, there are tons of people around us every day that are making a massive difference in this world. Their accomplishments tend to go unnoticed.
In the San Antonio area, many of those unsung heroes are the construction companies that are moving industry and progress forward in a big way. Their projects range in size from small to gigantic; however, one thing that is true throughout is the fact that they are helping our community in a big way.
Varay Managed IT is privileged to recognize some of the awesome construction companies in the San Antonio area. As we do our best to make sure all their IT needs are met and efficiently taken care of, they are in turn taking care of all of us by building a better future for our community.
They indeed are the unsung heroes of San Antonio. And today, we want to take some time to tell you about just a few of their accomplishments. Since they’re too modest to brag, we’re going to do it for them and shine the spotlight on some of the construction projects around the area that are going to have a substantial positive impact on San Antonio.
Sundt Construction - CPS Energy’s New Headquarters
Taking on large projects is something that Sundt Construction does very well. But for them, it’s not the size of the project. It’s making sure they accomplish the goal in the safest way possible.
CPS Energy needed a new headquarters to accommodate the 1,200 contractors and employees that work there. Their choice of a 5.3-acre facility in downtown San Antonio was a perfect fit. However, the building was in pressing need of updating and modifications.
The 43,000 square foot building, including two separate towers (14 and 11 stories tall) and a connector building that stands at three stories tall, were gutted entirely, allowing Sundt Construction to start basically from the ground up. Exterior modifications are also part of the plan which will give the building an entirely new look.
Several companies bid on the project; however, Sundt won out for several reasons.
First on that list was their culture of safety that permeates the company. It’s safety first and safety always at Sund Construction. CPS also pointed to their long history of using a diverse group of sub-contractors as another point in Sundt’s favor.
And finally, was the fact that Sundt had LEED certification experience. LEED stands for “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.” Companies that demonstrate their ability to build in an environmentally responsible manner have the best chances of earning the certificate.
The project was started back in late 2016 and scheduled for completion in late 2019.
Kopplow Construction - Stone Oak Office Park
This project is just getting going, but we couldn’t be more excited about it. Plans for the 220,000 square-foot office park have been underway for some time, however now the real work is getting started as Kopplow Construction breaks ground and begins the project in earnest.
This office park, named Ridgewood Plaza II, is going to be spanning some 15 acres of land. Besides the three stories, 97,000 square-foot orthopedic medical facility, there will also be about 123,000 square feet located in a four-story building that will serve as an office building. The shared immaculate courtyard will also have a 3-story parking garage for convenient access. And as if all that wasn’t enough, they left room for two new restaurants within the plaza.
As construction gets underway, Kopplow Construction is looking for a summer 2020 opening date for the facility.
When finished, the medical facility will be home to TSAOG Orthopaedics, a highly respected office with an excellent reputation in the community and will be sure to be a draw for other local businesses.
Another major draw will be the efficient, responsible design of the buildings. They will have 10-foot tall ceilings, mechanical systems designed for energy efficiency, 30,000 square foot floor plates, and plenty of convenient parking. Plus, the site’s proximity to Highway 281 will allow there to be proper signage as well.
The plaza is more than just buildings and parking spaces. There will be a plaza with lounges for tenants, showers and locker rooms inside, and outside in the landscaped courtyard, there will be plenty of bike racks, picnic spots, and informal meeting areas.
With their long history of quality work in the San Antonio area, Kopplow Construction was the right pick for this job.
Byrne Construction - Soto & Schertz Fire Station
Soto: Spanish for “small forest near a river or grove of trees.” A fitting name for the Cavender office project that has the claim to fame of being Texas’ very first mass timber construction project. Also, it is located right near the San Antonio River. Mass timber construction building right near a river - Soto (“small forest near a river”). A name very well chosen for this project.
Byrne Construction was chosen by the developers to be the general contractor for the Soto building. The Soto will end up as a six-story, 140,000 plus square foot office building. In addition to that broad swath of office space will be about 10,000 square feet of retail space on the ground floor of the building which will be great for increasing foot traffic.
The decision to go with timber frame construction instead of concrete and steel wasn’t easy. However, the company behind Soto chose to go with a more sustainable approach by using renewable resources instead of the more common synthetic materials. The goal with this choice was to reduce any negative carbon footprint and build in an environmentally responsible manner.
In addition to all these positive factors, timber construction, if done right, can have certain structural advantages that make it a better choice to that of steel for building integrity.
And speaking of doing things right, the developers made the right choice when deciding to go with Byrne Construction. The company has a long history in San Antonio as well as a long roster of satisfied clients that prove their ability to complete projects satisfactorily. You do not have to look hard or far to come across any of their numerous construction projects around the community.
The crew at Byrne Construction are planning on completing the building toward the beginning of 2020 with tenants being able to move in around February of that year.
There is no doubt - San Antonio is a growing location. The many smaller cities surrounding the greater San Antonio area are also growing. With this in mind, we must mention another project that Byrne Construction is working on that is helping these areas grow, expand, and move forward.
Infrastructure is vital to any city or town. Water, power, and sewer are all critical to a location’s ability to progress. However, just as important are emergency services. Our emergency responders have a huge responsibility that they perform wonderfully. However, as a location grows, it can be challenging to meet the rising demand for emergency services if expansion doesn’t take place.
The building that Byrne Construction is building will be the third fire station in Schertz. Estimates say that this expansion to a third station will reduce the response time of these emergency services by 50-560%. That’s a lot.
The new fire station was made possible by a bond that was passed by the community in 2015. The facility will be 12,000 square feet with 2 ½ bays. The expansion will provide a hub for the departments Number 3 fire engine, a 3rd brush truck, a reserve engine, as well as an EMT vehicle and ambulance. The new station will also serve as a second home to the 12 firefighters employed there. With seven bedrooms, there will be plenty of room for the four on-duty firefighters at any given time.
Byrne Construction broke ground and is shooting for a late summer 2019 completion date.
Joeris General Contractors - Robbins Natatorium
If you are looking for places with significant changes in store, look no further than Alamo Heights Independent School District. Anyone who has experienced the joys of Texas heat knows how welcome the calm waters of a swimming pool can be. The new swimming pool complex coming to the Alamo Heights Independent School District will be a welcome addition.
Located on the campus of Robbins Academy, The Robbins Natatorium (a fancy word for indoor swimming pool) will be about 41,000 square feet of space sitting by the Alamo Heights Tennis Center. The plan for the facility is to use it for local and national swimming competitions. Having this located in the San Antonio area will be a boost to the city as people come from all around to compete.
Joeris General Contractors were chosen to head up the project, which was a smart choice given Joeris General Contractors stellar history of significant projects in the area. They also have a reputation for being trustworthy and able to handle big projects like the Robbins Natatorium.
Joeris General Contractors are no strangers to K-12 construction. Upwards of 60% of the company’s revenue comes from educational construction projects. While the Robbins Natatorium is underway, Joeris will be busy with several other projects around the area including the Alamo Heights Junior High, Cambridge Elementary, Woodridge Elementary, the Howard Early Childhood Center, and the Alamo Heights High School.
With their focus on community involvement and building positive relationships, Joeris General Contractors are demonstrating why they are an excellent choice for this project.
Guido Construction - Alameda Theater
Culture is vital. Culture encapsulates our history, where we have come from and gives us direction and guidance as we go forward. It deserves protection and preservation. That is why Guido Construction is the right contractor for redeveloping the Alameda Theater.
If you have never heard of the Alameda Theater, here is a little history on the venue. Opening in 1949 on West Houston Street, the Alameda has been a staple of performance in the downtown area for over half a century. Prominent artists from all over the world, including Mexico, Spain, Latin America, and the US have performed there. In fact, at one point in its history, the Alameda Theater was the biggest movie palace in America expressly set apart for Spanish language performing arts and films.
Alameda Theater Conservancy which includes the Bexar County, La Familia Cortex, TPR, and the city of San Antonio itself set the project in motion. The construction will create even more entertainment space while at the same time preserving the cultural significance of the Alameda Theater. The goal is to breathe new life into the venue and restore it as a hub of culture, entertainment, and art.
When completed the Alameda Theater will have plenty of new space, including original broadcast and operation facilities in the stage house and a unique “black box” theater designed for exclusive performances.
Our history and culture are so vital to a thriving community. Guido Construction is doing a great job so far and is helping keep that culture and history alive and well in San Antonio.
Terramark Urban Homes - Dignowity Hill
As San Antonio grows and expands, so do the living options for residents and newcomers. A brownstone community is a beautiful thing when done right. It has a way of taking you back to simpler times when life was good, and communities were healthy and vibrant.
Terramark Urban Home is bringing just such a set-up to the City Center with their new development.
The Historic and Design Review Commission approved the project which is going to take place in two separate phases. In the end, there will be 26 new brownstone town homes gracing the area. In stage 1, Terramark is starting with 4, three-story duplexes right at the corner of North Swiss and Center streets.
Phase 2 is still in the works, but you can bet, with Terramark Urban Homes at the helm, that it will end up just as beautiful as phase 1 is looking.
Aesthetically, the buildings are looking beautiful. When all said and done, ivy will grace the sides of the buildings, giving you the feeling that maybe you aren’t in the middle of a city after all and instead in the quiet country. It will provide you with this feeling while still giving you the convenience of walking distance to all the amenities that San Antonio offers that you could need.
As if doing all the hard work of building the development and serving as the general contractor was not enough, Terramark also did all the designing as well. Demonstrating the Terramark honestly can do it all. Then you add on the fact that these houses are slated to sell for about $100k less than surrounding properties, you genuinely do have a winning combination. If you want to live close to downtown, but think you can’t afford it, think again. Terramark is doing a cool thing with San Antonio’s first brownstone development.
If you can’t wait, or if this location in City Center is not quite right for you, Terramark is making their mark on several different areas in and around San Antonio. Whether it is on Tobin Hill, the East Side, or Lower Broadway, properties like The Modern at Crockett, Russell Place, and The District Lofts, Terramark has plenty of impressive, high-quality offerings out there.
Alamo System Industries LLC - Hotel Indigo Riverwalk
There’s nothing like trying something new. When things have been done a certain way for an extended period, innovators shake things up, try new, different things. This change can have many positive effects and can help people think in a brand-new way.
Maybe that’s the reason that there are so many favorite TV shows that center around renovations. At their core, improvements are all about taking something always done one way and trying something new and different. That’s precisely what the Alamo System Industries LLC is doing with the Hotel Indigo along The San Antonio Riverwalk.
This several million-dollar project is going to be awesome. This unique location has 149 rooms in it and is having about $5 million invested in it to upgrade everything from the awesome riverfront patio to the pool area, to the food and beverage outlets, to the public areas, to the guest rooms. On top of all those changes, there are also going to be some significant modifications to the restaurant and bar that will take the hotel to the next level.
When it’s all said and done, the changes that Alamo System Industries LLC is going to make will make the Hotel Indigo Riverwalk into a central hub of activity on San Antonio’s iconic corridor.
San Antonio Construction Projects Summary
San Antonio is a fantastic place to live. And more and more people realize that a fact evidenced by the growth and expansion that we see in our city. When growth is happening, it quickly becomes apparent who the unsung heroes of the growth scene are - the construction companies that make that growth possible.
New buildings, expansions, renovations, modernization, updating - none of it could take place without the great San Antonio companies that work hard every day to help build the future of our community.
As a company that helps companies with their technology, Varay Managed IT gets to see firsthand how San Antonio’s construction companies are impacting our city. We love getting to partner with them and do our part as they move San Antonio forward.
Today, we’re spotlighting some of the excellent construction company that are working on some awesome projects around our area. On our list are companies like Sundt Construction, Kopplow Construction, Byrne Construction, Joeris General Contractors, Guido Construction, Terramark Urban Homes, and Alamo System Industries.
From brand new office parks to the restoration of historic buildings with decades of history, these companies are on the front lines of progress in San Antonio, and it is our pleasure to do a bit of bragging on their accomplishments!
Let Us Know if We Missed a Project, Please!
The projects we shared on this post are just a small list of impressive projects going on around San Antonio. We have barely even scratched the surface!
Who do you think deserves to be on this list? Do you have a construction company or building project in mind who deserves a shout out?
We would love to hear from you! We love bragging on the superb companies that are making a difference in our community. So, get in touch with us, and we’ll add them to our list!