Bakke Development granted approval for Southtown ice house concept

Editor’s note: This story has been updated with the HDRC’s vote.

Local developer Bakke Development Corp.’s plan for an ice house and retail complex on a prominent intersection in Southtown was granted conceptual approval on Wednesday by the Historic and Design Review Commission (HDRC).

Bakke Development has already begun to build on 2.5 acres of land on both sides of South St. Mary’s Street at Mission Road and Lone Star Boulevard, a stone’s throw from the Mission Reach segment of the San Antonio River.

It first completed the renovation of a 1950s-era warehouse, 207 Roosevelt Ave., into office space, which the company moved into last May. For decades, the site was home to the Meier Bros. Monuments workshop, before Bakke bought the property in 2019.

In an interview in November, Brandt Bakke, an associate developer with the company, said the next phase would include converting an old metal structure into an ice house. Renderings also show a green space in the middle that could be used to host events or concerts, Bakke told the Heron.

“Our thought process is, establish the recreational use of the property with the ice house concept, and at least be able to attract people out here,” Bakke told the Heron. “And then you can start to build out these other pieces, whether it be one of these restaurant concepts, or maybe even do another office concept or something like that. But that’s kind of far down the line.”

[ Read more: Retail hub anchored by ice house planned for land near former Lone Star Brewery | Nov. 10, 2021 ]

The plan also include a parking lot next to a pedestrian bridge over St. Mary’s.

Bakke also told the Heron the property next to the river, where the iconic Lone Star Brewery sign stands, could become a bike or kayak shop.

Heron Editor Ben Olivo can be reached at 210-421-3932 | ben@saheron.com | @rbolivo on Twitter

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