All Aboard!

San Antonio's historic Sunset Station embarks on major transformation

Sunset Station is now The Espee.

A historic San Antonio venue is embarking on a major renovation. On November 21, East Commerce Realty announced ambitious plans to rebrand the underutilized Sunset Station into The Espee at St. Paul Square. The company also revealed it will transform the former train station into entertainment hub by spring 2020.

The name of the project is a nod to the development’s East Side location, formerly a stop along Southern Pacific Railroad's Sunset Limited train route. “The SP,” spelled “Espee,” is a common abbreviation by train enthusiasts.

The project, spearheaded by East Commerce Realty, LLC., includes real estate professionals Michael Jersin, Don Thomas, and David Adelman, as well as the marketing team behind Estudio Bradlio. The redesign will enhance six spaces to be used for concerts and other special events.

Improvements include additional parking and a new entry point to the complex. A plaza designed to hold 1,000 guests, The Espee Depot, will serve as a focal point to the grounds. The cost of the project was not disclosed.

"The vision for The Espee and St. Paul Square has always been to bring this historic location back to life,” said Thomas via release. "We see the potential that exists here, and we are confident that promoting The Espee as a music venue will help the East Side of downtown to continue to grow and prosper."

Once open, The Espee will be booked by Austin-based Margin Walker, which promotes shows locally at Paper Tiger as well as Austin venues like ACL Live at the Moody Theater and the Paramount Theatre. The company will begin announcing the slate of artists in the spring.

“San Antonio has so much to offer and The Espee venue will be a great place to showcase talent coming to south Texas,” said Margin Walker founder Graham Williams. “We are thrilled to start building a quality music program at such an important staple in San Antonio.”

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Take A Walk

New multifamily community opens near Stone Oak restaurants and shopping

Rendering courtesy of Greyson Luxury Living

The new community offers 291 units.

A new multifamily community is now open to prospective residents in San Antonio. Greyson Luxury Living comprises 291 units at 1734 N. Loop 1604 West, with a focus on lifestyle amenities. But the location will be the main draw for many.

Apartment floor plans range from one to three bedrooms, starting at $1,317 for one bedroom and one bathroom, and working up to a base price of $2,611 for three bedrooms and two baths. The community's pet policy according to the website is: "We welcome all your furry friends at Greyson."

Residents will get reserved parking and a garage with EV charging stations, but it might not always be necessary to hop in the car. The apartments are directly adjacent to restaurants like Cover 3, Eddie V's Prime Seafood, and Blü Prime Steakhouse — not exactly everyday eats, but there's tons more at the Vineyard Shopping Center and the Stone Oak neighborhood's Blanco Market Shopping Center across the highway.

In addition to restaurants, the community is less than a five-minute drive from H-E-B Plus, Whole Foods Market, Target, fashion and furniture stores, and multiple fitness studios like StretchLab and LA Fitness.

A press release promises wood-style flooring, quartz and granite countertops, and ceramic tile backsplash. On the more utilitarian side, it offers single-basin sinks, kitchen islands, "spacious" pantries, a stainless-steel Energy Star appliance package, and washer and dryer connections. (Images shared by the complex so far appear to be more illustrative of the desired vibe than the actual space.)

Every floor plan also shows a private patio or balcony. The most expensive floor plan — the three-by-two — has a wraparound outdoor space.

For shared spaces, a resort-style pool with a tanning shelf (a very shallow area for placing lounge chairs) and bike storage encourage residents to get outside, and a dog wash station makes it easy to leave dirt and hair outside of apartments. There's also a fitness center, a clubhouse with wi-fi, elevators, and concierge services.

“We developed Greyson as a luxury multifamily community aimed to fit any type of lifestyle, and we are grateful for all of our partners that helped bring this project to life,” says Ed Garahan, partner and CEO at Carbon Companies, the development firm heading the project.

Carbon Companies also sold the Addison Medical Center Apartments, Ventura Ridge, Triomphe Apartments, and Pecan Springs Luxury Apartment Homes, with more in the works in San Antonio.

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