A new mixed-use development is taking shape in the gap between River North and Pearl. Construction crews have begun demolishing a roughly six-acre site near the San Antonio Museum of Art to make way for Jones Ave., a planned eight-building complex that local firm McCombs Enterprises is framing as a legacy project.
McCombs Enterprises, the San Antonio-based firm founded by the late Red McCombs, acquired the land from CPS Energy in 2023 for $29.5 million. Previously, the utility used the tract as a service center before moving to its current headquarters.
Original plans, acquired through a San Antonio Business Journal open records request, showed apartments, office, and hotel space flanking the River Walk, housed in mid- to high-rise buildings. Although a zoning amendment approved by San Antonio City Council in February still allows taller structures capped out at 15 stories, current renderings show a more architecturally interesting space with eight buildings covering more than a million square feet.
A plaza is flanked by shops and cafés.Rendering courtesy of Jones Ave.
McCombs and partner Turnbridge Enterprises have partnered with some architectural all-stars for the project, including Michael Hsu Office of Architecture, Studio8, and Lake Flato. The retail and hospitality section of the development, featured in an animated walkthrough of Jones Ave.'s site, is now envisioned at a more human scale with varied facades and lush landscaping throughout.
Under the current plan, roughly 300,000 square feet is set aside for multifamily housing, along with more than 60,000 square feet for restaurants, a 33,000-square-foot fitness center, 265,000 square feet of office space, and another 60,000 square feet for shops.
“Thoughtfully scaled and richly layered, Jones Ave. is designed to encourage exploration at every turn,” wrote the planners on the website. “A network of pathways, green spaces, and architectural moments created a natural rhythm and flow, where retail, dining, and cultural experiences are integrated with intention to offer both clarity and discovery.”
If completed, the project is expected to cost roughly $295 million, which will include a $35 million sum McCombs Enterprises is seeking in public funding. Although Jones Ave. does not yet have a set target date for its opening, the planners are targeting a 2028 debut.
