Kingsway Development envisions hotel and more on Delmar and in Fountain Park

Kingsway Development envisions hotel and more on Delmar and in Fountain Park

Between Delmar Divine, the Delmar Maker District, Delmar Main Street, and the Kingsway Elevation District, there is concerted effort to bridge the Delmar Divide underway. There are some new tidbits on planned developments by Kingsway Development in the Kingsway Opportunity Zone, which encompasses Delmar from Kingshighway to Taylor as well as the Fountain Park and Lewis Place neighborhoods, in the LCRA Board May 23rd meeting agenda. We see some of the same developments seen in 2021 plus some new and perhaps indication of hope for some Fountain Park landmarks.

NextSTL – TIF District Created for Kingsway Elevation District

The Bridge at Delmar and Euclid to Walton is now 2.5 acres with 12,000 square feet of retail in three different areas, a set of amenities typical in large apartment buildings these days, 199 apartments (up from 155), and over 330 parking spaces. The description touts “excess parking” of 1.75 per dwelling unit. The estimated project cost is $62.7M. This has likely been stalled by the rising interest rates and materials costs.

The Delmar streetscape improvements project was awarded over $3M in the Governor’s Transportation Cost-Share Program. What is before the LCRA Board is a bridge loan of $750k to fund the soft costs that the state grant cannot cover.

New is a vision for another apartment building on three acres at Delmar and Taylor. In the concept stage as evidenced by the massing image rather than a rendering, the idea is for live-work apartments. The estimated project cost is $51M. The plans in the TIF application in 2021 showed the Kingsway Medical Center (phase 5) at the corner of Delmar and Kingshighway. The map of the opportunity zone below shows “5” at Enright and Taylor, so it may still be hoped for.

At the northeast corner of Delmar and Kingshighway is envisioed a Courtyard by Marriot, a 100-room hotel plus a 200-space parking garage to meet the “parking deficit.” It’s not clear from the description whether it would just replace the existing surface parking lots or also replace either the White Castle, the Aldi, or both.

The Kingsway Opportunity Zone map indicates some other projects. Number 8 indicates improvements to Fountain Park. Not sure what 9 or 10 indicate, maybe new homes and home rehabs. Number 11 indicates the rehab of Euclid School north of Fountain Park on Euclid Ave. Not sure what number 13 at Page and Taylor might be. The hotel is labeled Project 13, so there’s some confusion in the numbering.

The biggest cross-your-fingers glimmer of hope pleasant surprise is number 12, which is shown on the crown jewel of the buildings surrounding Fountain Park. Well it should be the crown jewel hosting a neighborhood gathering place. The current owner has sat on it for over 15 years letting it crumble.

4831 Fountain Park

Photo from 2021

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