San Antonio Office Tower To Become Residential

With the building more than half vacant, the new owners of the Tower Life Building plan to convert the historic tower into residences that could include affordable housing.

1 minute read

August 15, 2022, 8:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


A historic San Antonio office building is set to be redeveloped into housing with mixed-use facilities on the street level, reports Iris Dimmick for the San Antonio Report.

According to Dimmick, “While full details of the building renovation and unit rental prices are pending, according to building owners, the initial plan is to convert the office space into 234 housing units, half of which could be reserved for households who make 80% or less than the area median income (AMI) and 23 of the units for households making 60% AMI.”

At present, San Antonio’s Tower Life building is only 40 percent occupied, and the retail space on the ground floor has been vacant for more than two decades. The plan is a harbinger of the future of urban office buildings, many of which will likely be converted into housing as demand for physical office space falls and the housing shortage grows.

The plan to revitalize the building calls for removing the concrete barrier that blocks access to San Antonio’s River Walk, which at the time of the building’s construction in 1929 was still an untamed river that posed flood risk. Today, the River Walk is downtown San Antonio’s main attraction.

Tuesday, August 9, 2022 in San Antonio Report

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Bird's eye view of manufactured home park.

Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing

Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?

March 25, 2025 - Shelterforce

U-Haul truck on road with blurred grassy roadside in background.

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?

Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

March 27, 2025 - Alan Mallach

Rusty abandoned oil well and equipment with prickly pear cactus next to it in West Texas.

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage

Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

March 31, 2025 - Pennsylvania State University

Blue and white Amazon trucks parked at loading docks at warehouse.

Poorest NYC Neighborhoods Pay Price for Delivery Boom

The rise of ‘last-mile’ e-commerce warehouses — and their attendant truck traffic and air pollution — is disproportionately impacting the most historically disadvantaged parts of the city.

15 minutes ago - Inside Climate News

Aerial view of schoolyard in Oakland, California with newly planted trees, sports courts, and playground equipment.

Greening Oakland’s School Grounds

With help from community partners like the Trust for Public Land, Oakland Unified School District is turning barren, asphalt-covered schoolyards into vibrant, green spaces that support outdoor learning, play, and student well-being.

April 2 - FacilitiesNet

Power lines at golden hour with downtown Los Angeles in far background.

California Governor Suspends CEQA Reviews for Utilities in Fire Areas

Utility restoration efforts in areas affected by the January wildfires in Los Angeles will be exempt from environmental regulations to speed up the rebuilding of essential infrastructure.

April 2 - Los Angeles Times