SAN ANTONIO – In an effort to further expand its downtown presence, the University of Texas at San Antonio has signed a letter of intent to purchase One Riverwalk Place, an 18-story office building near its southwest campus.

While the purchase still requires review and approval by the University of Texas System Board of Regents, the announcement comes as the university continues to expand its presence in downtown San Antonio.

“The opportunity to acquire One Riverwalk Place is of great strategic importance to us. It is adjacent to our Southwest campus, offers programming and placemaking opportunities, and is an incredible building and facility for our deep interest in academic innovation and the arts,” said UTSA President Taylor Eighmy in a UTSA Today article.

Built in 1981, the building was previously used by USAA. UTSA expects it will provide space for various academic departments and support services.

In addition, documents from a May 20 meeting with the UT System noted that the building will house student housing and experiential learning spaces.

If the proposed purchase is approved, UTSA would spend the next year communicating with academic colleges and community stakeholders. That process would continue throughout the 2024-2025 academic year, according to the university, and would likely end with a secured move in the summer of 2026.

“Our continued investments in downtown San Antonio promise to be a positive development for San Antonio and the overall growth of the university,” said Veronica Salazar, UTSA’s executive vice president for business affairs and chief financial officer.

The UT System’s board of directors is expected to vote on the acquisition during its meeting on August 21 and 22.

Expanding presence in the city centre

UTSA’s San Pedro I is a 15,000-square-foot, $91.8 million facility that houses the School for Data Science and programs focused on national security. Groundbreaking for its sister building, San Pedro II, will occur in October 2023.

“These facilities create tremendous collaborative opportunities to meet San Antonio’s workforce needs while providing students with a meaningful, career-focused education,” said Heather Shipley, UTSA’s provost and executive vice president for academic affairs.

In late May, the university closed the Institute of Texan Cultures at its Hemisfair location and planned a temporary move to Frost Tower while it finalized plans for the museum’s permanent location.

In keeping with its campus master plan and goal of building sustainable partnerships, UTSA hopes to benefit from students’ proximity to business and community partners.

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