By Tony Cantú
Contributing Writer

Alamo Heights City Council members approved another demolition request at their last council meeting – the latest in a growing list of tear-downs – on the same street where they recently approved converting two homes into a daycare center.

Council approved a demolition request March 24 to tear down the existing one-story house/attached garage at 121 Marcia Place and replace it with a two-story, four-unit condominium structure with attached garages. Council insisted on the installation of “soft directional exterior lighting” as a condition to approval.

The demolition is the latest one of at least 70 in recent years – to the chagrin of longtime residents bemoaning the erosion of Alamo Heights’ character – to be approved. Despite previous public outcry over the trend, the city received no written objections to the latest demolition request, according to a city memorandum by community development manager Jack Guerra.

The condo project will occupy dimensions more than five times those of the existing structure. Guerra noted the proposed structure would occupy 12,564 gross square feet – greater than the 2,200 gross square feet currently occupied. Correspondingly, the height of the proposed structure will increase from 16 feet to 30 feet, according to the memo.

Impending demolition is on the same street where council approved conversion of a pair of single-family homes into a daycare/kindergarten center in February. Located at 103 and 105 Marcia Place, the two homes are owned by the Archdiocese of San Antonio’s St. Peter Prince of Apostles Church. In approving that request Feb. 25, council members added a condition too – that St. Peter’s retain ownership and operation of the facility.

The fire department took center stage during a presentation by Interim Fire Chief William Woodward, related to recent recognition by Baptist HealthCare Systems. Hospital officials in February recognized the department’s participation in the Heart Alert program allowing for life-saving cardiac patient care prior to hospital arrival.

Traditionally, patients experiencing chest pains are administered a battery of tests – electrocardiograms, blood work and the like – once arriving at the hospital, Woodward explained. But because Alamo Heights EMS has specialized heart monitors for pre-treatment – indeed the city is one of the first Heart Alert participants — patients can be given hospital-level tests from the field, reducing pre-treatment hospital evaluation, Woodward noted.

On another front, council approved spending an amount not to exceed $335,000 from the unreserved general fund to install resin sleeves for deteriorating storm water lines along city streets. A pair of 24- and 36-inch lines – running along Patterson Avenue near Lagos Avenue and from Normandy Avenue to Ogden Lane between Columbine Street and Arbutus Street – are targeted for refurbishment.

Public works director Shawn Eddy explained the previously inspected lines exhibited “chronic failures,” including crumbling concrete and completely rusted floors. Insituform Technologies Inc., described as an industry leader in the resin technology, was charged to undertake the lines’ reconstruction.