By Tony Cantú
Contributing Writer

The founders of the Alamo Heights Neighborhood Association attribute the group’s growing ranks largely to a single cause: a trend of residential demolition they see as threatening the very character of their community.

“Neighbors are very united and very vocal,” said AHNA founder John Joseph. “They realize what these broad guidelines mean, and are suddenly very sympathetic to what other people have gone through. They realize the impact this will have on their privacy, air, light and trees.”

Residents have voiced concerns since the demolition trend began in earnest a few years ago. But council members – while voicing empathy – note they are bound by state law to accommodate residents’ desires to alter homesteads and are unable to deter the trend, as a result, Joseph sees that stance as having ignited something of a grounds-swell among residents joining the AHNA a scant year ago. “We started last May with 15 people and have been growing at a rate of five to 10 members a month, in the last month adding 20 new members. We now have 110 members.”

A tally of residential knockdowns since 2004 – obtained by the North San Antonio Times under the Texas Open Records Act – speaks to members’ concerns. In just over three years, at least 86 residential demolitions – sometimes several on a single day – have been approved.

In a city where the Alamo Heights Independent School District is gearing up to celebrate its centennial next year, demolitions continue at a brisk pace often after the standard designation of a lack of “historical significance” to any of the sites is assigned.

Joseph and the AHNA beg to differ, arguing the nature of their village – where residents are proud of being ’09ers in allusion to their affluent ZIP code – is in jeopardy. But from Abiso and Bluebonnet to Katherine Court and Patterson, the trend shows no signs being halted.

The teardown tally supplied by city officials actually indicates a diminished level of demolitions since the 30 approved in 2004. The following year, 23 demolitions were approved, followed by 17 and 16 in 2006 and 2007, respectively. But Joseph said the lowered numbers lately have been offset by a new facet to the demolition trend, which shows resurgence in condominium development at sites where houses once stood.

Joseph sees this trend-within-a-trend as particularly disturbing, especially in light of a soft real estate market. AHNA members fear Alamo Heights may blaze its demolition trail only to see a glut of condos on the market, he said.

“These builders and developers don’t realize that there’s a pretty big inventory of unsold, expensive condominiums in Alamo Heights and they keep building more and more,” he said. “Alamo Heights has been an easy target because it has the highest per-square-foot sales price in San Antonio, so builders and developers can make the biggest profit here. They can buy a single-family house on a lot and cram four, sometimes six units on that lot.”

He said one recent example best illustrates members’ concerns and also evidences what wholesale demolition approval is capable of yielding. Council previously gave approval for a 10-unit condo development to be built at 110 Chichester Place, only to see the applicant reapply for approval a redesign accommodating 20 units with room for 40 parking spaces.

The redesign has ignited much city discussion, some residents likening it to a “bait-and-switch.” Nearby neighbors worry about the likelihood of increased traffic, as well as the potential impact on drainage. A final determination for the amended structure has yet to be made.

Against a backdrop of an ever-changing landscape in Alamo Heights, Joseph said one thing is certain: The AHNA will continue to grow as residents seek to exert influence in stemming the demolition tide.

“It’s not like we’re having a campaign or drive. It’s just that this is the overriding No. 1 issue.”