Laredo-based International Bank of Commerce (IBC) plans to convert part of its downtown San Antonio office complex at 175 East Houston Street into a JW Marriott hotel. According to design documents submitted to the city, IBC aims to redevelop IBC Centre I as a roughly 300-room luxury hotel under the JW Marriott brand, while maintaining IBC Centre II as office space.
The project includes a new building on a 0.2-acre parcel at 151 East Travis Street, which IBC acquired last year after Equity Secured Investments bought it at auction from Harris Bay. Harris Bay had previously abandoned plans for a smaller hotel development on the site. The new structure is expected to provide parking, a rooftop pool, and other amenities for hotel guests. HKS Architects & Designers and SWA Group are leading the design work, with Dimension Hospitality set to operate the hotel.
In their submission to city staff, the project team described the planned hotel as “a cultural and architectural anchor,” noting that it would integrate the historic Texas Theater façade with O’Neil Ford’s 1983 office building through adaptive reuse. They stated their goal is “a hospitality destination that honors San Antonio’s architectural heritage while leaning into the energy of the River Walk.”
This redevelopment comes after Visionworks vacated its large lease in the approximately 280,000-square-foot building in 2024. This departure left significant vacant space that IBC executives were hesitant to refill amid weak demand for downtown offices. Bernardo De La Garza, Executive Vice President at IBC Bank, has noted ongoing challenges in attracting tenants downtown due to competition from newer buildings offering more amenities.
IBC hopes to begin construction in spring 2026 but must first secure approvals from local authorities. The Historic and Design Review Commission will review aspects of the proposal related to massing and preservation of nearby historic elements; no hearing date has been set yet.
If approved, this conversion would increase downtown San Antonio’s supply of hotels and reflects a trend among property owners in Texas cities who are shifting focus from traditional leasing strategies toward mixed-use and hospitality projects as occupancy rates remain low.
