A plan to convert the long-vacant Nix building in downtown San Antonio into apartments has taken a step forward after receiving a historic tax certification from the San Antonio Historic and Design Review Commission (HDRC). The 23-story tower at 414 Navarro Street, which was once a hospital, is set to be transformed by Houston-based Innjoy Hospitality into 329 apartments with ground-floor retail space.
The HDRC approved the historic tax certification unanimously through its consent agenda. This approval allows Innjoy to seek state and federal historic tax credits via the Texas Historical Commission and the National Park Service. The project had previously received conceptual approval from HDRC in August. However, if any changes are made to the nearly century-old building, a certificate of appropriateness will be required before construction can begin.
Local tax relief is also part of the redevelopment plan. If approved by the Bexar County tax assessor-collector, the property would be exempt from ad valorem taxes for five years following renovations. After that period, it would be taxed at half its market value on a rolling five-year basis under city regulations.
Details submitted as part of the historic tax credit application indicate that Innjoy intends to divide the ground floor into four retail spaces while converting upper floors into studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom units. Construction is expected to start in January with completion targeted for 2028. XA Collective Architecture + Planning, HM3 Engineering, and A-1 Engineering are involved in design and engineering.
Innjoy acquired the more than 300,000-square-foot building in 2020 after Nix Health closed operations there in 2019. Since then, most of the property has remained empty except for restaurant space operated by Landry’s at river level. The developer originally considered turning it into a hotel but shifted plans toward multifamily housing due to changing market conditions.
A previous state filing projected an early 2025 construction start date; however, this was delayed because of financing and approvals.
