It’s not one of San Antonio’s bright spots. The old Friedrich industrial complex is a rundown, desolate array of structures. They’ve been sitting there vacant, on 1617 E. Commerce St., for 30 years.

It’s taken five years since a developer was given the okay to work on the parcel, but now it’s time. The developer, Provident Realty Advisors, will need about 70 days to remove any hazardous material from the site. Project managers predict it will take six to nine months to complete the demolition work once it gets underway. When all the old material is gone, Provident plans to get started on the rental community.

The shuttered industrial building will be converted into 358 units of rental housing units, half affordable, half market rate. The project, to be called the Friedrich Lofts, carries a price tag of $93 million. The building should be done by September of 2025.