South Lamar Plaza businesses begin packing up
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Tenants of the recently sold South Lamar Plaza are now packing up after receiving eviction notices earlier this week.
The shopping plaza located on South Lamar Boulevard about a half-mile south of Barton Springs Road was sold earlier this month after nearly a year of speculation. All of the tenants, except for the Alamo Drafthouse movie theater and the High Ball bowling alley, were instructed to move out within 60 days.
The South Austin Gym has been at the shopping plaza for 30 years. Randy Palmer has owned the gym for the last decade.
"There is one rule that we can all follow and everyone can agree with me on this," Palmer said. "Money rules over everything."
When developed, the nine-acre site will be a modern mixed-use plaza with more than 400 apartments, but it won't be home for Keith Ayers any longer
Ayers has lived for 20 years in a 12-unit apartment complex on the $9.5 million-appraised property. Now he has to find a new place to live in a city he hardly recognizes.
"It's become a cash-catcher-tourist trap for people to come and check out each other’s watches and shoes and play with their cell phones," Ayers said.
The South Austin Gym has found a new home near Manchaca and Stassney Lane.
Once the Lamar Plaza redevelopment is complete, it will offer 85-thousand square feet of retail space.