Overniter motel redevelopment (2018-2025)
Developers began fielding proposals in 2018 for the Overniter motel on North Temple,a site locals associated with crime and drug activity. The city ultimately selected a mixed-use project called Sparks,backed by $15.5 million in public funds.
The motel was demolished,reducing visible crime in the area,and construction began on the replacement development.
It set a precedent for city-backed,multi-income housing on the west side,converting problem properties into residential investment.
La Esquina follows the same playbook: converting underutilized west-side land into denser housing,with city support and community skepticism about affordability.
