Business

Living Inside the Box

Published

4 years ago

April 3, 2019

Editor

By Lisa Harrison Rivas

Local entrepreneur aims to bring more shipping container homes to S.A.

It’s no secret that in San Antonio and much of the nation home prices are on the rise. Affordability is an issue in many communities, and this has led to thinking outside of the box when it comes to creating housing that is both affordable and appealing. The tiny house option is one way some are downsizing their living space as well as their debt. Shipping container homes are another unique dwelling option.

Though not a new concept, these homes are not common in the San Antonio area, but master designer Anya K. Bartay wants to change that. She has designed a house on the East Side using two shipping containers, and she also can incorporate several of the 40′ x 8′ containers to build a multi-level home that’s as big as a traditional house. The base price for a 2,000 square-foot home is around $220,000.

Her love of design and architecture began when she was a child. She spent part of her childhood in Panama and said that experience helped her appreciate the value of what we have in the United States.

She also credits her life in Panama with spurring the creation of Project N.O.A.H which stands for Net Zero Affordable Housing. Bartay stresses she is not designing government housing but housing that is affordable.

One of the homes she designed sits on the East Side and will become an Airbnb rental so that people can see what a shipping container home is like before they buy one. And soon, Bartay and her family will move into a container home she is building in Northeast San Antonio. It will be a model home she and her family will be living in for a year to provide data on how the house impacts the environment.

“We’re going to work with UTSA, CPS, Eco Central on monitoring all of the systems that are going to be implemented in that house. The solar, the rainwater collection to see how much is real, how much we use. To see how less of an impact we create with that house.”

Bartay recently discussed her plans to bring more shipping container homes to San Antonio.

Q: What are you working on right now?

A: I’m working on a partnership with a factory that is already building shipping container homes to facilitate my need for the construction and to help them with their need for sales. We do have a subdivision that we have in mind. The owners of that property (on the Southside) said they will give us the land and we will create a neighborhood.

Q: Why would someone choose to buy a shipping container home?

A: The first thing is safety. The container is resistant to tornados, hurricanes, torrential winds. Lots of construction won’t withstand those different disasters.

Q: How do people react to your project?

A: When I give them a proper understanding of what container homes could look like, their reaction is wonderful.

Q: How did you become interested in building shipping container homes?

A: What I did was start doing searches and finding out what would be acceptable to present to people I worked with who needed a little bit of financial assistance getting their architectural needs met. So, shipping containers came up.

Q: Have you talked to city officials?

A: I have presented this to Bexar County Commissioner Tommy Calvert Jr., Senator Jose Menéndez, Neighborhood Housing Services of America and SAHA. And they’ve all agreed to using it.

Q: So how did you get training to build these homes?

A: Once I had a nonprofit ask me about my designs, and then I got an investor. I looked up the details on YouTube and I put them into practice and started doing the work myself. I’ve been drawing it for years, so it’s just doing it now.

Q: Describe your style

A: I have 75 percent masonry on the outside and all the different means that everyone has for permanent housing. We are embedded into the foundation. And one of the biggest things is that we provide a thermal insulation coating and a rust-o proof coating for the container so that we avoid mold or any kind of disease.

Q: How much would a basic container home cost?

A: $110 a square foot (40-foot long containers are used). We have closing costs and money down assistance for an FHA or conventional loan.

Q: What type of foundation do the homes have?

A: We can do piers if you have elasticity in the soil. And you can do a regular slab on grade if you have nice solid bedrock.

Q: How long does it take to complete?

A: It should take no more than three months, but we’re going to be striving for one and a half. Most of the construction happens in one day. If it’s a custom, we’ll say three to six months.

Q: What are some of the things you can do to customize a container home?

A: Instead of sheetrock, you may want to use wood paneling, or put brick on the outside, or have an accent wall. You can do a lot of different variations of finishes.

Q: Do you help clients come up with a design?

A: We try to help get the psychology behind the client’s needs and implement it into the design.

Lisa Harrison Rivas is a Realtor with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, Don Johnson Realtors. If you are planning to buy or sell, feel free to contact her at 210-380-9006 or lhrivas@realsa.com

Business

San Antonio Airport to Set Record for Travel During Memorial Day Weekend

Published

2 weeks ago

May 25, 2023

Editor

More people are packing their suitcases for trips in and out of San Antonio International Airport (SAT) than ever before. SAT will see a record-breaking number of travelers – close to 190,000 total – from Thursday to Memorial Day. During that 5-day period, there’s an estimated 14% increase in scheduled seats to and from SAT compared to 2019 and a 19% increase since last year.

“We’re expecting the busiest Memorial Day weekend travel in our airport’s history,” said Jesus Saenz, Director of Airports, San Antonio Airport System. “People want to fly and it’s getting more affordable to do so. We are seeing more competitive fares with the addition of Spirit Airlines over the last year – and that’s helping our travelers find better deals on flights that are too good to pass up. We’re also expecting our busiest summer ever, but right now we’re focused on making sure everyone has a smooth experience in the days ahead.”

According to the Transportation Security Administration, here’s a day-by-day breakdown of how many passengers are expected to fly in and out of SAT:

Thursday: 38,514
Friday: 38,600
Saturday: 34,000
Sunday: 38,100
Memorial Day: 37,700

Fly Away Valet has also set records recently. Earlier this month, the company reported a gigantic increase in parking spaces at SAT since the service began in 2020. The service started with 80 spaces and now has 500.

Last week, valet operations were consolidated to the Short-Term Parking Garage for both pick-up and drop-off of vehicles.

For more information and to watch a video showing how to valet park at SAT, please visit the airport’s website.

Business

Job Fest 2023

Published

2 weeks ago

May 22, 2023

Editor

Mark your calendars for JobFest 2023, happening on Thursday, June 1 from 4 -7 p.m. at the ATT Center. Whether you’re a recent graduate, looking for a summer internship, or seeking professional development opportunities, JobFest is the place to be!

We are seeking youth looking for Internships, part-time, and full-time positions. This is a no-cost, in-person event at the AT&T Center. Register today and connect with local employers with various positions in high-demand, high growth careers! To reserve your spot, go here.

Open to Youth 16-24 and the General Public

Opportunities include:

✅Internships

✅Part-Time Positions

✅Full-Time Positions

✅ Resume & Interview Skills

This is a partnership event from Texas State House Representative Barbara Gervin-Hawkins, in collaboration with Bexar County, City of San Antonio, Ready To Work, Goodwill Industries of San Antonio, Spurs Sports & Entertainment, and Workforce Solutions Alamo.

JOB FAIR TIPS FOR YOUR SUCCESS:

✔️Come dressed professionally

✔️Bring your updated Resume

If you would like help updating your resume, please visit any Workforce Solution Alamo Career Center location before the event or call (210) 224-4357 to make an appointment.

Business

Bexar County Couple Offers Counseling & Mentorship Program

Published

3 months ago

March 17, 2023

Editor

Community-based counseling is happening at Ken-Lyn Consultants and Associates, a vision Dr. Kenneth Brown and Dr. Lynda Brown had years ago. The couple is now considered a family counselor and life coach duo.

Ken-Lyn has been serving Bexar County since 2017 and has grown almost immediately from serving 3-5 clients weekly to serving 50-70 globally. One of their greatest accomplishments is their continuous “5-Star” ratings. Amazingly, of the thousands of clients that have chosen to write a review, they all have shared the same sentiment.

Dr. Lynda Brown is a product of the East Side, where her father, Dr. Walter Duncan, served as one of the leading dentists to Black clients. Her mom, Dr. Joan Duncan, spent 40 years as an educator and professor. Dr. Kenneth Brown’s mom was an office manager, church leader, and pianist in Southern Maryland.

The Brown’s services have taken them to faraway places such as Australia, Dubai, Italy, Hawaii, and Alaska. They travel to perform workshops and officiate weddings all over the country. The Brown’s business partner, Tiana Hill, is an Air Force veteran like Dr. Kenneth Brown. A University of Texas at San Antonio graduate, Hill develops all website and software programming, mentors the youth, and is also a parent in the program. Ken-Lyn’s associates and partners are specialists in their fields, such as nurse practitioners, military human resources, special education professionals, attorneys, doctors, pharmacists, information technology specialists, movers, mechanics, realtors, credit recovery, insurance brokers, and many more.

Ken-Lyn’s vast array of services is “everything family.” Their youngest client is four years old, and their oldest is 86. They have assisted over 110 students to get into four-year universities, helping them earn over $5.2 million in scholarships. Their clientele is diverse, from local families simply trying to keep their child in school to West Coast entertainers, East Coast politicians, doctors, lawyers, police officers, active military and veterans. They also serve as educational advocates during 504/IEP meetings from the school conference room to the Texas Education Agency and the Office of Civil Rights as needed.

Ken-Lyn Consultants and Associates has been where undergraduate psychology students come to “cut their teeth” and learn how to run a practice and market their services. As of spring 2023, 80% of their undergraduate interns have come from UTSA. Interns serve in the tradition of “camp counselors” as they aid students within the Ken-Lyn mentorship program.

They say, “We monitor grades. We aid them with everything from hygiene, makeup application, grooming, and college prep to cleaning and organizing backpacks. We help our mentees to discover themselves, despite the possible odds and misunderstandings they may face daily.”

This spring, Ken-Lyn has a busy community schedule while serving clients daily:

Their office has recently expanded, and on March 23 at 6:30 pm, they will host a brief “Business Blessing Ceremony.” Dr. Otis Mitchell, pastor of Mt. Zion First Baptist Church, will officiate.
On Thursday, March 30, the six-week “12 Steps Toward Communicating Better” workshop will conclude at the Windmill Ice House at 2769 Nacogdoches Rd, featuring artist Elizabeth Holmes and the Ken-Lyn Communicators Band.
Their mentorship program will host female and minority pilots at the Boerne Stage Field, 100 Boerne Stage Airfield, on Sunday, March 26at 5 pm.
Other mentorship guest speakers this semester will include professionals in tech fields, professors, and adults who have turned their lives around for themselves and their families.
Every semester, students in their program will tour at least two colleges. This semester, they will visit Our Lady of the Lake University and Texas A&M University at College Station.

To learn more about Ken-Lyn’s services, visit (KenLynConsultants.com) or call 210-761-4345.