Alamo Heights Neighborhood Group Files New Lawsuit to Block Argyle Club Expansion
Residents argue city officials improperly approved event hall project in residential neighborhood and violated zoning rules
SAN ANTONIO — A neighborhood organization in Alamo Heights has filed a new lawsuit seeking to stop a planned expansion of the historic Argyle Club, escalating a long-running dispute over whether city officials lawfully approved a project that opponents say will intensify commercial activity in a residential area.
The lawsuit, filed in Bexar County district court by the Neighborhood Preservation League of Alamo Heights and two residents, asks a judge to invalidate the ordinance that authorized the private club’s expansion and allowed larger events to be held on the property.
The challenge comes as the club prepares to begin construction on a proposed 10,000-square-foot event facility known as Argyle Hall after securing approval from the Alamo Heights City Council.
Opponents challenge legality of approval
The new lawsuit is separate from an earlier legal challenge that is now pending before Texas’ 4th Court of Appeals.
In that case, neighborhood advocates sued Mayor Al Honigblum and other city officials, arguing they lacked legal authority to implement the special-use permit because it was improperly approved. City officials have argued the claims are barred by governmental immunity, although a Bexar County judge recently declined to dismiss the case.
The latest lawsuit focuses on the city’s zoning code, arguing that private clubs and event venues are not permitted uses within the single-family residential district where the Argyle property is located.
The plaintiffs contend that because the underlying use is not authorized by zoning regulations, the city lacked authority to issue the special-use permit that allowed the expansion to proceed.
Conflict-of-interest concerns resurface
The lawsuit also revives concerns surrounding the City Council vote that approved the project.
In August 2025, the council voted 4-1 to grant the special-use permit. Opponents argue that two council members who participated in the vote were members of the Argyle Club and should have recused themselves.
City officials previously concluded that club membership alone did not create a legal conflict of interest requiring abstention.
Project opponents disagree, arguing the city’s ethics rules impose a stricter standard than state law. They contend the permit would have failed without those two votes.
Historic club at center of neighborhood dispute
The Argyle Club is a private organization with roughly 1,500 members that supports the Texas Biomedical Research Institute, which owns the property.
Located in a historic mansion originally built in the 1850s, the club hosts social gatherings, weddings and events for members and guests.
Neighborhood residents argue those events already create traffic congestion, parking shortages and noise issues. The proposed Argyle Hall, they contend, would make it easier to host larger and more frequent gatherings.
Club leaders have maintained that the expansion will improve operations by moving more activities indoors and reducing disruptions to surrounding homes.
Among the plaintiffs are neighborhood advocates Ann and Mike McGlone, who live near the property and have been among the most visible opponents of the project.
The case now places the future of Argyle Hall before the courts, where judges will be asked to determine whether the city lawfully approved one of the most closely watched development projects in Alamo Heights.