Revealing San Antonio’s Pearl — Revitalization of the Pearl Brewery
Located just north of downtown San Antonio on 22 acres alongside the San Antonio River is the former Pearl Brewery. Established in 1881 by J. B. Behloradsky as the City Brewery, the original brew house was located on the San Antonio River north of downtown. As a result of alot of history, the brewery underwent a few name changes. Not until 1952 was the brewery named Pearl Brewing Co., although the beer had been called Pearl Beer since the late 1880s. The brewery added other buildings over time, which are now the centerpiece of Rio Perla, a mixed-use revitalization development by Silver Ventures. The Pearl Brewery isn’t the only historic landmark that was taken and redeveloped. The Alamo Quarry Market was completed in 1998.
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One of the great things about this project is that it includes the continuing development of the San Antonio River (see, San Antonio Museum of Art, Figure 1). Aside from the Alamo, the Riverwalk is perhaps the most popular tourist destination in San Antonio (I’m sure there are statistics out there somewhere…sorry Sea World and Six Flags). The San Antonio River Foundation plays a large role in that development as well. Its mission is to secure community involvement and financial resources to enhance the natural beauty, recreational use and public appreciation of the entire River and its tributaries in Bexar, Wilson, Karnes and Goliad Counties. So, this means preseved green space and an extension of the Riverwalk (yes, Mark Cuban…it’s clean now).
The first of many phases has been completed according to this article on MySanAntonio.com.
Pearl Parkway, which the brewery created as its main entry boulevard from Broadway, has been spiffed up with new palm trees in the median. A new sign in classic 1950s style, with a big red lighted arrow pointing west, announces: “Pearl Brewery Est. 1883.”
Notwithstanding its original utilitarian purpose, the stable is an impressive building, a splendid example of late-19th century German bricklaying.
Lake/Flato Architects and Durand-Hollis Rupe Architects transformed a former garage into a spacious Aveda Institute beauty school and the adjacent Texas Farm-to-Table Cafe. Lake/Flato, master planners for the whole site, also designed the conversion of a simple shed building for the Center for Foods of the Americas, a culinary school that welcomed its first students in March.
The next piece to be developed, possibly next year, will be the former full-goods warehouse, where bottles went to be boxed and put on pallets for shipment. The back half of that building, at the edge of the site on Grayson Street, will be removed to make room for another street and parking lot, and the remaining structure may have 10 or 20 residential units on the upper level. The use of the lower level is yet to be determined.
I can’t wait. I’ve already experienced much of “Phase 1″ — I’ve eaten at the restaurant, toured the Aveda Institute, and attended a few events at the Pearl Stables. And this is just the beginning.
On a somewhat related note, I’d also like to welcome Derrik Dyka to my blogroll. He posted a story titled Beer and Real Estate, My Personal Favorite, which is about a similar project set to begin in his hometown of Minneapolis. Derrik is a realtor in Minneapolis among other things. Check out his blog, FlippingRich, sometime soon. You might find his real estate experience useful in your own happenings.
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January 17th, 2007 at 10:53 am
This is a great post. Its about time some San Antonio planning posts go up. Help me start my blizog foo.
January 17th, 2007 at 2:00 pm
I knew you’d like this one.
January 19th, 2007 at 10:09 pm
Pearl beer? That just doesnt sound right to me. Unless… we I can think of an innuendo or two.
Project sounds cool though. How is the real estate market in that area?
January 20th, 2007 at 10:26 am
You forgot tell people about the necklaces they sell at the gift shop.
January 20th, 2007 at 11:03 am
derrik - San Antonio is pretty strong versus the rest of the nation. I’m going to write a post about that soon…I think. Just a matter of finishing what I started. I get lazy. And Pearl is a legend in Texas.
RFS - I didn’t want to give away all the secrets.
January 20th, 2007 at 7:59 pm
Yo, Ill leave the necklace, but not take one…
Is Pearl stll around? Send me one! I think of Texas as being so much more manly, and Pearl doesnt live up to that image (the name anyway).
I want the secret recipe from Beerfest.