San Antonio sprouts up as a top U.S. city for winter farmers markets

Locally Grown

For much of the country, winter means cold and snow and a whole lot of ick: Roads get icy, sidewalks get slushy, and everyone heads indoors, hibernating like bears, until spring.

Obviously, San Antonio doesn’t (usually) have this problem. One epic freeze aside, San Antonio’s temperate climate means life here goes on pretty much the way it does the rest of the year: wine on the patio, strolling the River Walk, yoga in the park.

And while San Antonians didn’t need anyone to tell them this, it was cool all the same to wind up No. 6 on the list of Lawnlove’s Best Warm Cities for Winter Farmers Markets.

Lawnlove, a company that offers lawn and yard care and has an extensive blog on its website, ranked 101 of the biggest cities in the U.S., dividing them into warm and cold, which they determined based on the mildness of a city’s winter. To tally the availability of farmers markets, the team looked at USDA-registered farmers markets that operated at least once between November and March.

San Antonio’s overall ranking of No. 6 put it behind Los Angeles, Honolulu, Miami, Houston, and San Diego. Lawnlove gave big love to the Alamo City, which topped San Francisco, Atlanta, and others, for the sheer availability of its farmers markets, along with its temperate climate. San Antonio ranked No. 4 overall for access, No. 28 for walkability, and No. 21 for climate.

Likely coming as no surprise to locals, the list notes, “Pearl Farmers Market is a beloved local spot in San Antonio. Hosted outside of the Pearl, a former brewery, all vendors operate within 150 miles of the city, giving the market a uniquely Texan flair.”

Held every weekend at the Pearl Brewery, this lively market brings together grower/producers unique to South Texas. Ranked one of the country’s top farmers markets by USA Today, the market is as much a gathering spot as it is a chance to get local food and produce. Look for vendors such as South Texas Heritage Pork, Freshwater Farms, Alamo Gristmill, and Swift River Pecans.

Other Texas cities also fared well on Lawnlove’s list. Houston ranked number 4, while Dallas cracked the Top 30 at 29, and Austin came in at 32. Lubbock (20), Corpus Christi (31), and Fort Worth (35) also made the cut.

Standout Texas markets

Urban Harvest Farmers Market in Houston, open every Saturday from 8 am to noon, is a standout. Head there for veggies, breads, honey, dairy products, meats, and more from more than 100 vendors who hail from a 180-mile radius around the city.

The Dallas Farmers Market at the Shed is open weekends and has a great newsletter that lets visitors in on who’s going to be there, as well as offering recipes and other foodie tips. Some vendors also set up shop at the nearby Market, which is open seven days a week.

The Barton Creek Farmers Market in Austin has two locations, both open Saturdays and Sundays. In addition to producer and prepared foods, there are vendors offering jewelry, clothes, and gifts, making it a terrific one-stop shop for stocking the cupboards and finding that special something for a special occasion.

Photo by Sean Pavone/Getty Images

Here’s how San Antonio ranks among the country’s greenest cities

green thumbs up

Considering San Antonio’s size and growing population, we’re getting the green light when it comes to the city’s impact on the environment, especially when compared with other Texas metros.

Alamo City lands at No. 46 among the 100 largest U.S. cities in a new WalletHub ranking of the country’s greenest places.

To determine the cities promoting an environmentally friendly lifestyle, WalletHub compared the 100 largest cities across 28 key green indicators. Those factors include greenhouse gas emissions per capita, number of smart energy policies and initiatives, and green job opportunities.

Among Texas cities, San Antonio fared well, nabbing the third-highest ranking in Texas, coming in behind only Austin and Garland. Houston is the lowest-ranked city in Texas on the list.

Here is a sampling of San Antonio’s green successes and what can use work, with No. 1 being best, No. 50 being average, and No. 100 being worst:

Environment score, which includes metrics like the air-quality index, greenhouse emissions, and water quality: 67.
Transportation score, which includes the share of commuters who drive alone, bike and walk scores, and alternative-fuel stations per capita: 64.
Energy sources score, which includes a city’s share of electricity from renewable sources and the number of smart-energy policies and initiatives: 32.
Overall score: 47.97.

Here is where other Texas cities landed on the greenest cities list:

Austin, No. 26.
Garland, No. 44.
Laredo, No. 68.
El Paso, No. 69.
Irving, No. 74.
Plano, No. 79.
Lubbock, No. 83.
Arlington, No. 85.
Dallas, No. 89.
Corpus Christi, No. 90.
Houston, No. 93.

San Diego tops the WalletHub list.

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Photo courtesy of The Emily Morgan Hotel

100-mile trail connecting San Antonio to Austin could spring $55 million in benefits

Lay of the Land

A proposed 100-mile network of trails from the Alamo to the Capitol could generate more than $55 million in annual economic, health, and other benefits, according to a recent report released by the Great Springs Project. The project envisions trails traversing protected lands and the Edwards Aquifer to link four iconic Texas springs: Barton, San Marcos, Comal, and San Antonio Springs.

Though final trail routes remain to be determined by a Trails Plan, scheduled for completion by December of this year, the report uses a best estimate of those routes based on the springs, existing trails, and local trail plans.

“This report is one of the first steps in the trails plan,” says Emma Lindrose-Siegel, Great Springs Project chief development officer. “Part of it was being able to articulate why this work is valuable, to point to the benefits of the trail itself and the goal of conserving 50,000 acres of land.”

The analysis estimated the number of bicycle and pedestrian trips on the trail system, the corresponding reduction in vehicle trips and vehicle-miles traveled, potential benefits that would accrue once the entire trail system is constructed, and ecosystem services associated with land conservation along the trail corridor.

“Trails make us healthier, and access to outdoors is a reason people want to live here,” Lindrose-Siegel says. “We wanted to quantify that for the community and our stakeholders.”

Estimated economic benefits total $23.3 million, including estimated spending on goods, services, and lodging from non-local visitors to the trail. Transportation benefits of $11.4 million include fewer vehicle miles traveled and associated reduction in congestion, collision, roadway maintenance costs, and vehicle emissions. Estimated health benefits, $1.8 million, factor in increased physical activity and the resulting decrease in healthcare costs. Ecosystem services benefits total an estimated $19.2 million. These include improved water quality, stormwater management, wildlife habitat, and carbon sequestration.

Preserving 50,000 acres of undeveloped land and reducing emissions as a result of fewer car trips (replaced with biking or walking trips) produce the carbon sequestration benefits. An estimated 5,500 walkers and runners and 4,800 cyclists are expected to use the trail each day.

Lindrose-Siegel cites growing crowds on existing area trails, along with the number of people projected to use the Great Springs routes, as evidence of the need for the project.

“We anticipate people traveling to the trail for recreation, or going the whole Alamo-to-the-Capitol distance. There will be people who, say, live in Kyle and want to go to San Marcos and not get on I-35,” she says. “We anticipate a lot of bikers and trail users will be people using it for transportation.”

On comparable trails, 33 percent of trail users are not from the area. If that holds here, it represents an estimated 1.1 million non-local users per year — who will spend money on food, entertainment, bicycle rental, lodging, and the like. Additional economic benefits could include jobs related to trail construction and maintenance.

All the projections are based on usage estimates and survey results from similar trail systems in Texas and throughout the Southeastern United States, extrapolated through the use of various multipliers from national studies and quantified in terms of monetary value where appropriate.

The report also highlights the use of the natural infrastructure of conserved land to reduce catastrophic flood damage and save millions of dollars per year. Texas anticipates $31.5 billion in statewide flood mitigation costs during the next 10 years.

“That’s an important part of the report, highlighting the role of strategic land conservation in reducing catastrophic flood damage,” Lindrose-Siegel adds. “Sometimes it can be hard to see why an investment in trails is worthwhile, but as this report shows, it has so many benefits. Being able to quantify and articulate that in a way that people can relate to really helps build support for this project, which is going to have a meaningful impact on people’s lives for decades to come.”

The report was produced with guidance from Alta Planning + Design and the National Park Service.

Courtesy of SAMA

3 San Antonio neighborhood spots transform into murals this summer

COMMUNITY CRAFT

Three local artists will be painting the town red — and blue and green and yellow — this summer, as part of a citywide community mural project spearheaded by the San Antonio Museum of Art. And in true community spirit, it’s San Antonio residents who get to vote on which artworks will leave a lasting impression.

SAMA has chosen three San Antonio artists to create neighborhood murals at businesses on the East Side, West Side, and SAMA’s campus that celebrate the vibrance and community of the Alamo City. The artists will start creating their works in July, with the completed murals expected to be unveiled August 15.

The community mural project — supported by a SAMA grant from the nonprofit Art Bridges Foundation and a joint effort between SAMA, the San Anto Cultural Arts, and the San Antonio African American Community Archive & Museum — aims to connect San Antonio’s culturally diverse neighborhoods and their traditions through a creative framework, honoring the importance of community through art.

And throughout the month of June, locals can share their thoughts about the themes, people, and historic events they’d like to see depicted in each mural. Then, from June 26-July 10, the local community can vote on one of three themes designed by each artist to create for each mural location. Voting will take place on SAMA’s website and in person at the museum.

“Murals have always been a powerful tool to educate and commemorate local histories,” says Yohanna Tesfai, public programs manager for SAMA. “By asking for community input and having residents of San Antonio be a part of the mural selection process, we are emphasizing that art is for all and that art can be enjoyed anywhere. Communal relationships are the foundation of any society, so we must continue to build and grow with the people of San Antonio. We hope that the selected businesses continue to be an anchor in their community, and that these murals shine a light on how San Antonio is a beautiful, culturally rich city.”

The mural project was inspired by the painting Bronzeville at Night by Archibald John Motley Jr., which is currently on loan to SAMA and depicts an urban Chicago neighborhood in the 1940s. In the spirit of that painting, the local artists will create murals that uniquely represent the characteristics and vitality of each San Antonio neighborhood.

The chosen artists for the mural project and their mural locations follow.

Sandra Gonzalez. Mural location: Tony G’s on the East Side, created in partnership with graphic designer Malachy McKinney
Sandra Gonzalez is an active muralist in South Texas and an art educator at Roosevelt High School in San Antonio. She often involves neighborhood groups, organizations, and the general public in most of her large-scale mural projects. She organizes community painting days, when anyone and everyone is welcome to help with mural creation, and she enjoys depicting images that speak of memories, family, emotions, and history. Her personal paintings reflect a colorful Mexican American culture and include portraits, native plants, and Mexican textiles.
Victor Zarazua. Mural location: Wicho’s Mexican Deli on the West Side
As a practitioner of the graffiti art subculture, Victor Zarazua started painting at the age of 10. During high school, he discovered SACA and Say Si, two local programs that enabled him to delve further into the arts and the “lowbrow” art movement. Later, he would curate large public art festivals. His passion is creating and producing large works, and his work has grown to include stained glass, abstract, and post-graffiti influences. He is also the mural coordinator for San Anto Cultural Arts.
Suzy González. Mural location: San Antonio Museum of Art Campus
Suzy González is an artist, curator, zine creator, educator, and organizer who has had solo exhibits at a variety of galleries and attended residencies in Texas, the U.S., and beyond. She is the co-publisher of the Yes, Ma’am zine, co-organizes the San Anto Zine Fest, and is half of the collective Dos Mestizx, who recently curated “XicanX: New Visions” in New York and Texas. She has created public art with the City of San Antonio, the San Antonio Street Art Initiative, Centro San Antonio, and the City of San Marcos, and is currently working on a project with the City of Pasadena.

Artist Sandra Gonzales will create the East Side mural at Tony G's.

Courtesy of SAMA

Artist Sandra Gonzales will create the East Side mural at Tony G's.

Courtesy of GGN.

City unveils timeline for grand downtown San Antonio park

GREENER PASTURES

A groundbreaking Hemisfair park project finally has a date for its anticipated groundbreaking.

Construction on Civic Park, dubbed “the grandest of Hemisfair’s park series” and part of the three-park plan for the urban park district, will begin this fall. The City of San Antonio will accept contractor proposals for first-phase construction on its website starting February 15 and construction will begin after the San Antonio City Council, which reviewed the plan February 10, approves a contractor.

Civic Park is to be completed in two phases — the first involving 5 acres of the 9-acre park and accounting for a $28 million price tag — and all construction is scheduled to be completed by April 2023. The multiple-phase plan for the park was developed by the Hemisfair team, along with the City’s Public Works Department and park designer GGN.

“This is a huge step toward the long-anticipated groundbreaking of Hemisfair’s Civic Park,” says Hemisfair CEO Andres Andujar. “Parks have proven to be essential infrastructure in the pandemic as people turn to the safety, open spaces and fresh air of the outdoors. We look forward to reviewing the proposals from contractors who want to have a significant role in delivering a world-class park to San Antonio.”

The first phase of the Civic Park project was funded mostly through a city bond program, with the park originally expected to open in 2022, but pandemic challenges pushed back that timeline. Fewer details, including funding sources, are available about phase two of the project, which is estimated to cost $20 million.

Hemisfair recently received a $1 million donation from the Mays Family Foundation for the creation of the Peggy Mays Garden, which encompasses an area between the planned Civic Park and Yanaguana Garden, which opened in 2015 as the first of Hemisfair’s three planned public parks.

The third, Tower Park, is slated for construction in 2023 pending funding, according to Hemisfair. Though there are conceptual designs for Tower Park, more info about the timeline of that portion of the project isn’t yet available.

Rendering courtesy of Mark Odom Studio

New $65 million mixed-use development will rise near Hemisfair

Urban living

An Austin developer has gotten the go-ahead for an eight-story apartment and retail project in downtown San Antonio that’ll be sandwiched between the River Walk and Hemisfair.

On February 5, the San Antonio Historic and Design Review Commission gave the green light to the $65 million project. The development will be at 410 E. Nueva St., bounded by East Nueva, South St. Mary’s and South Presa streets.

With the commission’s stamp of approval, Weal Development LLC now can seek building permits from the city, says Dennis McDaniel, head of the Austin-based firm. Construction is scheduled to start in late April, he says. Completion is set for March 2022.

The nearly 410,000-square-foot project, called St. John’s Square, will feature 252 apartments, along with ground-floor shops and a parking garage for residents, customers, and downtown visitors.

More than one-fifth of the apartments will be set aside for low- to middle-income renters, with the rest being leased at regular market rates. Sizes of the studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom apartments will range from 510 square feet to 1,395 square feet.

The retail component of the development will encompass 8,000 to 10,000 square feet, McDaniel says.

St. John’s Square is being built on a 1.3-acre site (now a parking lot) that Weal Development will lease for 99 years from St. John’s Lutheran Church, which is at 502 E. Nueva St. A one-story brick building that currently houses a law firm will remain next to the mixed-use project. The St. John’s Square site is across from the La Villita Historic Arts Village.

Austin-based Mark Odom Studio Inc. is the project’s architect; the contractor for St. John’s Square is San Antonio-based Cadence McShane Construction Co.

Mark Odom says St. John’s Square will be a catalyst for filling the void in “missing middle housing” in San Antonio’s urban core. The “missing middle housing” concept applies to multifamily or clustered residences that are situated in walkable urban environments and are compatible with neighboring single-family homes.

“Creating an elevated experience for the future tenants has been at the forefront of every decision during the [design] process,” Odom says.

This isn’t Weal Development’s first project in San Antonio. The company completed Steel House Lofts, located at 1401 S. Flores St., in 2012.

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Fine dining chef unpacks nostalgic pop-up concept at Grayson Street bar, plus more top stories

Hot Headlines

Editor’s note: It’s that time again — time to check in with our top stories. From pop-up concepts to Hill Country getaways and cool local pools, here are five articles that captured our collective attention over the past seven days.

1. Fine dining chef unpacks nostalgic pop-up concept at popular Grayson Street bar. The Memorial Day popup was hopefully just the start of a new series the chef hopes to hold monthly.

2. Breathtaking Hill Country hideaway is lone Texas star on Vrbo's top 10 vacation homes in the U.S. The Hill Country Riverfront Hideaway was the only Texas home chosen on Vrbo's list.

3. 7 San Antonio icons star in new Texas Monthly book documenting most influential Texans of last 50 years. To commemorate the publication's 50th anniversary, they've collected stories and photographs of 50 iconic Texans.

4. These 6 San Antonio museums are offering free admission for military families all summer long. The Blue Star Museums program begins yearly on Armed Forces Day in May and ends on Labor Day.

5. Summertime is here in San Antonio — beat the heat at these cool local pools. Mourn the loss of cool weather and beat the heat (in style) at these local pools.

'Little West Side gem" sparkles with summer grand opening

DREAMS COME TRUE

Some bar owners talk about community, but the all-woman trio behind new Prospect Hill spot Chiflada’s mean it. The team says the concept, celebrating its grand opening on June 2, wouldn’t have happened without it.

Family and friends turned out to support the bar months before it was ready for the build-out. They turned out again to help transform a vacant bungalow at 1804 West Martin St. into a comfortable and stylish lounge. When the ice machine went on the fritz during the June 27 soft opening, the bar’s supporters flexed their muscles to ensure the drinks remained cold.

Even the West Side neighborhood gave it a seal of approval. Natasha Riffle, who co-owns Chifladla’s with her mother, policewoman Veronica Riffle, and El Buho owner Melanie Martinez, says the team walked door to door to change the zoning, ensuring residential buy-in.

The result is a bar that is by and for the neighborhood. At the soft opening party, Marigolds swayed in the breeze under a pergola as congratulatory bouquets filled the bar’s shelves. Guests busily chattered as popular deejay Sunnyboy played oldies and conjunto hits.

“It feels like you’re at your abuelita’s backyard and hanging with your family,” Natasha Riffle says of the bar’s vibe.

The drinks honor that spirit, too, toeing the line between the neighborhood’s blue-collar roots and the team’s cocktail-making skills. Featured sippers include a punchy Mexican Martini, a melon Paloma, the Chif Peach, and the mezcal-based Smoke on the Water.
“It’s a place to get a nice cocktail, but also a place to get a beer and shot combo,” Natasha Riffle tells CultureMap about the high-low mix.

Ultimately, Chiflada’s feels like home — the type of place folks let loose after a long day at work, where multiple generations can get in on the party and where bartenders become close friends.

“We all lived [on the West Side] off and on,” says Riffle of the team, “and we’ve all worked with each other over the years. We are more of a family than we are co-workers — 100 percent.”

Photo by Joe Rodriquez

Natasha Riffle beams in front of her newly opened bar.

Contemporary Irish pub sprouts up in new St. Paul's Square home

DON'T CALL IT A COMEBACK

One of San Antonio’s most storied bars is gearing up for its next chapter. After a brief hiatus, Southtown hot spot Francis Bogside has reopened in St. Paul Square, along with a sister concept — Anne’s.

The bar first opened in 2015 in conjunction with the fine dining eatery Brigid. The pair had barely been in business for a year before an early morning fire ravaged their shared space in 2016. In 2017, the bar reopened on South St. Mary’s Street sans Brigid, becoming one of Alamo City’s favorite haunts.

In July 2022, owner Steve Mahoney announced another change. Francis Bogside was moving out of its longtime home and into a new location. Eventually, internet sleuths figured out that spot would be 1170 E Commerce St #100 in St. Paul’s Square, the former home of Smoke BBQ.

Though in a new location, the basic DNA of the bar is still intact, with a similar layout featuring a large central bar and a jumble of artwork on the walls. The space, however, is a more contemporary interpretation of an Irish pub with a bold mix of upholstery, up-to-date wallcoverings, and mosaic tiles, all enlivening the mostly brick space.

Though Bogside’s signature cocktails have often strayed from theme, a release promised a return to form with sippers like Paddy’s Irish whiskey-based Irish Maid and low ABV Jammy Lass. As usual, the specialty drinks will be supplemented by various classics, including daiquiris and negronis.

Currently, the bar has a limited food menu of pub grub, like focaccia pizza, wings, and loaded potato skins. A more fully developed menu will be rolled out as it prepares for a grand opening later in June.

The media alert did not offer many details about Anne’s, a wine bar now open in the adjoining space, but did tease at an international bottle list. The concept will also have a dedicated food menu, although no details were shared.

Currently in its soft opening phase, Francis Bogside welcomes guests 4 pm-2 am Tuesday through Sunday. Anne’s operates Wednesday through Sunday with the same opening hours.

Photo by TXTroublemaker

A large central bar is the focal point.

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