Chef Andrew Weissman is widely known for not being afraid to try out new concepts, but this time he’s pushing the envelope even further as he prepares to open a 24-hour diner on the ground floor of the Travis Park Plaza Building at 711 Navarro St.
GrayStreet Partners acquired the property in November 2015, alongside an adjoining 799-space parking lot and multiple historic East Houston Street buildings in the emerging tech district.
The acquisitions added momentum to a previous landmark real estate deal between the City, Weston Urban and Frost Bank, one which aims to enhance and energize downtown San Antonio. As central business district redevelopment continues to grow, with hopes for even more development in the future, Weissman’s new culinary project aims to tap into that growth.
According to the San Antonio Business Journal, the diner at Travis Park Plaza is 3,500 sq. ft. and Weissman has signed on for space in five other GrayStreet properties during the last 18 months. New tenants are slated to move into Travis Park Plaza and other nearby residential developments like the Maverick Building, which will increase the influx of people who will likely go into the diner.
GrayStreet Managing Partner Kevin Covey told the San Antonio Business Journal that Weissman is “willing to try all 24 hours in anticipation of more activity building downtown” and they are hoping to have the ground-floor space ready for the diner to open before Fiesta next year.
The urban core is known to have dead hours and lack of activity after work hours, but the 24-hour diner, coupled with surrounding redevelopment projects, aims to reinvigorate downtown life once the sun goes down.
Only time will tell if it’s enough to keep a joint open for 24 hours. It’s a risk, but one Weissman is willing to take.
(Read more: Frost Bank Tower Design Signals a 21st Century San Antonio)
The restaurateur, who first gained national recognition at Le Rêve downtown, has expanded his endeavors to create a major restaurant group with a diverse culinary reach. Popular eateries include Il Sogno Osteria and Sandbar Fish House & Market at the Pearl, The Luxury on 103 Jones Ave. near the San Antonio Museum of Art, and Moshe’s Golden Falafel on McCullough Avenue in Olmos Park.
Weissman’s newest venture, Signature at La Cantera Hill Country Resort & Spa, will open in the fall in a venue separate from the main resort, with easy access off La Cantera Parkway across from The Shops at La Cantera. The restaurant will focus on high-end cuisine rooted in French tradition with South Texas accents.
(Read more: Coming to La Cantera: Chef Weissman’s ‘Signature’)
Two more Moshe’s restaurants are in the works: one on East Houston Street and another in Southtown. A chicken sandwich joint in named Max ‘n’ Ella’s Chicken Shack is yet another project on the corner of South Alamo and South St. Mary’s streets.
“We’re taking a page out of the fast food playbook,” Weissman said during a phone interview with the Rivard Report in May, referring to the chicken shack. “It will be simple – free-range fried chicken on a house-made bun, house-made pickles and fries, and for $1 more you can add a local brew and create a meal out of it.”
This story was originally published on Aug. 2.
Top image: Travis Park Plaza Building at 711 Navarro St. Photo by Scott Ball.
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