Architects for a new food hall on the River Walk said the project will break ground this year and could finish construction by the end of 2027. Meanwhile, a hospitality company is on the search for restaurants to serve the new building.
Multiple developers have considered projects at the La Villita Assembly Hall. Now, a proposal to renovate the interior, add an outdoor bar and build a River Walk-level plaza is closer to beginning construction.
The assembly hall at 401 Villita St. opened in 1958 and hosts events throughout the year, including the Night in Old San Antonio (NIOSA) during Fiesta San Antonio. In 2023, local developer GrayStreet Partners purchased the building from CPS Energy.
In 2024, private equity firm MLSA Ventures, managed by investor Robert Magee, purchased the building from GrayStreet and announced plans to integrate the building into the River Walk. Escalera Capital, another firm Magee manages, is involved in the project.
Those plans came into focus in September when Onset Hospitality, a firm based in Washington, D.C., was brought on board to help create a food hall.
Staff from Onset are visiting dozens of restaurants and eateries in San Antonio looking for the right fit, said Jay Corden, the company’s president.
Corden said he worked on the River Walk 25 years ago. He sees many establishments in the area as tourist-focused. He wants the food hall to cater to local diners.
“We try to find the local hotspot, the things that are off the beaten path, and bring them all into one place,” Corden said.
When seeking potential tenants, Corden said he looks for exciting flavors that stand out, along with well-run operations that are in a position to scale up.
Onset is still evaluating its options, he added, and considering everything from barbecue and burgers to salads and smoothies. Corden said he wants the food hall to be somewhere locals can drop in for lunch; it should be accessible when it comes to price and time.
Rebekah Perez, a principal with San Antonio-based architect Ford Powell Carson, said those food options could be available by 2027. She said city and federal authorities are reviewing plans for the La Villita Assembly Hall to see if they would be eligible for tax credits.
If those are approved and the city permitting process goes smoothly, Perez said, construction on that food hall could start in July or August.
She estimated construction could take 15 months to complete and could be done before the end of 2027.
Ford Powell Carson’s plans call for removing a portion of the roof, adding new windows and excavating a plaza at the River Walk level. The project does not include additional parking.
A wall between the assembly hall and Villita Street would also be removed, allowing people to easily pass from La Villita to the food hall and then down to the River Walk. That upper outdoor area would have turf play areas for children and a bar. An elevator and stairway would connect it to the lower plaza and the River Walk.
Perez said the upstairs level of the assembly hall would be turned into a food hall featuring between eight and 10 tenants. The lower level, which is currently underground, would be turned into a single restaurant space.
Onset Hospitality is working with restaurateurs, Perez said, and no tenants have been announced. She did say the project was targeting local food options, not chains.
“They’re hoping to make it a place locals want to be,” she said.
Street work around La Villita and Southtown has affected local business owners, who have noticed declining foot traffic. Perez said developers are already meeting with the city to discuss construction logistics and make sure work is safe for passers by.
“It’s a complex site,” Perez said.
