La Cantera, "Shoppertainment" Capital of Texas? (Houston, San Antonio: real estate, 2009)

[tgannaway89]

La Cantera "Shoppertainment" Center

When completed, the area in and around the intersection of I-10 and Loop 1604 will become one of the largest "shoppertainment" destinations in the US. When Fiesta Texas was built in 1992 nobody could have predicted what the area would become. The area saw little growth until the opening of the Mira Vista apartments in 1998 and the Westin La Cantera Resort in 1999. Still it was another 6 years before The Shops at La Cantera (opened in 2005) brought large amounts of retail to the area. All were built on over 1,500 acres owned by the La Cantera Development Company. This mixture of hotel, retail, residential, and a theme park sparked the interest of other developers. Housing in and around the area also modestly increased over the years. The next major project in the area, known as The Rim, opened its first stores in 2006. The development includes retail, office, hotels, and residential. The Rim is expected to be complete in 2009. La Cantera is well underway on its first expansion phase, and will soon begin on a second expansion phase. Several developers have since announced plans for the area including Eilan (éilan), Cresta Bella, The Landmark, Hill Country Plaza, Promenade Place, Brass Funds business park, and La Joya. The La Cantera "Shoppertainment" Center can roughly be defined as being within 2-3 miles of the La Cantera/I-10 intersection (which is central to most of the developments). Once complete the area will boast some large numbers:

• 7+ million sf. of retail

• 4.3+ million sf. of office

• Over 8,000 new housing units

• 2,500 hotel rooms

• 200 acre theme park (added new rides in 2007 and 2008)

It is also directly across the street from the University of Texas at San Antonio (over 30,000 faculty and students) as well as the Valero world headquarters. Look for more announcements regarding the area, as I am sure the growth will continue.

For more information of the individual projects currently under contsruction:

Hill Country Plaza -
HPI - property

Cresta Bella -
Post Oak Development of Texas | Properties | 412+ Acres on Interstate 10

12-story Drury Inn at La Cantera -
Drury Inn & Suites San Antonio Near La Cantera, Texas

Staybridge Suites at La Cantera -
Staybridge Suites SAN ANTONIO Hotels | SAN ANTONIO LA CANTERA | Welcome

Eilan -
CB Richard Ellis - eilan

La Joya -
Design International: La Joya

The Rim -
Thomas Enterprises: The Rim . San Antonio, TX

Promenade Place -
Galo Properties -

La Cantera Phase II -
USAA Real Estate Company - Development Services - Projects In Progress

La Cantera Phase III - MySA.com: Business

The Landmark -
Galo Properties -

[Bowie]

I sure hope that all of the shoppertainment doesn't ruin Camp Bullis.

[tgannaway89]

The city just hired a company to conduct a study in relation to all the development around Camp Bullis.

San Antonio solicits expertise on land-use study at Camp Bullis - San Antonio Business Journal:

[TexasNick]

no thanks. the shop is already a dud, I can't believe they are still promoting that.

[TomBradyFan]

The Shop??

[CelesteDF]

Not to begrudge your hard work, tgannaway, in gathering good data on development, but am I the only person in the United Shopping Mall of America that is concerned about how shoppertainment has fostered a shallow, materialistic culture that promotes never-ending debt as a permanent lifestyle and replaces most positive intellectual, cultural and artistic entertainment in middle-American lives with consumption as a band-aid for all emotional needs and desires? And Americans wonder why our kids need more and more stuff while being less and less happy, and why so many people around the world see us as ignorant and shallow!

oh, sorry... didn't see that soapbox I just tripped over.

[traveler guy]

^^^ I agree but I like those residential plans though a new look other then the cookie cutter houses usually found in that area. The Eilan and Landmark are the ones that stand out the most cause of the mix use of residential, retail, and office space the put in it.

[tgannaway89]

I'm not sure if you fully understand the idea of this project. They aren't seeking some "nice" shopping centers around a few neighborhoods in the wealthier parts of San Antonio. They are trying to create a shopping and entertainment region that attracts visitors from a distance. The idea of Fiesta Texas, Bass Pro Shops, IMAX, etc. are to attract out-of-town visitors. La Joya is planned as the ultimate in entertainment retail. Eilan (being developed by a Dutch company) is planned as a unique luxury shopping/office project. The Landmark is comprised of mid-rise new age
office buildings. The Village at The Rim will bring a 13-story hotel/condo and more retail, and the business section of The Rim may bring some mid-rise offices. Brass Funds business park will add a few mid-rise office buildings to the scene. Cresta Bella will stand out with numerous fountains down its main drive. Each project is unique. With the exception of maybe a Chik-fil-a (one in Shops at La Cantera and The Rim) and Starbucks (Shops at La Cantera and The Rim) there will be little duplication. You will not find many typical quick serve restaurants in any of them. It is being built not only as something unique to the city, but to the state. The increase in visitors brings more money to our schools, hospitals, and city.

[traveler guy]

I understood the concept. I was just joking with how America is so materialistic which you just prove me right by stating this is being constructed for tourism as well as to attract more people to the booming area. I also posted that in the earlier comment stating the I enjoyed the complex and uniqueness of the projects. Being a hotspot for suburban activity I liked the idea of the more urban projects as well as the european concepts that were added with Eilan.

[traficdogn]

Originally Posted by Bowie

I sure hope that all of the shoppertainment doesn't ruin Camp Bullis.

Funny. I'm not sure what you mean by ruin Camp Bullis? There will be no Camp Bullis.