After several stops and starts over the last decade, it appears that renovation of the Lone Star Brewery in San Antonio’s Southtown neighborhood is finally going to happen. Aqualand Development took over the project in 2015 and partnered with CBL & Associates Properties last spring to finalize plans for a $300 million mixed-use development focusing on entertainment, retail, food, and beer. The developers hope to turn the defunct brewery into a destination for indoor and outdoor activities and will host concerts, festivals, and community events.

The project recently landed its first two major tenants: movie theater chain Cinemark and dining and entertainment venue Punch Bowl Social. Cinemark signed on to lease the brewery’s 34,500 square-foot cinema, set to feature 10 screens and 899 seats. It will also have a bar and patio, electric recliners, and an XD large format screen. Punch Bowl Social signed for 25,000 square feet, anchoring the brewery’s retail market. We don’t have too many specifics on what Punch Bowl Social have planned for their space in the brewery, but if it’s anything like their grown-up playgrounds in other cities, the venue will feature some combination of gaming, cocktails, and fine dining, with a “scratch kitchen” menu by chef Hugh Acheson.

With two big-name tenants on board, the renovation is moving ahead and on schedule. The first phase of construction will include 91,000 square feet for entertainment, 105,000 square feet for office space, 65,000 square feet for restaurants and 115,000 square feet for retail space, all spanning the northern half of the site. Developers will break ground in summer 2017 and hope to have retailers ready for business by late 2018.

Pearl Brewery, San Antonio, TX / photo by Katie Haugland Bowen / CC BY

While Aqualand and CBL are certainly paying attention to the success of the nearby Pearl Brewery, they are also hoping to set their project apart with a mix of local, regional, and national brands as well as more outdoor space for events. The development’s center will be a park featuring a lake and an amphitheater. Bordering San Antonio’s Riverwalk trail, the park will have a natural wetland landscape, outdoor seating, and green space for festivals and concerts.

Three multifamily housing properties and a hotel are also in the works. The first residential unit, located on the northeast corner of the site and spanning 2.5 acres, is under contract with a local developer and will offer 250 market-rate units. The hotel is speculated to be a boutique brand with 135 to 140 rooms. There will also be115,000 square feet of office space available. Leased by Peloton Commercial Real Estate, these work spaces will favor an open floor plan and industrial aesthetic.

Lone Star Brewing Company will likely have a presence in the development as well, and Aqualand and CBL plan to salvage what they can in the rehab, repurposing structures and leaving some of the grit intact. By maintaining the brewery’s historic appeal within a mini-city of modern delights, the developers hope to build on the success of the Southtown community thanks to a proclivity for culture, history, and creativity.