A rendering shows the plans for La Villita Food Hall. Credit: Courtesy Photo / JLL
The redevelopment of downtown’s Villita Assembly Hall into a chef-driven food hall has taken a big step forward.
Villita Assembly Hall’s owner, San Antonio-based private equity firm Escalera Capital, reached a deal with Virginia-based food hall developer Onset Hospitality to oversee food and beverage programs at the historic structure, the San Antonio Business Journal reports.
The round building with the distinctive concave roof will be rebranded La Villita Food Hall after the retail and dining area in which it resides, Escalera officials told the Business Journal in a statement.
In addition to dining spots, food vendors and multiple bars, the 45,000-square-foot hall will house “a robust lineup of cultural programming,” the news organization also reports.
Neither Escalera nor Onset Hospitality responded to the Current’s outreach for comment.
Escalera officials offered no timeline for launching concepts inside the food hall. However, the partners want to create a “Pearl-like experience” for visitors, the Business Journal reported, citing a 2024 interview with an executive at JLL, the building’s leasing company.
The partners want the historic structure to be a Pearl-like dining destination. Credit: Courtesy Photo / JLL
“We really see the opportunity to bring some more elevated operators, where the focus really is on food, not solely on drinking and not solely a tourist-focused brand,” Senior Vice President Emily Durham told the Business Journal.
Built in 1958 and designed by famed local architect O’Neil Ford, Villita Assembly Hall is a cornerstone of Fiesta’s Night in Old San Antonio event. The building houses the showcase for German food, beer and culture.
Escalera bought the property last year from San Antonio developer GrayStreet Partners, according to the Business Journal. Before that, it was owned by city-owned utility CPS Energy, which rented it out as event space.
Villita Assembly Hall has received fresh attention due to its location near the revamped Hemisfair and the high-end Kimpton Santo hotel.
In addition to its interior space, the bi-level property includes nearly 15,000 square feet of exterior space with entrances and patios at both downtown and river levels, according to JLL’s website.
La Villita Food Hall will reportedly include multiple bars. Credit: Courtesy Image / JLL
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This article appears in Sep. 18-Oct. 1.