SAN ANTONIO – Downtown San Antonio is getting a makeover thanks to local artists who have transformed empty spaces and windows into urban art pieces.
The new downtown brand launch series, created by Centro SA, gives momentum to a modern, upscale downtown that's already underway.
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The nonprofit will also launch another series in October that will overtake the mural space on the Houston Street garage and at Travis Park.
Downtown San Antonio has recently taken on new construction development. Outside investors purchasing vacant buildings and reviving historic landmarks such as the recently approved San Pedro Creek project, are leading downtown into the modern world of a travel and living destination.
“This is just part of the momentum downtown and the brand launch is just part of the momentum,” said Eddie Romero, director of marketing and events of Centro SA. “Everything from San Pedro Creek, to the Frost Tower, to the Alamo Plaza master plan, to the new World Heritage Designation. There’s a lot going on and this is just part of that beautiful momentum.”
Centro SA’s part in the beautiful momentum was to team up with local artists who have been expressing their love for the city by way of paint.
Nik Soupe and Shek Vega of Los Otros Murals, have been painting together for a little over 15 years, but it wasn’t until two years ago they decided to collaborate and take on bigger pieces, much like the already finished 24 murals across San Antonio.
For Soupe and Vega, getting first dibs at painting in the heart of downtown San Antonio on a busy, trafficked area such as Houston Street was an opportunity they couldn't pass up.
“We were able to not only paint in the heart of downtown that we love so much but also bring life to old buildings that maybe some people don’t appreciate or walk by without acknowledging how great the architecture is on some of these things,” said Vega.
The concept behind the Houston Street mural was a mixture of San Antonio Hispanic culture, adding a little more romance and glamor to the active street.
“You’ve got the Majestic Theatre, you’ve got some nice restaurants up over here, you got the River Walk right around the corner and it’s something where you can come up over here and walk hand-in-hand,” said Soupe. “And I think we’re just trying to bring a little bit of downtown romance to it.”
Los Otros Murals will reveal a new location of a new mural for the brand launch party that will begin at 7 p.m. Thursday on Houston Street.
Centro SA will hand out “free swag” to the free admission party and will play host to live music, food trucks, local craft beer vendors, free henna and extreme face painting, and live painting by Nik Soupe.
The organization also suggests using the hash tags #downtownSA and #SABrandLauch when posting pictures on social media.