SAN ANTONIO – A historic Southtown landmark is turning yet another page.
For patrons, the Lone Star Brewery isn’t just an abandoned structure. It’s tied to memories from when beer was still brewing inside the facility.
“You could smell when they were brewing over here,” Blue Star Brewing Company owner Joey Villarreal said.
Richard Lee, owner of San Angel Folk Art in Blue Star, said the site was a longtime hangout for generations.
“In high school and college, we’d go there to drink,” Lee said.
In recent years, the brewery has become a shell of those memories — sitting abandoned, cracked and covered in graffiti.
Now, the property has a new owner.
Southstar, a New Braunfels developer, bought the Lone Star property earlier this month. The company described the site as a “complex opportunity” to better connect neighbors and create “spaces that are needed” in San Antonio.
A long timeline of ownership changes
The site of the old brewery has changed hands multiple times over the last decade, according to deeds pulled from the Bexar County Clerk’s Office.
- Owned by Newell Commercial Properties for decades
- Sold to Parkview Company in 2015
- Purchased by Graystreet Partners in 2020
- Damaged by a major fire in 2021
- Bought by Southstar, a New Braunfels–based developer, in January 2026
Neighbors hopeful, but cautious
This time around, Southtown homeowner Rick Pichardo said he’s optimistic.
“I think third time is a charm,” Pichardo said. “I am hoping it goes through.”
He believes major redevelopments like this require time, money and approvals.
“It takes a lot of permitting, as well,” Pichardo said.
Pichardo noted Southstar has already completed projects on the South Side, including Mission Lago and VIDA — and he hopes they can “connect the dots” at Lone Star.
Still, he worries about what redevelopment could mean for longtime residents.
“There’s already been some gentrification going on in this neighborhood, so hopefully, it’s not — it doesn’t raise it too much because then that will drive me out,” Pichardo said.
What the community wants to see
Lee said he hopes the community is included in planning and that the final vision supports the arts.
“I would prefer something for the arts,” Lee said. “Like a home for the symphony.”
Villarreal said he hopes whatever comes next preserves the spirit people remember.
“Maybe bring some of their nostalgia of the old brewery,” Villarreal said.
Southstar has not released specific redevelopment plans to date, but neighbors and nearby business owners said they’ll be watching closely.
They are hopeful the next chapter honors Lone Star’s legacy while keeping Southtown’s community in the forefront.
More local news coverage on KSAT: