San Antonio pauses South Alamo construction to accommodate Final Four, but businesses face losses due to prolonged disruptions.
SAN ANTONIO — On South Alamo Street between Market Street and E Cesar Chavez Boulevard has been undergoing construction for the last few years.
While businesses were told it’d be done in time for the Final Four, that isn’t the case.
Instead, the city has paused construction for the big weekend, repaving what they say is less than half the corridor to make temporary pedestrian paths, pavement markings, lighting and adjustments to fencing.
It’s an estimated $800,000 cost, and frustrating for businesses who have had a front-row to the negative impacts of the construction.
“We started out really strong, and then you can imagine with all the foot traffic, the loss of the foot traffic, all the dust, just like the safety in general, our business declined drastically,” said Vera Deckard, the owner of Kunstler Tap Haus. “I would say about two thirds for sure. We originally were open five days a week, and we ended up having to shutter, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. In addition, just because there’s no way that with sales of, like, $67 a day, you can’t stay alive.”
Kunstler Tap Haus is located right on South Alamo. Deckard believes the temporary paving, is a waste of taxpayer dollars.
“I mean, absolutely, the final four foot traffic is wonderful, and I feel like in many ways it saves our business and we gain a lot of traction and a lot of people see us,” Deckard explained. “But then as soon as we’re back to being a construction zone, that all gets lost, you know, so we lose all that traction and then we lose all those customers that could be regulars for us as a business owner.”
Nick Olivier, spokesperson for the San Antonio’s public works department explained the temporary asphalt paving, “is commonly done to provide vehicular access to businesses. When underground work is complete and the South Alamo project is closer to completion, the entire corridor will be repaved with concrete and brick pavers.”
The South Alamo Street construction is expected to complete by spring 2026.
For Deckard, that timeline leaves one big looming question.
“At this point, we just have to kind of like make a decision. How much longer can we hold out another year with the construction in front of us?” she said.
The city states that crews will make accommodations for community events at Market Square, like Fiesta, including cleaning up sites, and shifting barricades to better accommodate pedestrian use. Visitors are encouraged to plan ahead, use alternate forms of transportation and arrive early.