16 years after Silver Ventures founder Kit Goldsbury decided to take a chance on an abandoned industrial site and 19th century brewery just north of downtown, the Pearl complex has been named one of the five Great Neighborhoods in America by the American Planning Association, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
“The City of San Antonio is honored to be recognized by the American Planning Association,” Mayor Ron Nirenberg said. "Pearl has been a great success for San Antonio, helping us connect all our residents with downtown San Antonio. Pearl is a great example of what we can achieve when we plan for the future together by harnessing our strengths and leveraging our collective vision.”
The Pearl has become a touchstone of modern development, and several projects in the last several years have billed themselves as 'the next Pearl.'
The APA recognizes projects which make neighborhoods more 'vibrant, equitable, and healthy,'
In addition, the Pearl has been an amazing seed around which to grow the complete redevelopment of a stretch of lower Broadway and the northern end of downtown which not long ago was a 'drive through fast' area known for hookers, porn shops, and flophouses.
The Pearl is now home to, among other things, one of the largest solar energy projects in Texas, the five star and world recognized Hotel Emma, chef Johnny Hernandez' La Gloria Restaurant, the Culinary Institute of the Americas, and dozens of corporate offices, businesses, non profits, and shops and restaurants.
It is also an epicenter of the region's Millennial growth, as well as the bustling tech boom.In addition, the Pearl has led to the emergence of the 'Museum District' on Broadway, the development of the northern reach of the San Antonio River, and hotels, apartments and businesses stretching in all directions.
“The vision for Pearl was to bring back the dynamics and characteristics that once made this a great neighborhood— a connection to our distinct South Texas heritage, dense and dynamic activities and, most importantly, lots of people making and doing things that they are proud to share,” said Elizabeth Fauerso, Chief Marketing Officer for Pearl. “It’s exciting to bring this contemporary chapter of Pearl to life and see the enthusiastic response from our community”
Above all, the Pearl preserves in many ways the iconic history of the brewery. The Hotel Emma, for example, is named for Emma Koehler, who lead the brewery in the first half of the Twentieth Century and successfully steered it through Prohibition.