The Eastside Public Market

A Public Market Complex for San Antonio’s Eastside

The Friedrich Building

Exterior

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Interior

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The Hugo Building

Exterior

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Interior

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More Than
a Market.

The Eastside Public Market is a community-driven vision for a vibrant destination where food, culture, entrepreneurship, and community come together on San Antonio’s Eastside.
 

It’s a shared space, both indoor and outdoor, where local businesses sell food, art, and goods all in one place.  It’s not just shopping though.  It’s a place to gather, a place to connect, and a place to celebrate community.  

 

Shaped by extensive community engagement and a comprehensive feasibility study, the market is envisioned as an economic and cultural anchor designed to serve both current and future generations

Community Driven
Built from the voices
and vision of the Eastside.
Economic Opportunity

Supporting local

businesses and jobs.

Cultural Destination

Celebrating the unique

identity of the Eastside.

Lasting Impact

A space for current

and future generations.

 

Guiding Principles

The Eastside Public Market is rooted in the voices of the community. Through extensive outreach and engagement, seven guiding principles emerged to help shape the future of the market and ensure it reflects the values, history, and aspirations of San Antonio’s Eastside.

Centering Black History & Eastside Culture

  • Go Beyond Surface-Level Representation
  • Incorporate Truthful Historical Storytelling
  • Honor Broad Diversity & Multi-Generational Legacy
  • Activate Culture Through Live Programming

Mitigating Displacement & Guaranteeing Affordability

  • Foster Pride of Place Through Design
  • Conduct Thorough Site Research Before Demolition
  • Enhance Urban Connectivity and Infrastructure
  • Evaluate Location for Maximum Access

Designing for Beauty, Walkability & Mobility

  • Go Beyond Surface-Level Representation
  • Incorporate Truthful Historical Storytelling
  • Honor Broad Diversity & Multi-Generational Legacy
  • Activate Culture Through Live Programming

Empower Local, Minority, and Micro Creators

  • Empower Local, Minority, and Micro Creators
  • Build Low-Barrier Operational Business Models
  • Integrate Collaborative Maker Spaces
  • Provide Culturally Relevant Retail Opportunities

Prioritizing Food Justice, Healthcare & Education

  • Address the Food Desert Crisis with Quality
  • Embed Food Equity Assistance Programs
  • Incorporate Intergenerational and Youth Education
  • Provide Wraparound Healthcare Services

Designing a Welcoming, Collaborative "Third Space"

  • Adopt a Peer-to-Peer Collaborative Ethos
  • Create Multipurpose Community Features
  • Design for Holistic Nighttime Safety
  • Dedicate Space for Non-Profit Organizations

Committing to Direct, Inclusive Community Governance

  • Rely on Grassroots, Individual Feedback Loops
  • Establish Local Decision-Making Power
  • Engage Local Youth in the Process

Events

Project Kickoff with Able City

SAGE kicked off the Eastside Public Market Complex planning process with Able City to discuss project goals, outreach tactics, and the overall strategy for engaging the community.

February–April 2026
Community Focus Groups

SAGE hosted a series of focus groups at locations including Dakota Event Center, McCreless Library, and a city location to share information about the Public Market Complex and gather community input.

April 24, 2026
Open House and Site Display

SAGE hosted an open house to present potential locations under consideration for the future Eastside Public Market Complex and gather community feedback on possible sites.

June 17, 2026
January 9, 2026
Community Pop-Ups

Throughout the spring, SAGE hosted several pop-up outreach events to introduce the Eastside Public Market Complex and begin gathering feedback from community members.

Mid-April 2026
Neighborhood Association Presidents Luncheon

SAGE met with neighborhood association presidents from the relevant Eastside area to provide an overview of the Eastside Public Market Complex and encourage them to share information with their neighborhoods.

May 20, 2026
Community Conversatio

SAGE held a community conversation and brainstorming session focused on next steps for the Eastside Public Market Complex, creating space for discussion, ideas, and community input.

Follow the journey from vision to reality. Explore the key milestones that have shaped the Eastside Public Market and see what’s planned as we continue moving this community-driven project forward.

Stay connected with the Eastside Public Market as the vision continues to take shape.

Discover upcoming community events, public meetings, and opportunities to share your voice as we build this vision together.

Get Involved


Read Our Proposal

Explore the research, community feedback, and recommendations that are guiding the Eastside Public Market. Review the feasibility study, implementation playbook, and supporting documents to learn more about the vision and roadmap for this transformative project.

Help Shape the Future of
the Eastside Public Market

While currently SAGE is not accepting new advisory members, we welcome individuals who are passionate about supporting the Eastside and who wish to contribute their ideas, expertise, or lived experiences to express their interest in serving on a future advisory committee. 

Interest Form
Share Thoughts,
Ask Questions

We want to hear from you. Whether you have feedback, questions, ideas, or would simply like to stay connected, your input helps ensure the Eastside Public Market continues to reflect the needs and aspirations of the community.

Contact Us

This website is supported by Grant Number No. 90EE1362-01-00 from the Office of Community Services within the Administration for Children and Families, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Neither the Administration for Children and Families nor any of its components operate, control, are responsible for, or necessarily endorse this website (including, without limitation, its content, technical infrastructure, and policies, and any services or tools provided). The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Administration for Children and Families and the Office of Community Services.