SAGE Secures First Federal Grant in a Decade to Plan New East Side Public Market

San Antonio for Growth on the Eastside (SAGE) has received a $150,000 federal community economic development planning award to begin developing a new public market complex on San Antonio’s East Side. The project marks SAGE’s first federal grant in ten years and signals a new era of opportunity and innovation for the organization.

The grant will fund a year-long planning effort to identify potential sites, conduct community input sessions, and design an initial vision for a multi-use marketplace that supports local entrepreneurs, food vendors, and small business growth.

“As a new CEO, it was incumbent upon me to find new sources of funding,” said James Nortey, CEO of SAGE, who took leadership in January. “We haven’t applied for a federal grant in 10 years. This was one of the first opportunities I found that was a good fit.”

The future market will be designed with and for the community, drawing inspiration from spaces like the Exchange Food Hall in Dallas and Fareground in Austin. SAGE will soon launch a community steering committee to guide the process and is inviting local business owners, builders, and residents to participate in shaping the vision.

“We don’t want this to just be what I think is best, but what the community thinks is best,” Nortey said. “The East Side has been talked to for too long — now it’s time for follow through.”

Support for the grant came from Congressman Joaquin Castro (D-Texas), who praised SAGE’s long-standing impact.

“For more than 25 years, SAGE has supported local small businesses by working to address economic disparities and create opportunities for growth,” said Congressman Castro. “I look forward to seeing this project come to life on the East Side.”

The public market initiative follows closely on the heels of SAGE’s recent $2 million federal planning award from the U.S. Department of Transportation to explore reconnecting East Side neighborhoods through green infrastructure and highway caps. Together, these two grants represent a major milestone in revitalizing San Antonio’s East Side while ensuring economic growth that honors the community’s roots.

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Image credit: Scott Ball / San Antonio Report; San Antonio for Growth on the Eastside, Inc.