A two-story, $14 million retail complex dubbed Lower Gruene Retail is on the books just outside the Gruene Historic District, according to state project records. The shell is expected to span roughly 66,500 square feet and is being positioned for future shops, restaurants and other tenant build-outs. Developers have circled July 1, 2026, as the groundbreaking date, with a projected completion by July 1, 2027.
State filing spells out the scope and timeline
State records filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation place the project at 1551 Gruene Road and describe it as a privately funded, two-story mixed-use retail shell. The filing notes that the building will include finished common restrooms and vertical circulation elements such as stairways or elevators. It lists LGD 1 LLC as the owner and Nisbet Architecture as the design firm. The entry shows the project status as "Project Registered," with an estimated construction cost of $14,000,000 and a total square footage of about 66,500.
How it fits with the wider Lower Gruene plan
The project’s name echoes a broader riverside "Lower Gruene" vision promoted by developer Justin Holliday and NAR Ventures, a concept that in 2024 featured cabins, hotel rooms and an El Arroyo restaurant, as reported by the San Antonio Express-News. The TDLR paperwork does not spell out whether this retail shell is formally tied to that 50-acre master plan or is instead a separate commercial parcel nearby. No tenants are named in the state record, leaving the eventual interior lineup to be determined once leasing gets underway.
What visitors and retailers might feel
Local reporting notes that the Gruene corridor has seen some churn in recent years, with several longtime shops closing in 2025 even as new storefronts opened. That kind of turnover could make fresh retail space both a welcome shot in the arm and a competitive headache for independent operators, according to MySA. At the same time, infrastructure work in the area, including a 7 million sewer overhaul poised to snarl streets, could complicate construction logistics, traffic and parking when crews break ground. All of that raises practical questions about deliveries, staging and visitor flow during the packed weekends that power much of Gruene’s tourist economy.
Next steps and what to watch
Registration with the state is an early administrative move. City permits, tenant leases and construction financing will ultimately decide what fills the shell. According to the state record, construction is scheduled to start July 1, 2026, and wrap up by July 1, 2027. Nisbet Architecture is listed as the design firm, and the "Tenant" field currently reads "Not Assigned." In the coming months, local planning notices and announcements from the owner will be the place to watch for permit filings, tenant signings and traffic or staging plans that will determine how this new complex fits into Gruene’s already busy visitor infrastructure.
