Downtown businesses anxious for San Jacinto Plaza reopening

The reopening of San Jacinto Plaza can’t come soon enough for businesses in the area.

While some businesses have not survived the construction and all of its lengthy delays, many new businesses are anxiously awaiting the crowds they hope the new plaza will bring Downtown.

Andres Davila works at Cafe La Malinche, relocated across from San Jacinto Plaza before construction began nearly three years ago. “We’ve been waiting for this because we need more people to come,” Davila said.

Businesses there before the construction began, like La Malinche, said they lost about 50 percent of their customers initially. Some of them have come back, however, they don’t expect all of them to come back until the plaza is complete.

“A lot of the streets are closed, a lot of people complaining that they don’t have any room, parking and they’re really excited for it to open,” said Francis Luera, manager of the Coffee Box, which opened during the San Jacinto construction. “A lot of stores closed and mostly because of the closing of the streets. All the businesses are anxious for it to open and we’re hoping the best.”

Luis Camacho is set to open the new Pallets Bar on Mills Avenue, which features a balcony overlooking the new San Jacinto Plaza.

“The idea was to open a bar and restaurant that was catering to women,” Camacho said. “We thought it was a great idea to be here before everything finally opens up to the public and being able to add something unique to the area.”

Joe Gudenrath is director of the Downtown Management District. “Anybody who’s gonna go through the growing pains of our Downtown, we want to thank them for their allegiance to the area,” Gudenrath said.

“We’re very optimistic it will pay off, that their contributions throughout the construction will be paid off as we welcome people to San Jacinto Plaza. This is the best known place in the entire city and it will live up to that reputation when it gets opened. I think it will be long forgotten the inconvenience we faced once we’re out there and using the plaza.”

Gudenrath said San Jacinto’s completion will increase the connectivity of Downtown dramatically, along with other projects like the pedestrian pathway.