New Braunfels news

New marketplace development will transform historic Texas Hill Country site

The Co-Op Marketplace is coming to historic downtown New Braunfels in 2024.

Rendering by Mogas + Gonzalez Associated Architects

Changes are ahead for a beloved Hill Country town's historic downtown, with a new 2.5-acre mixed-use development set to transform and repurpose the former New Braunfels Producers Co-Op.

Slated to open in 2024, the new Co-Op Marketplace will feature a biergarten, restaurants, bars, coffee shops, retail, and park space with a stage for live music.

According to a release, the site transformation is the brainchild of New Braunfels-area entrepreneurs and business owners. The late, notable New Braunfels businessman Ron Snider was one of the entrepreneurs behind the Co-Op Marketplace idea, working in tandem with his business partners, attorney Mike Myers and real estate developer Fred Heimer.

Now, Snider's wife, Carol, and their son, Chris, owners of nearby Krauses Cafe + Biergarten, are leading the project in honor of Snider's original vision.

"This is a very exciting project to be involved with and it has evolved a lot along the way while still holding true to what my dad and his partners originally envisioned by bringing something unique to downtown New Braunfels that the community can enjoy," Chris Snider shared in the release.

New Braunfels Co-Op Marketplace The Co-Op Marketplace will transform and repurpose the former New Braunfels Producers Co-Op. Courtesy photo

With construction set to begin in 2023, the new co-op space will be roughly 2.5 acres and feature more than 25,000 square feet of indoor space for guests. The release shared plans to adapt the existing agricultural buildings for the development, transforming structures like the 65-foot-tall grain silo, which will become the market's west entrance.

Plans for the space include more than an acre of outdoor space for guests to enjoy good weather days, with a splash pad and 4,000 square feet of artificial turf, seating, and shade trees.

Co-Op Marketplace New Braunfels The new development will feature a biergarten, restaurants, bars, coffee shops, retail, and park spaces.Rendering by Mogas + Gonzalez Associated Architects

San Antonio-based architectural practice Mogas + Gonzalez have been heavily involved in the plans for the space.

"Mogas + Gonzalez Associated Architects has worked closely with the owners’ vision to repurpose and recycle the existing and historically designated agrarian Co-Op structures to craft a campus of indoor and outdoor spaces that invite the city and its visitors to relax, dine, and celebrate right in the heart of downtown New Braunfels," said architect Richard Mogas in the release.

The exciting new space will be located at 210 S. Castell Ave., New Braunfels. Guests can grab authentic German fare down the street at Krause's and walk down to the Co-Op, which will also have a 13,000 square foot marketplace for restaurants, vendors, and more.

new braunfels co-op local business downtown new braunfels city life hill country texas

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Longtime Arlington hotel will be demolished to make way for sleek new one

Courtesy rendering

Americana by Loews Hotels, coming to Arlington.

It will be out with Sheraton and in with Americana in Arlington's Entertainment District when a new $500 million hotel called Americana by Loews Hotels – Arlington, TX, breaks ground in summer 2026.

The transition from old to new will involve a bit of a blast.

"A 'ground-shaking' event, where the existing [Sheraton Arlington] hotel will be demolished, is planned for early June, marking the official start of construction on the new Americana by Loews Hotel this summer," says a release.

This will mark the third hotel in Arlington (and 28th property overall) for Loews Hotels & Co, "reinforcing the company’s long-term belief in the destination and its continued growth as a premier meetings, events, and entertainment hub," says the release.

The name "Americana" pays homage to the iconic Americana Hotel in Bal Harbour, Florida — a Loews landmark that opened in 1956, the company says.

"This new, contemporary addition to the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex is designed to honor the past, embrace the present, and shape the future: celebrating Loews’ rich heritage in refined hospitality, joining two existing world-class properties in Arlington’s Sports and Entertainment District today, and creating a best-in-class destination for tomorrow’s travelers," company officials say in the release.

The two existing Loews hotels in Arlington are the Live! by Loews - Arlington and Loews Arlington Hotel.

The new Americana hotel will feature 507 guest rooms, including 39 suites. There will also be more than 83,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting and event space, including a 10,000-square-foot Event Barn, two ballrooms, an event lawn, pool terrace, and three-meal terrace.

In total, Loews Hotels & Co campus in Arlington will have a total of 1,695 guest rooms and more than 374,000 square feet of meeting space, they say.

All the hotels are a quick walk from entertainment hot spots including AT&T Stadium, Globe Life Field, Choctaw Stadium, Live! by Loews, the National Medal of Honor Museum, Arlington Museum of Art, and more.

“This project reflects our strong belief in Arlington as a dynamic destination and our confidence in its continued growth,” says Alex Tisch, President and Chief Executive Officer of Loews Hotels & Co.

The hotel is targeting 2029 for an opening date.

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