San Antonio’s Main Plaza plans $15 million in upgrades but needs public input first
By Joey Palacios
February 20, 2026 at 4:45 PM CST
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Main Plaza will be undergoing upwards of $15 million in renovations to its historic square with the goal of making it more accessible.
Construction could start in 2027 and is being funded by the City of San Antonio and the Main Plaza Conservancy. The plans include improved pedestrian circulation, a concessions building, lighting for Fiesta and other events, new furniture, surfacing, restroom upgrades, and a potential pavilion or stage.
Main Plaza is the figurative center of San Antonio. It holds both San Fernando Cathedral which began construction in the 1730s, and the chambers for the San Antonio City Council. Across the street are San Antonio City Hall to the west and Bexar County Courthouse to the south.
Main Plaza Conservancy executive director Molly Hall-Villarreal said the goal of the upgrades is to make it meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards.
An aerial view of Main Plaza from 2018 (4032x3024, AR: 1.3333333333333333)
“We like to call ourselves the people's plaza, and we know that right now, it's just really not accessible to all peoples,” she said. “It's a little difficult to get around. The ground is really uneven. There's some places that you know could be better. So at the end of the day, this is all about making it much more accessible.”
Much of that focus will go towards mobility challenges making it easier for wheelchair users and parents with strollers to get around, a spokesman for the city’s Capital Deliveries Department said.
The plans for what needs to be done are not final, however. The city and conservancy are hosting a public input meeting on Monday Feb. 23 at the Central Library from 5:30 to 7:30 to get feedback and suggestions on the vision.
The funding for the project is split between the City of San Antonio and the conservancy. The city council approved the use of $10 million in certificates of obligation via two separate council votes in 2023 and 2024. The remaining $5 million is from the conservancy. District 1 Councilwoman Sukh Kaur welcomed residents to attend the meeting and provide their feedback.
“It'll be a community input session, so there will be renderings of what is proposed, and the conservancy wants to be able to gather input from residents on what they think they would like to see and if it affirms what they are looking for, before it goes to (the Historic Design and Review Commission),” she said.
Main Plaza was established around the same time as San Fernando Cathedral and throughout the city’s history has been a center point for community gatherings and a public square. In 2014, Main Plaza began a 24-minute lightshow on San Fernando Cathedral called San Antonio the Saga which tells the history of the city through images projected onto the cathedral.
San Antonio the Saga (1280x960, AR: 1.3333333333333333)
Although a timeline for construction isn’t set, Hall-Villarreal said the conservancy would work to avoid disrupting access to the cathedral or events that take place in the plaza.
“We're working on that because we want to make sure that there's still activation, and there's still, you know, that connection to the community. And of course, we're being very mindful of our neighbors, particularly San Fernando cathedral. We want to make sure that their calendar is not disturbed,” she said.
Main Plaza will be undergoing upwards of $15 million in renovations to its historic square with the goal of making it more accessible.
Construction could start in 2027 and is being funded by the City of San Antonio and the Main Plaza Conservancy. The plans include improved pedestrian circulation, a concessions building, lighting for Fiesta and other events, new furniture, surfacing, restroom upgrades, and a potential pavilion or stage.
Main Plaza is the figurative center of San Antonio. It holds both San Fernando Cathedral which began construction in the 1730s, and the chambers for the San Antonio City Council. Across the street are San Antonio City Hall to the west and Bexar County Courthouse to the south.
Main Plaza Conservancy executive director Molly Hall-Villarreal said the goal of the upgrades is to make it meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards.
An aerial view of Main Plaza from 2018 (4032x3024, AR: 1.3333333333333333)
“We like to call ourselves the people's plaza, and we know that right now, it's just really not accessible to all peoples,” she said. “It's a little difficult to get around. The ground is really uneven. There's some places that you know could be better. So at the end of the day, this is all about making it much more accessible.”
Much of that focus will go towards mobility challenges making it easier for wheelchair users and parents with strollers to get around, a spokesman for the city’s Capital Deliveries Department said.
The plans for what needs to be done are not final, however. The city and conservancy are hosting a public input meeting on Monday Feb. 23 at the Central Library from 5:30 to 7:30 to get feedback and suggestions on the vision.
The funding for the project is split between the City of San Antonio and the conservancy. The city council approved the use of $10 million in certificates of obligation via two separate council votes in 2023 and 2024. The remaining $5 million is from the conservancy. District 1 Councilwoman Sukh Kaur welcomed residents to attend the meeting and provide their feedback.
“It'll be a community input session, so there will be renderings of what is proposed, and the conservancy wants to be able to gather input from residents on what they think they would like to see and if it affirms what they are looking for, before it goes to (the Historic Design and Review Commission),” she said.
Main Plaza was established around the same time as San Fernando Cathedral and throughout the city’s history has been a center point for community gatherings and a public square. In 2014, Main Plaza began a 24-minute lightshow on San Fernando Cathedral called San Antonio the Saga which tells the history of the city through images projected onto the cathedral.
San Antonio the Saga (1280x960, AR: 1.3333333333333333)
Although a timeline for construction isn’t set, Hall-Villarreal said the conservancy would work to avoid disrupting access to the cathedral or events that take place in the plaza.
“We're working on that because we want to make sure that there's still activation, and there's still, you know, that connection to the community. And of course, we're being very mindful of our neighbors, particularly San Fernando cathedral. We want to make sure that their calendar is not disturbed,” she said.