In a cozy conference room adorned with Frida Kahlo paintings at a local nonprofit’s headquarters, a city staffer submitted Lucinda Simmons’ application for a construction mitigation grant. Simmons, owner of Don Roman, a Mexican wares shop in Market Square, sought assistance after starting her application but feeling unsure about completing it correctly. She turned to the Maestro Entrepreneur Center for guidance.
Simmons praised the straightforward process, noting her initial unawareness of Maestro’s support programs until receiving an email from the City of San Antonio alerting her to available help. She was among a small group of less than a dozen business owners who gathered that Thursday morning to apply for the third round of city grants aimed at businesses affected by ongoing construction.
This funding cycle allocates $1.45 million, offering grants ranging from $5,000 to $35,000 to eligible businesses in eight construction-impacted corridors. Applications, closing on July 15, require businesses to demonstrate income decline from 2022 to 2023 based on tax returns. Priority is given to corridors with prolonged construction periods, like Alamo Street and the Broadway area, and businesses showing the highest revenue losses.
Competition for these grants is expected to be fierce, with notifications scheduled for high-scoring applicants by the end of July and others by September 23. Despite efforts to inform businesses through community outreach, including block walking by Maestro’s executive director Geremy Landín and colleague Ruby Chapa, some, like Linda Torres of Unique Cuts, found their losses insufficient to qualify. Nonetheless, previous city assistance, such as signage indicating open businesses during construction, has provided support.
For Mario Cardenas, owner of Pyramid Construction, and others like him planning revitalizations, eligibility hinges on operational status, with resources like Maestro’s programs and the city’s digital presence initiative becoming known through outreach efforts. Landín emphasized the challenges of capturing busy business owners’ attention amid operational demands, highlighting interactions with local enterprises such as Frank’s Trophies & Sports, whose proprietor expressed interest despite ongoing struggles to manage daily operations.
