Plans are to revitalize St. Paul Square, but when?

For St. Paul Square, the cluster of circa-1900 buildings just north of the Alamodome, the hits just keep on coming.

The latest was anchor tenant Ruth's Chris Steak House announcing plans to relocate to swanky River Walk digs at the Grand Hyatt hotel.

The departure of the upscale restaurant is a huge blow to St. Paul Square but can you fault the decision?

What did Michael Corleone tell his brother Sonny? “It's not personal, Sonny. It's strictly business.”

“We had the opportunity to move to the River Walk, and that's just kind of hard to turn away,” said Kathy Glascock, spokeswoman for the chain's two San Antonio restaurants.

On the entertainment end, activity at the pavilion at Sunset Station, the large event space connected to the square, has slowed to a near halt.

And then there's Aldaco's Mexican Cuisine. The restaurant has scaled back its hours to lunchtime only.

The glass-half-full/glass-half-empty metaphor just doesn't apply here.

St. Paul Square's glass is nearly drained.

But there is a shred of optimism.

David Zachry, president and CEO of Zachry Corp., owns or leases from the city of San Antonio much of St. Paul Square. His real estate team currently is crafting a kind of master plan for the area.

With the Pearl as the model, the group envisions St. Paul Square as a live/work/play area, a bit different from the entertainment-driven venue the area has strived to be in recent years.

Through his spokeswoman, Zachry declined to comment for this column. But the plans, however preliminary they may be, were shared with City Councilwoman Ivy Taylor and Dr. Geri Poss, president of the St. Paul Square Association.

Poss purchased a building at St. Paul Square and moved her medical practice there in 2009.

“I came here because I just thought it was an incredible place,” Poss said, “and I still do.”

What St. Paul Square lacks most, Poss said, is money — a second investor aside from Zachry.

“We need another benefactor,” Poss said. “We need some help.”

St. Paul Square and Sunset Station are also in need of an attraction.

“If you come here right now, what are you going to do?” Poss said. “Unless you're sick, then you can come see me.”

She mentioned that at least there are a handful of bars and the Cameo Theatre that do a fine job of bringing at least some souls to the area.

Much of the revitalization already has taken place.

As a member of the St. Paul Square Association, Poss helps pay for the area's maintenance. Zachry foots the security bill. This is why the area remains safe and attractive.

What it needs is tenants — and tenants need customers.

In multiple ways, the redevelopment of HemisFair Park and the Convention Center expansion could help attract people to St. Paul Square.

The reconfiguring of Market Street, tied to both projects, will better connect downtown proper with St. Paul Square for pedestrians, bicyclists and vehicles.

The expansion of the Convention Center, just on the other side of Interstate 37, will help better tie it with the near East Side.

In VIA Metropolitan Transit's initial plans, streetcars would traverse HemisFair from Alamo Street to the Robert Thompson Transit Center at the Alamodome, adding another layer of connectivity.

These projects are five years down the road, at least.

Hopefully, by then, people will have a reason to visit St. Paul Square.

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