SAN ANTONIO – Starting in January 2025, people who visit Southtown’s Blue Star Arts Complex will notice changes when they try to park in the area.
Blue Star’s parking lot will transition from free parking to a pay-to-park lot, according to Jennifer Solis, commercial property manager for Lifshutz Companies.
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Solis said Blue Star will have Laz Parking’s text-to-park system, which requires customers to scan a QR code and input their license plate. She said the parking rate will be affordable, adding that parking validations will be available in many cases.
KSAT-12 followed up by asking Solis if the pay-to-park system will be daily or just for events at Blue Star, as the complex already charges customers to park for its First Friday events. She responded that more details would be coming soon once they finish a parking study to determine the needs of our tenants and patrons.
Jim Hover, the head mechanic at Blue Star Bike Shop, echoed the idea of parking validations because he sees people park in the area to visit the trails rather than at any businesses in the complex.
“It’s safe to park here. It’s lit up and nice. But when the parking lot fills up, the businesses here in the complex can’t do much business because people leave their cars here, use the trails, and don’t visit the businesses,” Hover said. “I think it’s a good thing they are going to charge. I think what I would like to see happen is some type of voucher system so my customers don’t have to pay parking and same with the brewery.”
KSAT spoke with visitors at the complex about the upcoming change, and the common answer was they weren’t surprised about it since San Antonio is growing, and they charge for parking throughout the city.
However, one visitor had opposite thoughts of Hover, as he felt businesses may be affected because people won’t want to visit the area because of the hassle of paid parking.
“If you didn’t have to pay, it would bring more people,” said Sean Galvan, a Blue Star visitor. “It’s going to deter people to have to pay to park to go to these businesses. I think you’re spending more money at that point.”