SAN ANTONIO – A city panel has approved conceptual designs for a historic downtown San Antonio home to be transformed into a restaurant by Jerk Shack owner Nicola Blaque.
The City of San Antonio’s Historic and Design Review Commission signed off on the renovation of the Schultze House, a 1,750-square-foot historically recreated home located in Hemisfair.
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It will be the new home of Port Royal, the third concept by Blaque. Blaque is a James Beard Award semifinalist who is also the owner and chef of The Jerk Shack and Mi Roti.
“The response to The Jerk Shack has been amazing, which has allowed us to expand across the city,” Blaque said in a news release. “Our fans and customers have been extremely supportive of our growth so we’re looking forward to bringing The Jerk Shack to Hemisfair.”
According to the news release, the Caribbean fusion restaurant will have the original menu of The Jerk Shack plus steakhouse-like options and a full bar. It will also have two floors for dining, balcony seating and a patio.
The structure itself is a replica of a home built by Hermann and Mary Schultze in the late 1870s. Their original home sat on South Street and in 1965, was set to be demolished to make way for HemisFair ‘68.
Their granddaughter, Elinor Wilkes, wrote to the Urban Renewal Agency to save the home and in 1966, the home was designated as a Texas Historic Landmark “representing the cultural, economic, and social history of the state,” the release states.
A replica home with some of the original materials was built on Nueva Street, where it sits today.
“The interior plans include keeping the home’s existing historical integrity while adding a modern, Jamaican flair,” the release adds.
Construction is slated to begin this fall, and the restaurant is expected to open in the summer of 2024.
Künstler Tap Haus, Bombay Bicycle Club and Kusch Faire are also moving into Hemisfair while the nearby Civic Park is under construction.
Andres Andujar, the CEO of Hemisfair, said this would be Hemisfair’s ninth food and beverage operator.
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