Preserving ‘Little Alsace’: Castroville families aim to create new downtown entertainment district

CASTROVILLE — As they eye the sprawl rippling toward their small city west of San Antonio, a group of residents are joining forces to preserve Castroville’s small-town flavor and revitalize its historic downtown.

More than 30 families have invested in the Castroville Downtown Redevelopment Fund, a vehicle that will acquire and redevelop as many as a dozen buildings with the money raised so far.

“There are a lot of ways that you can renovate a district or a historic building,” said managing partner Joshua Kempf, an eighth-generation Castroville resident. “We think that folks who care deeply about the future of the town are going to do that better than someone who’s just here to do an economic transaction with no real interest in the heritage.”