A mere 80 miles separates Austin and San Antonio, the anchors of the growing Interstate 35 corridor. The two cities have some fundamental cultural differences but share certain economic drivers that have produced healthy retail real estate markets in both metros, albeit with varied results. The most basic economic drivers common to both metro areas are population and employment growth. Like other Texas cities, the Austin and San Antonio metro areas continue to experience a steady stream of new residents and jobs. Although San Antonio often takes a backseat to Austin in various rankings, the Alamo City topped this year’s national list for largest raw numeric growth in population among all U.S. cities of 50,000 or more, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Austin landed at No. 12 in this category. However, Forbes ranks Austin second among America’s Best Cities for Jobs while San Antonio lags at No. 13. Joined at the Hip Because both cities and the small towns that surround them are growing at phenomenal paces, central Texas is starting to be identified in terms of Austin and San Antonio, not Austin vs. San Antonio. And although this concept has been talked about for years, retail development along …
