West of San Antonio, residents of a small town are starting to feel the pressures of urban living. An uptick in real estate projects has brought both pros and cons to the tiny Texas town.
Castroville is about a 30-minute drive from the Alamo City. For now, at least, it has a completely different vibe than its eastern neighbor. With a population just under 4,000, a single school district, and a single national grocery store, folks abide by a slower pace of life.
Over the past two years, though, folks have been seeing growth inch closer to home. An 18-acre mixed-use development is under construction at U.S. Highway 90 and FM 471, near the Walmart. The developer behind the property, Merit CRE, plans to have it host several chain stores, including Ulta Beauty and Bath & Body Works, in 2027. The company expects the population within a 10-mile radius to reach approximately 108,988 people over the next five years…