Boerne City Council on Nov. 18 approved funding for the reconstruction of the parking lot located off Plant Street near River Road. The area was purchased by the city in 2021 to be used for public parking in the downtown area. The renovations will maintain the same parking capacity while enhancing landscaping and improving public visibility.

What’s happening: Four bids were received for the project, ranging from around $490,000 to $949,000. With a 10% increase for unforeseen circumstances, the total project cost is projected to be around $539,000. The budgeted amount for the project was $400,000. 

Director of Engineering and Mobility Jeff Carroll said the additional funds for the project will be pulled from other transportation projects, and staff may come back for a budget adjustment at a later date. While the parking lot will not be gaining additional spots, the flow of the lot will be improved by creating an additional exit point and making the space more accessible to larger vehicles.

A new international deli and market has opened in Boerne, offering residents cuisine from across the globe.

The breakdown: Pioneers Meats opened on Nov. 10 at 312 River Road, Co-owner Brett de Villiers told Community Impact.

Additionally, the business held a grand opening and ribbon-cutting on Nov. 19.

It’s located where The Pearl Antler boutique once had a storefront before moving to Main Street.

Villiers said it’s the businesses’ second overall location, with another market situated further west in Pipe Creek off of Hwy. 46.

Read all about it: Co-Owners Villiers and Nelson Pereira are both African natives—Villiers hailing from Zimbabwe and Pereira from South Africa.

Villiers said the pair wanted to bring the taste of traditional Southern African flavors to the Hill Country and Central Texas.

Some authentic offerings at the shop include biltong, a form of ostrich jerky, boerewors, a South African sausage and drywors, which is dried sausage, Villiers said.

There’s also flame-grilled peri peri chicken and other entree offerings.

• 312 River Road, Boerne

Waymo, an autonomous driving service, is on its way to San Antonio.

The details: On Nov. 18, the company announced its intentions to begin fully autonomous driving in San Antonio, as well as Dallas and Houston.

In an email to Community Impact, Product Communications Manager Chris Bonelli said Waymo intends to make public rides available early in 2026.

Initially started in 2009 as the Google self-driving car project, Waymo now has autonomous ride-hailing services in major metro areas across the United States. According to the company’s website, vehicles use highly detailed custom maps with real-time sensor data to determine their exact location.

For San Antonio, fully autonomous testing with employees will begin “in the coming weeks,” Bonelli said. The company maps the territory before operating in a new area, noting all lane markers, stop signs, curbs, crosswalks and more.

The Alamo will celebrate the grand opening of the Alamo Promenade at 11 a.m. Nov. 21.

The details: According to a news release, the Alamo Promenade is a gateway leading to the Alamo grounds.

The promenade features statues of historical figures from the Texas Revolution, including Sam Houston, Juan Seguin, Jose Antonio Navarro and John William Smith. The promenade also features cobblestones detailing Texan history from early human settlement to statehood.

The background: The Promenade is part of the Alamo Plan, a series of projects that seek to tell the larger story of Texas history. The plan includes reestablishing the original 4 1/2-acre footprint, building the Alamo Visitor Center and Museum, the Texas Cavaliers Education Center and a pedestrian mall.

• 300 Alamo Plaza, San Antonio