Breaking Ground SA

Real Estate Council of San Antonio
  • 5.0 (9)
  • Entrepreneurship

Breaking Ground SA is a podcast where we dig into real estate deals, developments, and decision-makers shaping San Antonio. Hosted by Stephanie Reyes, President and CEO of RECSA, and local policy expert Rob Killen, each episode explores the stories behind the city's transformation—from downtown revitalization and major developments to the people and passion driving San Antonio's growth. Whether it's iconic buildings, economic development, or the future of our community, Breaking Ground SA takes you behind the scenes of the projects building the city our kids want to call home.

  1. 5d ago

    From Boxing Ring to Boardroom: Paul Basaldua on Condalia and the Chamber Merger | Ep. 19

    Paul Basaldua won a regional Golden Gloves title, landed a Chamber of Commerce internship because of a newspaper clipping, and never stopped saying yes to the work. The founder of VersaTerra Development traces his path from survey and pipe-laying crews to launching his own company in December 2019, just months before COVID hit. Paul also shares how a last-minute decision to attend a small fundraiser led to Condalia, a master planned community on San Antonio's southeast side, and breaks down what it takes to finance and entitle a project of that size. As chair of the Metro SA Chamber, he gives an inside look at the effort to merge with the Greater San Antonio Chamber, and he explains why RECSA involvement pays off for developers and the broader industry. Episode Chapters (00:44) - Welcome and Guest Introduction(02:12) - Growing Up in San Antonio(09:09) - College, Boxing, and a Chamber Internship(18:10) - From Construction to Development(23:17) - Taking the Leap and Starting VersaTerra(28:12) - Condalia: Building a Master Planned Community(48:39) - Why RECSA Involvement Matters(52:46) - Inside the Chamber Merger(01:07:31) - Rapid Fire Links and Resources VersaTerra Development: https://vtdevco.comCondalia - https://livecondalia.com/Real Estate Council of San Antonio: https://recsanantonio.com/Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce: https://www.sachamber.org Podcast Production Services by https://EveryWord.Media

  2. Oct 13

    How Richard Perez Went from Landscaping to City Hall to Leading the Medical Foundation | Ep. 18

    Richard Perez says every job he's held was the best one he ever had, and after this conversation it's easy to see why. The president of the San Antonio Medical Foundation traces his path from a family landscaping business on the South Side to Laredo, Washington, DC, the San Antonio City Council, and 15 years leading the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce. Along the way he shares the secret weapon that opened doors on the campaign trail, what it was like to serve on council for $20 a meeting, and the field video that helped change San Antonio's tree preservation ordinance. He also breaks down the South Texas Medical Center's economic impact, why civic involvement matters for business leaders, and his thoughts on the Sports and Entertainment District and infrastructure investment. Episode Chapters (00:51) - Welcome and Guest Introduction(03:33) - Growing Up in a Landscaping Family(08:00) - From Urban Planner to Laredo and Washington, DC(20:28) - Running for San Antonio City Council(32:25) - The Tree Ordinance Story(38:27) - Leading the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce(48:12) - Leading the San Antonio Medical Foundation(01:02:14) - Civic Involvement, the Arena, and Infrastructure(01:16:21) - Rapid Fire Links and Resources San Antonio Medical Foundation: https://www.samedfoundation.orgReal Estate Council of San Antonio: https://recsanantonio.com/Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce: https://www.sachamber.orgSan Antonio Water System: https://www.saws.orgSan Antonio Missions World Heritage Site: https://www.nps.gov/saan Podcast Production Services by https://EveryWord.Media

  3. Sep 29

    Why Companies Are Choosing San Antonio with greater:SATX CEO Sarah Carabias Rush | Ep. 17

    Sarah Carabias Rush, President and CEO of greater:SATX, just closed her best year yet: 7,000 new jobs, a goal exceeded for the first time since she took the role, and 59 active projects worth nearly $19 billion in the pipeline. In this episode, Sarah breaks down what it actually takes to land a company like Toyota or IEM, why data alone doesn't win deals, and how San Antonio went from a market that wasn't even getting a look to one now outpacing its peers in GDP growth, educational attainment, and poverty reduction. Sarah also opens up about her path to San Antonio, from being blessed by the Pope as a baby in Alaska to competitive acting in high school to building an international career in Dallas before taking the leap to lead economic development here. Plus her take on data centers, the case for South Texas Parkway, and why site readiness, not marketing, is what actually closes a deal. Episode Chapters (00:00) - Cold Open(00:47) - Welcome and Guest Introduction(02:42) - From Alaska to San Antonio(17:28) - Why Sarah Chose San Antonio Over Everywhere Else(28:43) - Turning Greater SATX Into a Proactive Recruiter(36:24) - What It Actually Takes to Land a Major Company(45:56) - San Antonio's Real Growth Story(50:38) - 59 Active Projects and the Road to Momentum 2030(1:03:11) - Data Centers and South Texas Parkway(1:12:03) - Rapid Fire Links and Resources greater:SATX: https://greatersatx.comReal Estate Council of San Antonio: https://recsanantonio.com/ Podcast Production Services by https://EveryWord.Media

  4. Sep 15

    Inside San Antonio's Planning Commission with 14-Year Commissioner George Peck | Ep. 16

    George Peck almost missed the phone call that started his entire San Antonio career, an old cassette-tape answering machine message he didn't hear for a week. Nearly four decades later, he's a former RECSA president, one of the longest-serving members of the San Antonio Planning Commission, and a 2019 Philip Barshop Founder's Award recipient. In this episode, George traces his path from a small engineering school in upstate New York to becoming one of San Antonio's most trusted voices in development, thanks to two demanding mentors who shaped how he leads today. He shares the wild story behind the most intense Planning Commission meeting of his career, involving the Alamo, hours of testimony, and a full police escort out of the building. He also opens up about turning to marathon and ultra-distance running in his late 30s, and shares his honest read on where San Antonio's growth and affordability challenges are headed next. Episode Chapters (00:00) Cold Open(00:24) Welcome and Introduction(02:10) From Upstate New York to San Antonio(09:06) Finding Mentors: Paul Denham and Steve Hannan(15:23) How a Missed Voicemail Led to 14 Years on the Planning Commission(18:02) Transforming the City's Relationship with Development Services(34:15) The Alamo Plan Meeting That Needed a Police Escort(38:22) Winning the Philip Barshop Award(53:52) San Antonio's Growth, Affordability, and What Comes Next(59:46) Rapid Fire Questions Links and ResourcesKCI Technologies: https://www.kci.comReal Estate Council of San Antonio: https://recsanantonio.com Podcast Production Services by https://EveryWord.Media

  5. Aug 25

    From the Spurs Arena to Brooks: Leo Gomez on Why San Antonio Needs to Think Bigger | Ep. 15

    Leo Gomez has spent his career building things San Antonio said couldn't be built, twice, from a downtown arena the Spurs weren't supposed to be able to afford, to a former Air Force base most people still think is off-limits to civilians. In this episode, Leo traces his path from a childhood in McAllen to leading the redevelopment of Brooks, one of the fastest-growing three-mile markets in San Antonio. He explains why he modeled Brooks after The Woodlands, Mueller, and Lowry, why tax increment reinvestment zones matter more than most people realize, and why he believes San Antonio consistently thinks too small. He also opens up about a walking pilgrimage across Portugal and Spain that changed how he sees the years ahead. Episode Chapters(00:44) Welcome and Introduction(01:29) From the Rio Grande Valley to San Antonio(13:07) Chambers, Networking, and Landing at the Spurs(18:03) Building a Basketball Arena and the Original Spurs Deal(25:52) Toyota, Then Back to the Spurs(33:17) The Brooks Story: Vision, Models, and Rebuilding Infrastructure(43:41) Inside Brooks Today: Growth, Trees, and Misconceptions(53:52) Mentorship, Big Ideas, and Thinking Bigger for San Antonio(01:00:48) Life Outside Work and Rapid Fire Questions Links and ResourcesBrooks: https://livebrooks.com/Real Estate Council of San Antonio: https://recsanantonio.com/ Podcast Production Services by https://EveryWord.Media

  6. Aug 4

    Debra Guerrero on Affordable Housing, City Hall, and Why San Antonio Needs to Think Bigger | Ep. 14

    Debra Guerrero has spent almost thirty years in the rooms where San Antonio's biggest decisions get made, first as the only woman on City Council in 1997, then on the SAISD Board during one of the district's most difficult stretches, and now as a senior leader at The NRP Group, where she's helped build tens of thousands of housing units across Texas. In this episode, Debra traces her path from a childhood on the southeast side, where her father worked at Kelly Air Force Base and her mother ran a neighborhood beauty salon, through an early start in campaign politics at age 14, a Planning Commission appointment that introduced her to the developers shaping the city, and into a career built around one core idea: that housing is as essential as water and electricity. She talks candidly about her four years on City Council, her decision to help turn around a struggling school district, and why she believes San Antonio still hasn't fully learned to celebrate its own wins. Episode Chapters(00:30) Welcome and Introduction(03:01) Growing Up on the Southeast Side: Family, Faith, and a Neighborhood Salon(07:12) Getting Political at 14: Campaigns, the Hatch Act, and Finding Her Path(14:59) The Planning Commission Appointment That Changed Everything(24:02) From City Council to the SAISD Board: Nearly a Decade Shaping Schools(32:33) Four Years at City Hall: Being the Only Woman in the Room(44:30) Joining The NRP Group and the Legacy of Dan Markson(55:51) The State of Affordable Housing in San Antonio and Texas(01:03:04) Advice for Young Women in Leadership, Plus Rapid Fire Questions Links and ResourcesThe NRP Group: https://nrpgroup.comReal Estate Council of San Antonio: https://recsanantonio.comSAISD: https://www.saisd.net Podcast Production Services by EveryWord Media - https://everyword.media

  7. Jul 21

    Melissa Robinson's Path to Leading Hemisfair Into Its Next Era | Ep. 13

    Melissa Robinson didn't set out to run Hemisfair. She started as a board member who took a chance meeting at a Christmas party seriously, then spent years learning the project from the inside before stepping into the CEO seat as only the second person to ever hold it. In this episode, Melissa traces her path from a childhood spent bouncing between five states, through construction finance, a layoff that redirected her career, and a leap into development on her own, all the way to leading one of San Antonio's most consequential public spaces. She breaks down what the 90-acre Hemisfair district actually includes, why the parks anchor the development rather than the other way around, and what's still left to build as the surrounding sports and entertainment district takes shape. Episode Chapters(00:00) Cold Open(00:31) Welcome and Introduction(02:00) Melissa's Winding Path: Five States, Two Countries, One Twin Sister(13:47) From Construction Finance to Real Estate Development(28:44) The Leap: Leaving a Steady Career to Build Her Own Path(31:41) Becoming Hemisfair's Second-Ever CEO(35:23) The Story of Hemisfair: Three Generations of the Same Land(39:22) Inside the 90-Acre District and the Sports and Entertainment Conversations(43:41) Where Downtown San Antonio Is Headed in the Next 5-10 Years(49:36) Rapid Fire Questions Links and ResourcesHemisfair: https://hemisfair.orgReal Estate Council of San Antonio: https://recsanantonio.com Sponsored LinksPort San Antonio: https://www.portsanantonio.ushttps://vimeo.com/1204624708/67c9b99b89?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci Podcast Production Services by EveryWord Media

  8. Jul 7

    Hope Andrade on Business, Texas Politics, and Leading The Alamo's $700M Rebuild | Ep. 12

    Hope Andrade has been a bus girl, a tortilla factory worker, an IBM word processor, a healthcare entrepreneur, a TxDOT commissioner, and Texas' first Latina and longest-serving Secretary of State. Now she's leading the Alamo Trust as President and CEO, overseeing the $700 million restoration set to open in 2028. In this episode, Hope talks about growing up in San Antonio, learning she was adopted in her 40s, building a business empire out of a childcare need in the 1970s, getting talked into a career in state government, and what's coming next for the Alamo, including a 160,000 square foot event center and a film produced by Taylor Sheridan. Episode Chapters (00:00) - Cold Open(00:18) - Welcome and Introduction(01:33) - Growing Up in San Antonio and Being Adopted(07:52) - Finding Mentors and Learning by Watching(19:39) - Getting Into Politics Through Business(21:41) - Starting a Business as a Woman in 1979(28:05) - From IBM to Building a Home Care Empire(33:27) - TxDOT, Secretary of State, and Bringing Jobs to Texas(44:57) - Leading the Alamo Trust's $700 Million Restoration(1:03:47) - Rapid Fire Questions Links and Resources The Alamo: https://www.thealamo.orgReal Estate Council of San Antonio: https://recsanantonio.com/Port San Antonio: https://www.portsanantonio.us Sponsored Links Port San Antonio: https://www.portsanantonio.ushttps://vimeo.com/1204624708/67c9b99b89?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci Podcast Production Services by EveryWord Media

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

Breaking Ground SA is a podcast where we dig into real estate deals, developments, and decision-makers shaping San Antonio. Hosted by Stephanie Reyes, President and CEO of RECSA, and local policy expert Rob Killen, each episode explores the stories behind the city's transformation—from downtown revitalization and major developments to the people and passion driving San Antonio's growth. Whether it's iconic buildings, economic development, or the future of our community, Breaking Ground SA takes you behind the scenes of the projects building the city our kids want to call home.

Information

  • Creator
    Real Estate Council of San Antonio
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    19
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Real Estate Council of San Antonio
  • Show Website
    Breaking Ground SA

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