Lerma’s Nite Club
Lerma’s Nite Club was one of the longest-running live conjunto music venues in Central and South Texas, hosting musicians who are now part of the Conjunto Hall of Fame and the Tejano Roots Hall of Fame. The building, located at 1602-1612 North Zarzamora, stands as both a landmark in Texas music history and a cultural icon in San Antonio. Completed by 1942 in the late Art Moderne style, the building contains five storefronts which have housed numerous local businesses over the years, including Lerma’s at 1612. The site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2013.
Saving Lerma’s will empower communities to preserve sites that are of cultural significance, not just the best examples of period architecture. Unanimously designated a landmark by San Antonio’s City Council, the building requires bracing of its walls, reinforcement of its foundation, and construction of a new roof to replace one that is leaking and failing. Once stabilized, through the implementation of a community vision for adaptive use, Lerma’s can provide inspiration for the preservation of other historically significant sites and structures in San Antonio’s Westside.
UPDATE: The City of San Antonio allocated $500,000 in their 2016 budget for Lerma’s in anticipation of the site’s rehabilitation. Esperanza Peace and Justice Center, the group spearheading the project, is actively engaging the local community for ideas about the future use.
ADDRESS: 1602-1612 N. Zarzamora St, San Antonio (Bexar County)
DESIGNATION: NRHP
CONDITION: Fair
OWNER: Private
RESOURCE TYPE: Commercial
YEAR LISTED: 2014
