SAN ANTONIO – The Alamo City’s population growth is not new, but you may be surprised by exactly how many different industries are already seeing major business increases.
As more homes are constructed the demand for builders and remodelers keeps going up.
University of the Incarnate Word student Cody Rackley has a passion for design and now a unique chance to jump start his career. His kitchen design won him a scholarship and a piece of the spotlight inside Kitchen Designs by Giovanni, a man with a firm belief in giving back.
"One of the hardest things to find is good designers. That's why we got involved with UIW to try to help take people that are learning about what we do and connect them," said Giovanni Marotta.
The need to cultivate fresh talent like Cody's isn't something that's happening on accident. Designers across the board are starting to feel the overall push from San Antonio's growth.
"So we've seen an increase for sure and we've seen an increase in what people are wanting to spend on their kitchen and bathrooms," Marotta said.
Marotta says business is booming. He expects to do about 90 projects this year compared to 65 last year -- many for out-of-state home buyers before they arrive.
"I just want students to know you can do the same here in San Antonio. It's growing. Now we're getting more transitional, more contemporary which is very exciting for the San Antonio market because it's something that's lacked and people have been afraid to go into for so long," said Marotta.
It's a market ready for fresh ideas with new faces ready to make it happen.
"This truly is that next level of having something that's a permanent fixture somewhere that people can come see every single day and actually purchase the kitchen I made, is awesome," Rackley said.
To help respond to the growing interest, this upcoming fall semester UIW is changing its design degree from a Bachelor of Arts to a Bachelor of Fine Arts to give students more studio classes. The program has about 50 students and most are staying local after graduation.