What if? Part 3: Housing & public private partnerships
September 29, 2023 · Jonathan R. Card
This is the third part of our series about emerging opportunities in downtown San Antonio. Read the second part here.
Back in 2014, the White House recognized a significant portion of San Antonio’s Eastside, designating it as one of the first five Promise Zones. Spanning a 22 square mile area, this initiative was established to boost the quality of life for its residents by fostering job opportunities, elevating education, increasing economic activity, and enhancing safety.
Eastside is Love by Rudy Herrera (via San Anto Cultural Arts)
In the wake of this landmark opportunity, I was invited to join a group of developers and experts, brainstorming grand public-private partnerships tailored for the area around the Alamodome and the adjacent communities of Government Hill, Dignowity Hill, and Denver Heights. My pitch remains the same, and I hope the timing and visual depictions might resurrect the conversation: We need to increase and diversify housing in downtown San Antonio.
mixed-income Housing
Our city’s heart, the central business district, is largely relegated to tourism. Incorporating student and workforce accommodations in this sector offers many advantages. In addition to tourists, a bustling environment enriched by the daily routines of students and professionals not only augments local commerce but also assures safety, thanks to the well-lit streets bustling with life post-business hours.
In our last post I established that the Central Business District should be unified through an efficient transportation network, coupled with ample public parking. The next step? Housing.
Although this piece doesn't delve into the ramifications of new developments on existing communities, notably in terms of property valuation and gentrification, it emphasizes diverse housing solutions fostering a mixed-income sector complemented by retail and recreational spaces.
Efficient transportation paired with housing, retail, and recreation for students and workers
Being closer to work or academic institutions undoubtedly cuts down commuting durations, reducing vehicle emissions and streamlining public transport. The direct beneficiaries, students and workers, experience elevated mental wellness and productivity.
Mixed use via public-private partnerships
I suggest that developers be invited to submit proposals for six mixed-use projects along Cherry Street, the current locations of Alamodome parking lots B & C. The buildings would be developed atop the previously discussed public parking structures. The ground level could accommodate retail, dining, and more.
Existing residential scale retail Royal Blue Grocery in downtown San Antonio (via Chico Design)
Subsequent levels, from the second to the eighth, can be reserved for parking wrapped by 275-350 units of student and workforce housing, creating as many as 1,800 new units. The ratio of subsidized accommodations can be agreed upon through public engagement. The upper floors, the ninth upwards, can be tailored to the developer’s discretion. Hotels. Offices. Condominiums. The result would be 2-3,000,000 square feet of additional real estate space added to the district.
This incorporation of diverse housing within the district promotes social inclusivity. A blend of a public parking framework, seamless transportation, and innovative housing would catalyze a shift in urban dynamics. As we progress, historic San Antonio could witness a unique fusion of locals, university attendees, and tourists, rendering our Central Business District unparalleled in Texas and, arguably, the nation. This aim, though a decade later, is consistent with the goals of the Eastside Promise Zones stated vision: “By 2025, the Promise Zone will be a vibrant community, rich in diversity and opportunity, catalyzing progress throughout the Eastside.”
Card and Company proposal for turning parking lots into so much more
