Was this email forwarded to you?
Stay updated on news and issues impacting downtown San Antonio. No spam ever.
 |
|
Mark Your Calendar
Every Tuesday
5 pm - 2 am
Downtown Tuesday
City-operated parking garages, lots, and meters are FREE
An Evening in Main Plaza
Tuesday, February 25, 5-8 p.m.
Featuring an evening of live entertainment and food trucks in Main Plaza, 115 E. Main Plaza. For details, call (210)207-3677.
|
|
Downtown Tuesday
Celebrates 2 Year Anniversary
by Veronica Garcia, Center City Development Office
Join us Tuesday, March 18th at Bohanan's Courtyard (219 E. Houston) from 9-10am to celebrate the 2-Year Anniversary of the Downtown Tuesday program. Downtown Tuesday offers free parking every Tuesday evening after 5pm at City-operated garages, lots and meters. We will also announce an exciting extension of the program...be there and be the first to hear about it!
For more information, please call
|
|
Mardi Gras
River Parade & Festival
by Paseo del Rio Association
On Saturday, March 1st, the River Walk celebrates Mardi Gras, San Antonio Style, at the annual Bud Light Mardi Gras River Parade and Festival. From 12:00-7:00pm La Villita will be transformed into a mini New Orleans with a family-friendly festival of food, arts & crafts, activities, and live music on the Arneson stage. Starting at 3:00pm, brightly decorated river barges will carry crews of costumed revelers on a parade around the River Walk. You'd hate to miss out on this festive celebration free to the public.
 |
|
St. Patrick's Day River Parade & Festival
by Paseo del Rio Association
The River Walk goes all out for St. Patrick's Day, celebrating all weekend with a host of activities. The celebrations kick off on
Thursday, March 13th,
with the annual Murphy's Pub Crawl, which leads participants to a variety of River Walk establishments offering drink specials and revelry all night. 
The party continues on Saturday and Sunday, March 15-16th, with the two day Murphy's St. Patrick's Day River Parade & Festival. On Saturday, the San Antonio River will be dyed green and temporarily re-named "the River Shannon" while a free family-friendly festival of food, games, activities, and live entertainment will take place in La Villita from 12:00-6:00pm. The festival continues Sunday, with a river parade at 3:00pm, featuring dancers, pipers, and lively participants.
|
Primer Sabado y Domingo:
Viva La Piņata!
Family event full of arts, crafts, and live music from Ruben V, and Ecos De Puerto Rico, piņatas, and folklorico dancing.
March 1-2, 12-6 p.m.
For details, call (210)207-8600.
|
Painting in the Plaza
by Department of Culture and Creative Development
Take part in Contemporary Art Month by creating your own work of art! No experience necessary, an art teacher will guide you through the process. Two classes available, please sign up at Pinot's Palette ($25.00 per painter). Saturday, March 29: 12:00-2:00 PM or 3:00-5:00 PM at Historic Market Square, 514 W. Commerce. Hosted by Department of Culture and Creative Development.
|
|
|
|
Out & About Downtown
by Lori Houston, Director, Center City Development Office
In this month's issue, you will read about several special events you can only find downtown. These events are designed to draw both locals and visitors to the center of our city where everyone can enjoy the vibrant atmosphere that downtown has to offer. Be sure to read more about Mardi Gras River Parade and Festival, showcasing brightly decorated river barges floating down the river, and the Tejano Music Awards Fan Fare, including live music and entertainment.
Looking ahead, we are excited about Contemporary Art Month (CAM), when San Antonio artists present the best our community has to offer at galleries, stores, events and schools. Be sure to read about how you can take part in CAM by creating your own work of art at the "Painting in the Plaza" event taking place in the historic Market Square next month.
This edition of the newsletter also includes information on the Grand Reopening of Travis Park on Monday, March 31st from 6:30am-6:00pm. The special event will be filled with festivities including live music, games, yoga and historical tours throughout the day. The reopening will conclude with Twilight on the Plaza, a special fundraising dinner to benefit Travis Park.
This month's issue also includes information on San Antonio's efforts to assist and address homelessness in our community. If you are interested in more information, please visit Haven for Hope.
Finally, with this beautiful weather upon us, you will not want to miss a family-friendly evening of live music and food trucks downtown. Our department is hosting an Evening in Main Plaza on Tuesday, February 25th from 5-8 PM for all to enjoy.
Whether you want festive parades, live music, delicious food, or art, downtown San Antonio has it all. If you have any questions or feedback, I encourage you to contact our office. Until then, I look forward to seeing you downtown!
We're located at 100 W. Houston St, Suite 1900, San Antonio, TX 78283. Contact us at (210) 207-3914 or via email at downtown@sanantonio.gov for questions or assistance related to downtown San Antonio.
|
by Ramiro Gonzales, Center City Development Office
New to the River North/MidTown Area is, the Mosaic, a $22 million multifamily housing development that includes 120 housing units, 12 of which are priced for student housing. The project recently opened in November 2013 and is located at 1915 Broadway in Council District 2, directly adjacent to the Pearl Brewery Complex. It features an industrial yet organic design, resort-style swimming pool, and a social lounge with media zone and full-size catering kitchen. This project would not have been possible without the $1,897,548 in incentives approved by City Council for this project. The Mosiac brings us closer to achieving the SA2020 goal of increasing the number of housing units by 7,500 in our Center City. An official grand opening ceremony with the Mayor is scheduled for March 17th at 9:00 am. All are welcome to attend and invited to tour the community.
For more information on the Mosaic on Broadway, please call 210-444-1915 or visit www.themosaiconbroadway.com. For more information on the Center City Housing Incentive Program visit sanantonio.gov/CCDO.
 |
Dealing with Homelessness
by Troy Houtman, Center City Development Office
Homelessness is an extremely complex social problem that impacts the quality of life in our community. San Antonio officials recognize that there is a fine line between homelessness as a social issue and a criminal issue. To assist the City's effort in assisting those experiencing homelessness, a local organization, Haven for Hope provides shelter, food and training to assist those needing these resources.
While being homeless is not a crime, many kinds of public conduct are illegal and should be reported to the San Antonio Police Department at 210-207-7273 or 911 in case of an emergency. These include being intoxicated, trespassing, or behaving in a threatening manner. A person who witnesses an offense can make a citizen's complaint by calling the San Antonio Police Department and providing details of the offense. Some of the following tips may help you avoid issues with homeless individuals.
-Post NO TRESPASSING signs stating the name and phone number of the property owner or manager, and the non-emergency SAPD phone number to report suspicious activities.
-Do not offer food or money. It may encourage more panhandling. If you are inclined to help the homeless, it is better to contribute to local charities such as Haven for Hope, missions, food banks, or social service organizations that assist this population.
-Do not permit anyone to camp or loiter on your property.
Being aware of your surroundings, becoming knowledgeable of actions you can take, communicating with the San Antonio Police Department, and supporting Haven for Hope are all efforts you can take to curb the issues of homelessness in San Antonio. They can be reached at 210-220-2100 or visit Haven for Hope for more information.
Homelessness issues are currently being reviewed by a multi-agency task force which includes the City of San Antonio, Haven for Hope, Center for Health Care Services, Bexar County, and Municipal and County Court representatives. A few initiatives being analyzed by the task force include a pilot program for habitual offenders (to include treatment and follow-up), drug treatment programs for chronic addicts, creating a Public Service Announcement to provide community education on giving to panhandlers, identifying a one-stop for housing and treatment services, and creating a collaborative model to continue addressing homelessness issues.
|
Travis Park Grand Reopening
by Veronica Gonzalez, Center City Development Office
The City of San Antonio invites the community to celebrate the Grand Reopening of historic Travis Park, located at 301 E. Travis St., on Monday, March 31, 2014 from 6:30am to 6:00pm. Closed since January of 2014, the 2.6-acre park has undergone improvements including: electrical upgrades funded from the 2012 Bond, a B-Cycle station, new furnishings and amenities for park users, as well as infrastructure, maintenance and landscaping improvements.
The reopening festivities will commence with fitness group events and continue with activities for children throughout the morning. During lunch, guests are invited to enjoy food trucks and live music. Then, the celebration will continue with historical tours, a dog park event, a coffee social and musical entertainment. Visitors are welcome to explore the park, play board games, and picnic with family and friends. The activities are free and open to the public. For complete schedule, please call (210)207-4080 or email veronica.gonzalez@sanantonio.gov.
The reopening day will conclude with Twilight on the Plaza, a special fundraising dinner under the stars from 6-8pm. Chef Mata of St. Anthony Riverwalk Wyndham Hotel will bring his culinary talents to prepare a farm-to-table, four-course meal served with perfectly paired wines by Becker Vineyards. The Brent Watkins Trio will serve up live jazz entertainment for all to enjoy. The dining experience is limited to 200 people. Dinner tickets are $75 each; Table for eight (8) $750. The public is welcome to pre-book dinner tickets by calling (210) 207-4080. A portion of the dinner proceeds will benefit historic Travis Park. For more information on sponsorship opportunities to support Travis Park, please contact Veronica Gonzalez at (210)207-4080 or veronica.gonzalez@sanantonio.gov. For the latest news and images, find Twilight on the Plaza on Facebook.
In March of 2013, Project for Public Spaces (PPS) held a series of public workshops in order to develop a concept plan for the park. In keeping with the vision established by the final concept plan, a pilot Placemaking grant from Project for Public Spaces (PPS) funded by Southwest Airlines (SWA) provided new furnishings and programming for park users. |
New Market Tax Credits Stimulate Growth
by Baker Tilly, Chase Community Development Banking, Texas Mezzanine Fund, and TransPecos Development Corporation
Nationwide, more than $34 billion of New Markets Tax Credit capital has been invested into thousands of businesses and real estate developments since 2002. Learn how to access New Markets Tax Credits for your qualified business or real estate development. These unique tax credits have helped developers and business owners gain access to a low-cost source of capital to solve a portion of their capital needs while creating significant community and economic impact in distressed areas. Please join us to learn more about the New Markets Tax Credit Program and find out if your project or business qualifies. Wed., February 26 from 7:30am-9:30am, Plaza Club (100 W. Houston, Floor 21)
To register, contact Wendy Jones at wendy.j.jones@chase.com or (312)325-5048. Please include in your RSVP the session you will be attending. The education program is FREE; however, space is limited. |
Getting Ready for Spring: Riverwalk Landscaping
by Center City Development Office
The San Antonio River Walk is "The Jewel of San Antonio" and it is no doubt that plants in its landscapes are an intrinsic part of the river's charm. In addition to its century old trees, the River Walk is an oasis of tropical plants, palms, evergreen shrubs, perennials, annuals and fruit trees.
The City of San Antonio takes care of new plantings and the maintenance of the River Walk plant material. This spring many of the river's beautiful and rare tropical plants will recover from the frigid temperatures they endured during this atypical winter while other more tender plants will be replaced. The iconic Orchid tree at the La Mansion water feature survived the winter and will need just minimal pruning to return to its former glory.
Along with the planting and replacement of freeze damaged plants is, of course, the spring annual color installation. Bronze-leaf begonias, impatiens, caladiums and petunias are just some of the annuals planted in the spring. After Fiesta, the City of San Antonio will engage in another round of spring color planting. Coleus, zinnias, crossandra and potato vine will display their colorful foliage and blooms as we enter the warmer months of the year. Even though it has not been a typical south Texas winter, it is shaping up to be an outstanding spring. Whether you are an amateur gardener, an experienced botanist or just a visitor, we hope you will accept our invitation to explore and admire the riverwalk's beautiful landscape in full color.
For more information, please call (210)207-3914. |
Breakfast with the Mayor
by San Antonio For Growth on the Eastside (SAGE)
Please join us for an intimate breakfast with our Mayor, Julian Castro, as he discusses growth and opportunities on San Antonio's Eastside. You won't want to miss Mayor Castro's special announcement about a new incentive program for Eastside Business Owners!
When: Tuesday, March 4th, 7:30 am
Where: The Depot at Sunset Station
Cost: $25 per person/ $300 for a table of 8
To reserve your seat, call 210-248-9178 or email acunningham@sagesanantonio.org.
Attendees can pay through PayPal online by visiting www.sagesanantonio.org/events.
|
Tejano Music Awards Fan Fair 2014
by Tony Rivera, Department of Culture and Creative Development
Come visit Historic Market Square on March 13-16 (12:00 - 11:00 pm) for four days of free live Tejano music on five stages. This year's lineup includes more than 100 bands on multiple stages. An estimated 85,000 fans will travel from Texas and beyond for the Fan Fair experience that includes autograph sessions and access to the artists. In addition to music, the family-friendly Fan Fair offers an array of food and beverage booths and the Historic Market Square's 100 shops, restaurants and indoor Folklorico stage. FREE ADMISSION. For more information, please call 210-207-8605.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
