River North Master Plan Recognized for Catalyzing Improvement of Underutilized San Antonio Neighborhoods
03/03/09
Avenue B row houses and streetcar, River North District Master Plan, San Antonio, Texas
The River North Master Plan, adopted by the Planning Commission and by the City Council in April 2009, has been honored by a Congress for the New Urbanism Charter Award. The Downtown San Antonio Community Development Corporation and the City of San Antonio co-sponsored preparation of this plan for the 375-acre site immediately north of downtown San Antonio, long underused and dominated by wide, treeless streets and parking lots.
The San Antonio River flows through the center of the planning area which is now undergoing flood control, pedestrian and landscape improvements, creating a high-quality river corridor that connects to the historic San Antionio River Walk to the south. The plan improves walking and transit routes, connects the area to nearby institutions, sets the groundwork for the renewal of three adjacent neighborhoods, and creates a catalytic program of streetscape refurbishment funded with tax increment financing. A clear form-based code and the accompanying design review process will ensure that all investments enhance the public realm, helping to rebuild the economy of the project area.
