Unlocking Opportunities: 2027 Bond Funding Requests for Tower Park, E. Nueva and Historic Structures
Hemisfair Park Area Redevelopment Corporation’s (HPARC) CEO Melissa Robinson was recently interviewed by the San Antonio Report’s Development Beat Reporter Shari Biediger after the reporter saw our social media posts during May’s Historic Preservation Month about the historic Hemisfair District homes and buildings. Restoring and readapting the protected structures in Hemisfair for modern uses, small businesses, and local commercial tenants is a key part of the downtown core becoming an even more world-class destination in the years ahead, as finished, vibrant, and inclusive structures will redefine how San Antonio is experienced, defined, and remembered.
The article “Hemisfair will ask for $37.8M in next bond cycle to finish Tower Park in time for Project Marvel” gave insights from Hemisfair’s history, previous bond cycle results, and what’s ahead with all of the development in downtown San Antonio. The vision of Hemisfair is to create one of the world’s great public places. The mission that the City of San Antonio gave HPARC at inception in 2009 is still vital today with HPARC as the main steward and guardian of the Hemisfair District. This stewardship requires delivering the final phase of the public park space and infrastructure that unlocks economic opportunities as outlined in the master plan.
“The public helped to create the master plan for Hemisfair and is enjoying the results of that today,” Robinson noted in the article. “Hemisfair already has a positive reputation and has already delivered for the community. So we’re giving them more of what they already love (with these bond funding requests).”
Bond funding is essential to complete the mission of the master plan supported by the community. Three areas of focus for HPARC are essential in the 2027 bond cycle that totals $37.845 million, including: 1) completing the third and final park known as Tower Park with a bond funding request of $11.0 million under the Parks category; 2) phase 2 to complete the interior streetscape and other amenities on E. Nueva with a bond funding request of $16.0 million under the Streets category; and 3) historic rehabilitation to restore 9 protected structures built in the 1800s and from the 1968 World’s Fair with a bond funding request of $10.845 million under the Facilities category.
“We want to get people used to being down here … and activating that eastern edge of the park and having activity and life in those homes,” Robinson said. “Just imagine a row of homes that all have food and beverage or cultural offerings with a beautiful park space that’s completed.”