Photo Courtesy Dunaway Associates
The 1.7-acre lot of undeveloped land was at the center of a years-long battle over how it should be developed.
Development of a public park adjacent the East Side's historic Hays Street Bridge finally appears to be moving ahead.
On Thursday, San Antonio City Council approved $2.5 million in funding for the long-awaited Berkley V. & Vincent M. Dawson Park. The 1.69-acre lot sits east of downtown near Alamo Beer Co. and the pedestrian bridge that once served as the primary connection between downtown and the city's historically African American East Side.
The land was at the center of a years-long dispute over whether it should be designated public space or used by a private developer to construct a five-story apartment building opposed by area residents.
The apartment project was scrapped after the Texas Supreme Court ruled in 2019 that the city wasn't immune to breach of contract claims over its sale of the land to the developer after initially setting aside for public use. Shortly after the courtroom defeat, council voted to create a park with the land.
“Today’s vote was another pivotal step in the journey to realize the vision of community leaders, organizers and historians to create a free, public park near the Hays Street Bridge," District 2 Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez in an emailed statement Thursday. "We look forward to breaking ground on the project and following it through to completion.”
In the early days of the project’s public meetings, the city fielded more requests for a skatepark than any other amenity. While not something considered in the initial design phase, the city ultimately listened to the community and its wishes.
The park will include a 12,000-square-foot skate park along with flexible green space, a playground and an event space, according to city documents. The skate park will be separated into two sections, one for advanced skill levels and another for beginners.
On Thursday, San Antonio City Council approved $2.5 million in funding for the long-awaited Berkley V. & Vincent M. Dawson Park. The 1.69-acre lot sits east of downtown near Alamo Beer Co. and the pedestrian bridge that once served as the primary connection between downtown and the city's historically African American East Side.
The land was at the center of a years-long dispute over whether it should be designated public space or used by a private developer to construct a five-story apartment building opposed by area residents.
The apartment project was scrapped after the Texas Supreme Court ruled in 2019 that the city wasn't immune to breach of contract claims over its sale of the land to the developer after initially setting aside for public use. Shortly after the courtroom defeat, council voted to create a park with the land.
“Today’s vote was another pivotal step in the journey to realize the vision of community leaders, organizers and historians to create a free, public park near the Hays Street Bridge," District 2 Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez in an emailed statement Thursday. "We look forward to breaking ground on the project and following it through to completion.”
In the early days of the project’s public meetings, the city fielded more requests for a skatepark than any other amenity. While not something considered in the initial design phase, the city ultimately listened to the community and its wishes.
The park will include a 12,000-square-foot skate park along with flexible green space, a playground and an event space, according to city documents. The skate park will be separated into two sections, one for advanced skill levels and another for beginners.
Photo Courtesy Dunaway Associates
The park will include flexible green space, a playground, an event space, and a 12,000-square-foot skate park
The park's design comes from the planning and landscape architecture arm of civil-engineering firm Dunaway, which also conceptualized improvement plans at Alamo Golf Course and O.P. Schnabel Park.
“We look forward to the beautiful space this will become and the public space it provides to both east side families and San Antonians from across the city," McKee-Rodriguez said.
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