Principles of New Urbanism are affecting
the development of several projects
on the drawing boards. According to
www.newurbanism.org, these principles
include walkability, connectivity, mixed
use, increased density, smart transportation,
sustainability and traditional neighborhood
structure – to add up to a high
quality of life well worth living and to create
places that enrich, uplift and inspire
the human spirit.
A major proponent of New Urbanism
is DPZ, the architectural and planning
firm led by the husband-and-wife team of
Andres Duany and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk.
The firm’s advice influenced the
community plan adopted for City South,
an 80-square-mile subdivision on the far
south side of Loop 410 between IH-37
and IH-35.
Among the objectives of City South are
to “provide mixed-use neighborhood centers
consisting of residences, retail, small
office, and neighborhood centers accessible
by walking, biking or driving from
nearby housing” and to “integrate the natural
environment with the urban environment
by including greenbelts, parks and
trails to provide green connectivity.”
As the arrival of Toyota drove jobs to
the City South area, Rackspace’s decision
to move its headquarters to the former
Windsor Park Mall is changing the future
outlook for that part of San Antonio. The
Urban Real Estate Group brought in
Duany and his CPZ team to establish a
New Urbanism vision for the development
of 300 acres in Windcrest and the
City of San Antonio. The plan calls for
the creation of a new “Main Street” to link
Rackspace to cluster neighborhoods.
The 2009 completion of the portion of
the San Antonio River Improvements from
downtown northward to Josephine will
provide a strong pedestrian link – as well
as a barge link – for the surrounding properties,
including the Pearl Brewery. The
City of San Antonio is planning to use taxincrement
financing to improve public
space in an area encompassing close to
200 acres of the inner city to jumpstart residential
and mixed-use redevelopment.
The northwest side of San Antonio also
will experience a new brand of development,
according to a recent announcement
from USAA Real Estate Company.
The 178-acre Town Center at La Cantera,
bordered by The Shops of La Cantera, IH-
10 and Loop 1604, will combine retail
and 1 million square feet of office space
with 500 residential units. Patrick Duncan,
president and CEO of USAA Real Estate
Company, describes the future Town
Center as “a 24-hour live/work/shop environment
unlike anything existing outside
the heart of downtown San Antonio.”
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