DEPARTMENT: Planning
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Bridgett White
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Council Districts 2 and 10
SUBJECT:
Urban Design Consulting Services for the development of Development and Design Standards with Supplemental Guidelines (Design Standards) for the Northeast Corridor (NEC) Revitalization Area
SUMMARY:
The City of San Antonio's Planning Department sought proposals from planning and/or urban design firms for professional consulting services to create Design Standards for the NEC Revitalization Area. The purpose of the Design Standards is to enhance the form, function, and visual appeal of the NEC, making it an attractive area for reinvestment and new growth. The Design Standards will apply to public and private projects involving new construction and/or redevelopment and will result in the creation of a zoning overlay district and policy guide. The total amount of the contract is not to exceed $70,000.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
In an effort to address and reverse the trend of disinvestment in the NEC, the City of San Antonio, in 2013, completed a Market Study for the area. Key recommendations from the Market Study were incorporated into the NEC Revitalization Plan, which was adopted by the City Council in 2014. The goal of the Revitalization Plan is to create an economically sustainable commercial corridor. Relative to corridor design, the NEC Revitalization Plan specifically references activation of underutilized parcels with catalytic development projects, reintroduction of green space and permeable surfaces, and improvement of the appearance of buildings, signs, and parking lots as key points of focus. A Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ) also was established in 2014 as a source of dedicated funding for corridor improvements and public-private investment.
The NEC Revitalization Plan is the first comprehensive suburban corridor revitalization program in the City of San Antonio and was developed to leverage concurrent City pl...
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