San Antonio Standard

SAN ANTONIO  — A program focused on encouraging reinvestment in the City’s northeast corridor has earned the City of San Antonio’s Planning Department the 2023 Achievement in Economic Development Planning Gold Award by the American Planning Association – Texas Chapter (APATX). The award recognizes exceptional efforts aimed at revitalizing economies and fostering economic growth in communities of all sizes. 

The recognition is specifically in honor of the City's Northeast Corridor (NEC) Revitalization Initiative, a transformative project in City Council District 10. The NEC is located primarily along key commercial corridors: Perrin Beitel, Nacogdoches Road, and Thousand Oaks. The NEC Revitalization Initiative capitalizes on opportunities to activate vacant and underutilized properties, re-establish community-serving retail and service businesses, and improve the appearance of the corridors through a matching grant program. 

"Our team is excited to receive this recognition from the APA – Texas Chapter for our work in Economic Development Planning” said Rudy Niño, Jr, AICP, Interim Director of the City of San Antonio Planning Department. “The Northeast Corridor (NEC) Revitalization Initiative has truly been a team effort between the District 10 Council Office and the Planning Department.  It has enabled the support of local businesses through grants aimed at improving commercial properties in the area since 2015. This has not only spurred investments but also bolstered the local northeast economy." 

In response to the award, District 10 Councilmember Whyte stated, "What a well-earned honor for our dedicated folks at the Planning Department! These City employees truly have a passion for being conscientious stewards of our natural landscape, empathetic to our neighborhoods’ residential needs, and cognitive of what it costs small and large businesses to conduct their trade in our unique part of town. Kudos to the  previous Councilmembers  for envisioning a deliberate plan to support businesses. During this term, I look forward to supplementing the expertise of our City’s Planning Department and Economic Development Department by exploring innovative opportunities to further enhance current and future District 10 companies’ ability to thrive. We truly are open for business!”

To learn more about the Northeast Corridor Revitalization Initiative, visit the plan website.

The American Planning Association – Texas Chapter (APATX) will present awards at their upcoming annual conference scheduled for November 10, 2023, in Corpus Christi. To learn more about the APATX visit texas.planning.org 

Original source can be found here.