By Edmond Ortiz
South Side leaders are looking forward to two separate yet initiatives that their respective advocates say will provide different kinds of improvements in the area.
‘Project Oso’ follows new residential, industrial growth
Brooks, the mixed-use community that has arisen at the former Brooks Air Force Base, continues to be a hub of commercial and residential development.
The San Antonio River Authority board voted Sept. 8 to convey 243 acres of undeveloped land in southeast San Antonio to the Brooks Development Authority, where both organizations and Bexar County will partner to roll out a large-scale development currently called “Project Oso.”
According to BDA officials, Project Oso will unfold along Southton Road and less than miles from Brooks.
No details are yet to be offered on what will be built at the Project Oso site, but officials with BDA, SARA and Bexar County said this new prospective South Side development location could garner interest from various companies given its size, proximity to major employers such as Toyota, access to rail and regional transportation infrastructure, and location near the planned South Texas Parkway.
According to a press release, the land transfer is also a crucial moment in the ongoing redevelopment of the former Brooks AFB.
“This property represents an opportunity to think strategically about the long-term economic future of South San Antonio,” Derek Boese, the river authority’s general manager, said in a statement. “The property supported the completion of the Mission Reach and is positioned to be used during the construction of the Westside Creeks Ecosystem Restoration project.
County Judge Peter Sakai said Project Oso is just one of many efforts meant to ensure the region has available land, infrastructure and public-private partnerships needed to compete for major economic development opportunities.
“Project Oso demonstrates what we can accomplish when our public partners align around a shared vision for Bexar County’s future,” Sakai said in a statement. “Preparing strategically located land for future investment gives our community another tool to compete for major employers, create quality jobs and expand economic opportunity”
Leo Gomez, Brooks’ president and CEO, said his organization will work with Bexar County, SARA and other key stakeholders to review the Project Oso-area’s infrastructure needs, and pursue development opportunities that complement economic interests of south San Antonio and the at-large region.
“Project Oso is an important milestone in the evolution of Brooks and in how we think about our responsibility to the region,” Gomez said in a statement. “We have demonstrated what intentional, strategic development can accomplish at Brooks. Our opportunity now is to take what we have learned beyond our original boundaries and help lead and influence the next generation of community and economic development across south San Antonio.”
Brooks recently got another shot in the arm, economically speaking, with the announcement of Jacksonville, Florida-based Industrial Electric Manufacturing, which plans to set up a $200 million manufacturing operation at Brooks and create 3,000 jobs across manufacturing, engineering, logistics and corporate support roles.
IEM has been developing custom power distribution and control systems for more than 75 years. Bexar County is supporting the IEM project with economic development incentives. A Texas Enterprise Fund grant of $3.36 million has been extended to IEM for 448 of the new jobs to be created there.
According to another press release, the new IEM plant at Brooks will be built in phases, with construction and hiring timelines to be announced in the coming months.
Company CEO Clayton Such cited the city’s workforce, infrastructure and “collaborative economic development environment” as main reasons for IEM’s decision to develop a manufacturing plant at the Southeast Side live-work community.
“This facility will strengthen our ability to deliver highly engineered, customer-specific power distribution solutions that industries, from healthcare to energy, advanced manufacturing, and more, depend on every day. The investment also will strengthen IEM’s domestic supply chain and support deliveries for customers across North America,” Such added in a statement.
Additionally, the area surrounding continues to see residential and commercial growth. Development firm NRP Group and Brooks last March marked the groundbreaking for Lucia at Brooks, a $72 million, 353-unit apartment complex that will feature one-, two-, and three-bedroom floor plans with upscale in-unit features.
According to a news release, planned amenities at Lucia at Brooks will include a luxury pool, business center and a dog park.
Under construction at 9501 SE Loop 410, Lucia at Brooks will also contain five acres of retail space, and have immediate access to hiking and biking trails along the San Antonio River Mission Reach. Construction is slated for 2027.
“As our city has expanded significantly to the north and west, we believe the South Side represents one of the greatest opportunities for responsible development that brings meaningful mixed-use investment and long-term value to the community,” Jason Arechiga, NRP Group’s senior vice president of development, said in a statement.
Missions-area projects on the horizon
A short distance northwest of Brooks, different kinds of security enhancements are in store for the South Side missions, as are additions around Mission Marquee Plaza.
City Council voted Sept. 10 to direct $1.8 million from the Mission Drive-In Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone to fund a lazy river and design of a future splashpad at a planned public natatorium near Mission Library and Mission Marquee Plaza.
The city’s voter-approved 2022 bond is supporting the $5.1 million aquatics facility, where construction is supposed to start this fall and take one year to unfold.
In the same Sept. 10 vote, council allocated $751,668 in Mission Drive-In TIRZ revenues to support the construction of a pavilion at the World Heritage Center, next to Mission Library.
The new pavilion, according to city officials, will serve as additional public space focused on cultural and educational programming, and will include lighting, parking, walkways, and two new monument signs. This project is due to start in October 2027.
Council also authorized using $45,000 in revenues from the same TIRZ to develop a closed-circuit television system in the San Antonio Missions Historical Park to shore up security and safety at the South Side missions, city representatives said. The county and the District 3 council office are contributing $135,000 to help support the CCTV system measure.
Additionally, council agreed to extend the lifespan of the Mission Drive-In TIRZ through 2060.
The council vote affecting the Missions area came during the weeklong World Heritage Festival, which offered various community events celebrating the historic Spanish colonial missions, and on the heels of 2M Smokehouse’s victory on Food Network’s “Pitmasters” competition show.
District 3 Councilmember Phyllis Viagran said South Siders have reasons to laud these recent achievements.
“From our local businesses achieving national recognition to investing in recreation, safety, infrastructure, and our UNESCO World Heritage designation, we are continuing to create opportunities while honoring the history and culture that make our community special,” Viagran said in a statement. “These commitments are essential steps needed when we invest in our people, our places, and our future.”
