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IGNITING THE CITY IN THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN 

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As downtown San Antonio’s nonprofit placemaking organization, we work passionately every day to create a more beautiful, welcoming, playful, and prosperous downtown in the spirit of San Antonio. We are dedicated to serving our community with courage, creativity, and empathy. We love to think big, have fun, get the right stuff done, and be good to others. Get to know us below!

PID Boundaries Map

The Public Improvement District is a 0.8 square mile area in downtown San Antonio. Click here to view/download map.

 

WE SERVE THE HEART OF SAN ANTONIO

We are a placemaking organization working everyday to create a more beautiful, playful, welcoming, and prosperous downtown highlighting the San Antonio spirit. While we are champions for all of downtown, our primary job is to manage the Public Improvement District.

The PID covers about one square mile encompassing the most iconic, exciting and historic locations in our city, all of which weave together as the cultural, creative, and civic epicenters of San Antonio.

We play, dream, innovate, demonstrate, connect, and elevate one another to better the city we all come to love. A place where we mourn together in times of loss and celebrate our collective victories from graduations to sounding our horns loudly for our beloved Spurs.

A place where we make great friends, start our careers, fall in love, nurture our families, retire as empty-nesters, and everything in between.

WE DO THIS BY FOCUSING ON:

Our Ambassadors work 24/7 365 so that San Antonio has the cleanest downtown in the U.S. Our services include power-washing sidewalks and bus stops, sweeping and picking up waste, graffiti removal, bird abatement and trash collection. We also disinfect high-touch and high-traffic areas to promote health safety.

Quality of Life Ambassadors are specifically trained in skills and knowledge of applicable laws and ordinances to provide a visible presence to improve safety in downtown by attempting to dissuade illegal and uncivil behavior like aggressive panhandling, public urination, and graffiti. We have an excellent partnership with the police department.  Thus, when any of our 95 Ambassadors phone in an issue they see, the police can respond fast to ensure our downtown is safe and secure. Additionally, we contract with SAPD to provide early morning police patrols, and our Ambassadors escort people to their car or other destination, if requested.

Our Ambassadors are the friendly face downtown helping visitors and locals by answering questions and finding just the right cultural experiences, hole-in-the-wall restaurant, cool rooftop bar, or any business, service or event they are looking for.

building art SA San Antonio

We are big time advocates, supporters and catalysts for more art in the public domain from painting to sculpture to music to dance.  Not only is the art great for the people who live, work and play downtown, it represents our commitment to advancing our culture and creative economy by employing artists, makers and creatives who are typically small business owners or sole entrepreneurs. We started our Art Everywhere initiative in 2020 with the goal of getting at least 30 new pieces of art installed by the end of 2021.  We are well on our way!

Broadway Cultural Corridor

Centro successfully advocates for bond-funded capital improvement projects, partnering with the City departments, vendors and private stakeholders to ensure high quality outcomes for those projects.  Our Urban Planning and Advocacy Committee assists private developers with navigating through the permitting and development process, and by providing critical insights and feedback to ensure designs integrate well with the existing infrastructure and add to the aesthetic and cultural fabric downtown. We also initiate and manage long-term projects that advance our quality of life.  Most notably, we are working to provide shade along 80% of sidewalks during the hot summer days to make walking, biking and sitting to enjoy a meal much more pleasant and inviting.

Centro manages over 1,000 hanging baskets and flowerpots to bring color, shade and little islands of nature throughout downtown to attract beautiful butterflies and productive pollinators for all to enjoy.

2015 Center City Market Study

We focus on building a strong, resilient ecosystem that makes it easy to start and grow your business downtown.  We also provide one-on-one counseling services to small, local businesses to help them through tough times and accelerate them during good times. We are champions for all our Main Street businesses in and around downtown.

As part of our work-force development efforts, Centro usually employs approximately 40 employees who are currently or have recently transitioned out of homelessness.  We also partner with Corazon Ministries to deploy a homeless outreach team downtown to connect unsheltered individuals with needed resources.

Whether we are putting up lights to sprinkle some holiday magic to streets and parks, or partnering with artists, makers and creative organizations to put on music, art and play events, Centro supports and develops scores of engaging, playful, fun events and activations throughout the year.

Relying primarily on social media and public relations, our marketing team develops comprehensive programs like our award-winning Si Se Puede SA campaign, as well as providing a wide range of communications from promoting small businesses and special events to sending out timely emergency alerts and street closure information.

2018 AIA Activate Houston Street Report

Centro’s Board, committee members and staff actively advocate to City, County and State officials on a wide range of policy matters that affect all the people who live and work downtown, as well as affect our PID members and other key stakeholders investing in the future of San Antonio.

The Centro Alliance is our nonprofit committed to advancing the needs of our members by creating memorable and unique experiences that spark their imaginations, engaging their passion for San Antonio, building their social capital networks and advancing their professional and personal interests.  We also raise additional revenues through the Alliance to invest in improving the quality of life downtown.

Dig a little deeper into the story of downtown San Antonio

You quickly see how it is woven together by innovation, progress, tenacity, and vision. We pride ourselves on a DIY ethos. From our historical inception at the headwaters of San Pedro Creek to modern times, our downtown is built by people who create for the future. As the heart of El Centro, our Ambassadors work tirelessly with a smile on their faces to ensure that downtown is beautiful and welcoming for everyone. You will find them in their bright yellow shirts helping visitors and residents navigate our vibrant, historic civic core.

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CENTRO ALLIANCE

The Alliance is the original Centro nonprofit established in 1982 when a passionate group of property owners recognized the need for an organization to promote the downtown ecosystem. The Centro Alliance is a 501(c)4 supported by an incredible base of members from all over San Antonio! We create memorable & unique experiences that spark connection, collaboration & play all while elevating our members to advance their professional & personal goals & bring their downtown legacy to life! These efforts raise additional revenues to invest in improving the quality of life & growth downtown.

DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION?

Do you have questions for our team, or would you like to send a message to our dedicated Ambassadors? You can reach us through this form.

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Connie Garza

TACTICAL PLANNING COORDINATOR

Connie is a native San Antonian with roots planted deeply on San Antonio’s Southside. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and Global Studies from the University of Texas at Austin. Passionate about building strong communities, Connie loves acting as a connector to small businesses, entrepreneurs, and people to help each other reach their goals and work together. She works inbetween the Cultural Placemaking team and the Mainstreet Economic Development team, bringing vibrancy and support to urban core businesses to make downtown the place to be. When not at work, you can usually find her at the local plant nursery buying another plant, exploring new cafes/breweries, and spending time with family.

Priscilla Lopez

CHIEF OF STAFF

Priscilla or “P.Lo” as her teammates affectionately call her, has 20 years of corporate administrative experience. Priscilla attended The University of San Antonio with a focus on Business Administration. In her role as office “fixer,” she handles everything from communications and relationship management to IT sleuthing. On weekends you can find her enjoying a Truly poolside. She lives the vegan lifestyle and is  a proud member of the Peleton community.

Michael Cirlos

JEDI CAMERAMAN

Michael began his studies and volunteer work at Webster University Thailand with a focus on international relations and Buddhism. After returning to San Antonio and graduating from UTSA, Michael began photographing and telling the stories of people in Downtown San Antonio to help connect and increase awareness of our vibrant urban culture. Michael’s work has appeared in several news media organizations, and has produced digital content for small- and large-scale marketing campaigns for Red Bull, COSA Department of Arts and Culture, World Heritage Office, National Park Service, and others. Michael is a former Pecha Kucha San Antonio Speaker, best-selling author at Trinity University Press, entrepreneur, and adventurer.

JanIe Garza

OFFICE MANAGER

Janie is a native of Corpus Christi, TX and has made San Antonio her home since 2012. Her 15+ years’ experience allows her to serve a broad range of functions that allow the organization to operate efficiently, including, accounts receivable/payable, record management, information technology, office management, and assisting with human resources. Outside of the office she enjoys spending time with her family, visiting local art museums, and enjoying a German beer in Southtown.

Matt Sirgo

DIRECTOR OF STORYTELLING

Matt graduated from Texas Tech University in 2016 with a Dual Major in Media Strategies and Honors Arts & Letters with a minor in Italian (Benvenuto a tutti!). Matt oversees the marketing, public relations, and digital content for Centro. After sharing the story of Downtown San Antonio on digital channels, he enjoys creating TikToks about LGBTQ+ media. His mug graces a Fiesta Mural on the St. Mary’s Strip just north of Downtown. You can’t miss it. 

Elizabeth Burt

DIRECTOR OF URBAN ACTIVATION + PLAY

Liz is a passionate underutilized space evangelist known for collaboration matchmaking + play based troublemaking (snow, pumpkins, and Parisian mimes included). She graduated from the University of Texas at San Antonio College of Public Policy studying Public Administration (#BirdsUp)! More recently, she oversaw the award winning Activate Houston Street Initiative, a placemaking action plan to reinvigorate the historic pedestrian corridor in the heart of Downtown, which is recognized as a Best Practice in Public Space Management by the International Downtown Association, for which she is also a proud Emerging Leader Fellow.

Jacqueline Lucio

DIRECTOR OF PID OPERATIONS

Jacque is a longtime downtowner with a deep passion for community service. She oversees Centro’s Clean & Safe and Homeless Outreach services, which aim to create a more beautiful, welcoming, inclusive, and hospitable downtown. For nearly two decades, Jacque has lived in downtown San Antonio and has been actively involved in the transformation of the urban core. Through her work with nonprofits, local government, and news media, she’s continually focused on championing more sustainable, diverse, and equitable communities. Jacque has led efforts to support asylum seekers, served as communications director for City Council District 5, and served in public affairs role for Clear Channel Outdoor San Antonio. Jacque studied Mass Communications and Mexican-American Studies at UTSA.

Sarah Esserlieu Khalil

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR

Sarah is a passionate urbanist who has spent the majority of her career on downtown revitalization efforts. Downtown is the best part of any city where you can find the finest history, culture, life, and beauty. Sarah has a Master of Science in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Texas at San Antonio and a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from the University of California, San DiegoSarah enjoys visiting small local businesses, enjoying foodie culture, cooking, hiking, and visiting the cities of the world. 

Andi Rodriguez

VICE PRESIDENT OF CULTURAL PLACEMAKING

Andi is a long-time urban champion and leads Centro ‘people projects which tell our stories and bring us joy, such as Centro’s Art Everywhere and Zona Cultural. Serving on the Leadership Council of Urban Land Institute, she is a former city Planning Commissioner, Founding Chair of the Hemisfair Conservancy, Co-founder of Power of Preservation/PROM, former Chair of the Mayor’s Commission on the Status of Women and immediate past Chair of Leadership San Antonio. Andi considers herself a servant leader; she has an MS in Architecture/Urban Planning, and enjoys advocating for the unifying power of art, history, and public space.

KANDICE PERKINS

FINANCIAL DIRECTOR

Kandice is a Sunnyvale, CA native and has made San Antonio her home since 2014She graduated from University of Argosy in 2016 with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and continued to complete her Master’s in Business Administration from University of Phoenix 2020. She has worked in downtown San Antonio for years, bringing 15+ years of accounting experience to the organization and has been tasked with promoting and developing the city’s urban core. When not at the office, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, managing her family’s businesses, and enjoys cooking and baking.  

The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” – Steve Jobs 

TRISH DEBERRY

PRESIDENT AND CEO

Trish– aka Captain Marvel – believes that superheroes come in all shapes and sizes. With her intellect and a passion for making a difference, there is no doubt that Trish is built for speed and performance to find solutions to problems most find too vexing to conquer.  In fact, a Lamborghini has nothing on this force of nature.

A native San Antonian with a degree from Trinity University, Trish has a deep and abiding love for the Alamo City. She has led successful campaign initiatives for 25 years that have literally changed the landscape and face of the community.

Though Trish doesn’t have the ability to see the future like Captain Marvel, she has been called a visionary and wants to bring big ideas to bear regarding the future of downtown.

Before Trish became President/CEO of Centro San Antonio, she founded two full-service marketing and communications firms that she led for 20 years – both of which were headquartered in downtown.  She was also an active member of Centro during that time serving as board chair twice and providing leadership as the entity transformed from The Downtown Alliance to Centro San Antonio. 

When Trish isn’t blazing trails throughout the urban core, she is honing her superpowers of strength and agility on a bike at a spin studio – on pace for a remarkable 1,200 rides. We told you she was built for record-setting speed!  She’s also a supermom to her two kids Scott and Maddie who provide the fuel to her sparkle and non-stop energy.