COMPLETED PROJECT
Activate Houston Street
The Houston Street
Initiative
Since our founding, Centro San Antonio has served as the city’s not-for-profit downtown partnership, convening people and aligning interests to create a more prosperous center city.
Centro remains committed to strengthening the Houston Street corridor as it reclaims its status as “San Antonio’s main street.”
Activate Houston Street was the culmination of these efforts, an initiative led by Centro to gather feedback from the community to develop a placemaking action plan for the corridor.
AHS Info Sessions
Centro hosted regular info sessions to better inform the community about opportunities and goings-on in the Houston Street area. These led to key results such as increased activity along the corridor.
IDA PRESIDENTIAL PROCLAMATION
Activate Houston Street was designated as Best Practice in Public Space Management by the International Downtown Association
The International Downtown Association (IDA) issued a Presidential Proclamation recognizing Centro San Antonio’s Activate Houston Street Initiative as a best practice in public space management and a model for all member communities of IDA.
Big shout out to Elizabeth Burt, our Director of Placemaking and Programming, for leading this initiative.
PHASE I
IDA ADVISORY PANEL
The International Downtown Association convened a panel of subject matter experts to develop a placemaking action plan for Houston Street that reflects the needs of properties and adjacent neighborhoods. The panel met with the community at the Maverick Building on October 31.
PHASE 2
COMMUNITY CHARRETTE
Centro San Antonio, in partnership with the American Institute of Architects, and the Urban Land Institute hosted a Community Charrette on Saturday, January 20, 2018. AIA visualized IDA’s recommendations using a participatory decision-making process involving the community at large.
PHASE 3
ACTIVATION – YOU SPOKE AND WE LISTENED
“The Spot on Houston Street” was a response to panel recommendations and community feedback on how to reinvigorate this eclectic corridor and help it reclaim its status as “SA’s main street.” In the Summer of 2018, Centro invited the community to drop by and experience the possibilities of Houston Street in an unexpected space. Attendees enjoyed tunes from local DJs, ate from the best food trucks in SA, and shopped at unique mobile retail businesses. Since its inceptions AHS has produced 12 initiative driven events, hosting over 20,000 attendees.
PARTNERS
Give Us Your Feedback
On Activating Houston St.
We want your input! Email ActivateHoustonStreet@downtownsa.org.
