Originally published in San Antonio Report
Downtown San Antonio suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It became a ghost town,” said Trish DeBerry, founder and CEO of TD Strategies and interim chairwoman of the board of Centro San Antonio.
But the nonprofit caretakers of downtown San Antonio say they have a recovery plan.
On Tuesday, Centro SA leaders unveiled the organization’s Downtown Tomorrow Strategy, a plan that builds on the momentum nearly lost during the pandemic.
Centered around five measures, the strategy is a framework for the goals Centro seeks to achieve to make the downtown regional center and its urban neighborhoods more desirable for both locals and visitors.
“A vibrant downtown … is crucial to the health of our city,” said Mayor Ron Nirenberg. “It’s the heartbeat of our city, and we deserve a world-class Center City as we move forward beyond the pandemic and the impacts that we’ve all been through. San Antonio’s downtown sector is mounting its comeback.”
Core to the five key elements of the plan is making sure downtown San Antonio is viewed as a clean, safe and resilient place for all, and that there are attractive and efficient ways to move people in and around downtown.
The other focus areas identified in the plan call for creating an enjoyable and livable community in downtown, enhancing economic opportunities for businesses, and attracting visitors to downtown through arts, culture and entertainment.