Demographics
Hemisfair Park is at the heart of downtown San Antonio, which is now the second most populous city in Texas and the seventh most populous in the USA. In 2013 it had a population of 1.4 million, having seen a 6.1% increase since 2010. The city is projected to continue to grow in the near future. In terms of age, San Antonio is relatively young, it has a median age of 34, with most of the population between 21-24 and 55-64.[9] The large number of younger residents has led to projections of increased public transit and bike use over the next decade.[10] In the areas surrounding Hemisfair Park the median age is around 49 years old, with a median income of about $24,700, significantly lower than the city’s average income of $61,635.[11] As such, the older population may have less disposable income compared to their younger counterparts and may not be as receptive to increased bicycle use as well as having different consumer spending patterns. A total of 53.8% of people living in the San Antonio Metropolitan Area are of Hispanic and Latino origin while in the downtown San Antonio area where Hemisfair Park is located the percentage increases slightly to 59.10%.[12]
Physical Character and Historic Integrity
Andres Andujar, CEO of the Hemisfair Park Area Redevelopment Corporation (HPARC), has been the primary source of information on the current progress of the redevelopment plan of Hemisfair Park. This plan roughly divides the park into three sections: Civic Park in the northwest, Yanaguana Garden in the southwest, and our area of focus, Tower Park and its surroundings in the southeast (Figure 9). Redevelopment plans for Civic Park and Yanaguana Garden are underway as detailed in the Master Plan, however, Tower Park and the surrounding areas still lack an overall planning strategy. In the plan for redevelopment, Civic Park and Yanaguana Garden will include sidewalk cafes, mixed-used residential or office buildings, and cultural institutions.[1] The overall vision for the redevelopment of Hemisfair Park is a public park with more green spaces that will create a place for people to gather, shop, picnic, play sports, and interact.
Since a 2011 Master Plan was adopted, several former fair buildings have been determined by the Texas Historical Commission to be eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district and now must be retained on site[2]. Therefore, our project addresses design concepts for reuse of these buildings. We consider the following four structures: the Adrian Spears Judicial Training Center, the John H. Wood Courthouse, the Women’s Pavillion, and the UTSA Institute of Texan Cultures, and one post-HemisFair building, the federal building built in 1970. We will also consider smaller historical houses around the site that have been maintained since the time of the fair.
Plan for the area under redesign in HemisFair Park, San Antonio. Source: Vision – More Than A Park. Hemisfair Park Area Redevelopment Corporation. 2012. http://www.hemisfair.org/vision/
Sustainability, Environmental Functionality and Performance: The Site in a Policy Context
The City of San Antonio has implemented two ambitious sustainability plans in the last several years, the Mission Verde and SA2020. The Mission Verde is a sustainability plan organized by the Mayor’s Office to improve San Antonio’s green credentials, adopted in February 2010. This plan aims to improve investments in green technology, energy conservation, renewable energy, efficient transportation and smart buildings. Mission Verde includes 11 initiatives that focus on these green planning strategies for San Antonio and was also expanded to include water, waste, green space, historical preservation, and alternative fuel and food initiatives. It also encourages mixed-use, mixed-income, walkable, and transit-oriented development while adopting a high performance green building code for new residential and commercial buildings that target net zero energy use by 2030.[3]
The second plan, SA2020 was commissioned by the City of San Antonio in 2011, which is part of a city-wide master plan. SA2020 expands the Mission Verde plan’s sustainability goals, in which the HemisFair redevelopment plans also address many of SA2020’s goals. These goals include economic development, downtown development, green buildings, and walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods.[4] While Mission Verde and SA2020 offers extensive sustainability plans, the city is still in need of a project that can demonstrate these mixed-use, energy efficient and low-impact development as examples to follow. With the SA2020 in mind, Hemisfair Park provides an opportunity to set a precedent that reflects the economic, social, and environmental aspects of sustainable performance for the city.
Reliance on electricity is an increasing concern for cities in Texas due to its isolated state-wide grid and increasing consumption. In 2010, an exceptionally cold winter and a growing population overtaxed the state’s electric supply resources and caused rolling blackouts. In 2011 Texas had 13 of the country’s 15 fastest-growing cities in 2011. This suggests that electrical power in Texas will become more expensive in the future. Energy companies must look toward alternative low-cost fuels with low investment hurdles to support future growth. Therefore, alternative fuel usage on-site and renewable energy sources will be an economically viable option for Hemisfair’s redevelopment plan.
Compared to other states, Texas has a high capacity for renewable energy generation such as solar and wind generation; however, the use of renewable energy is limited due to the unpredictable nature of wind power[5]. Texas also has potential for solar photovoltaic electricity generation, however, this remains a small part of the grid system based on the data from the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT).[6]
Fortunately, San Antonio’s climate is advantageous for energy conservation measures. As San Antonio has a modified sub-tropical climate, and year-round mild temperatures mean that many sustainable strategies can be incorporated into new and rehabilitated buildings. One promising strategy might be natural ventilation systems that use sun shading and wind movements to moderate summer temperatures.
Economic Issues and Context
San Antonio has four major industries: retail sales, merchant wholesaling, manufacturing, hospitality industry and food services.[8] The large share of retail sales may indicate that some segments of the population have high levels of disposable income.
San Antonio is also famous for its history as one of the Spanish colonial missions in the region. Therefore, historical attractions such as the Alamo, the Riverwalk, the Tower of the Americas in Hemisfair Park, the Alamo Bowl, and Marriage Island are some of the major tourist attractions that draw visitors and residents into the city.
Basic industries and businesses in San Antonio. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. State and County Quickfacts 2007 – San Antonio (city) Texas. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/48/4865000.html
Continue to Evaluation of Existing Future Visions: 2011 Framework and Masterplan
Footnotes
[1] Hemisfair Park Area Redevelopment Corporation (2013) Hemisfair Civic Park: Vision and Program Plan, San Antonio: HPARC.
[2] Dase, A.E. (2013). ‘Historical Resources Studies: Proposed Hemisfair Park Area Redevelopment, San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas’, San Antonio: Prewitt and Associates, Inc.
[3] Hemisfair Park Area Redevelopment Corporation (2012). Hemisfair Park Area: Sustainability Goals Final Issue, San Antonio: HPARC. Retrieved from: http://www.hemisfair.org/pdfs/0006_Hemisfair_Sustainability_Plan_Arup_09052012.pdf.
[4] UTSA (2012) The City of San Antonio Neighborhood Sustainability Assessment, San Antonio: UTSA. Retrieved from: http://www.sanantonio.gov/Portals/0/Files/Sustainability/NeighborhoodSustainabilityAssessmentReport.pdf
[5] Hemisfair Park Area Redevelopment Corporation (2012). Hemisfair Park Area: Sustainability Goals Final Issue, San Antonio: HPARC. Retrieved from: http://www.hemisfair.org/pdfs/0006_Hemisfair_Sustainability_Plan_Arup_09052012.pdf.
[6] Hemisfair Park Area Redevelopment Corporation (2012). Hemisfair Park Area: Sustainability Goals Final Issue, San Antonio: HPARC. Retrieved from: http://www.hemisfair.org/pdfs/0006_Hemisfair_Sustainability_Plan_Arup_09052012.pdf.
[7] Hemisfair Park Area Redevelopment Corporation (2012). Hemisfair Park Area: Sustainability Goals Final Issue, San Antonio: HPARC. Retrieved from: http://www.hemisfair.org/pdfs/0006_Hemisfair_Sustainability_Plan_Arup_09052012.pdf.
[8] (http://quickfacts.census.gov, Year 2007)