Brooks continues pattern of growth despite challenging economic conditions in 2020
Each day was dedicated to our mission and vision to promote and develop a vibrant, sustainable community and to provide world-class opportunities that transform the campus and surrounding neighborhoods while respecting our rich and vibrant history.
Brooks and the entire South Side region continued the pattern of growth, despite challenging economic conditions. With every announcement and ground breaking, opportunities for residents and business owners on the South Side are expanded. Here are the highlights of great things that happened at Brooks this year.
South New Braunfels to Lyster Road and Aviation Landing Extension
A voter-approved 2017 Bond initiative, the project will extend Lyster Road from Aviation Landing to South New Braunfels. In addition to the extension, road improvements will include: two lanes in both directions with a center turn lane, sidewalks, bike lanes, drainage improvements, as well as landscape features with more than 160 trees.
Texas’ First Opportunity Zone Investment Ground Breaking
The first Opportunity Zone investment in Texas broke ground at Brooks. DPR Investments, led by local owner and operator Jimmy Day, is developing a 1,300-acre mixed-use climate-controlled self-storage facility and flex space for small businesses on the 9.4-acre property it bought last January on the eastern portion of Brooks along City Base Landing.
Compass Rose Legacy Campus Expansion
A Texas Education Agency (TEA)-authorized public charter school network, Compass Rose opened its Legacy campus at Brooks in 2017, initially enrolling a founding class of 100 sixth and seventh grade students. Over the past three years, the school has grown to serve more than 350 students in grades six through nine. The new 70,000-square-foot educational space will allow the Legacy campus to accelerate its growth to serve more than 1,500 students as a full K-12 institution by 2023.
Brooks Gives Back Awards Nearly $40,000 to Local Non-Profits
In June, Brooks Gives Back surprised three non-profit organizations serving San Antonio’s South Side – Boys & Girls Club of San Antonio, Meals on Wheels and the San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD) Foundation – each with $12,500 cash awards as part of its annual disbursement. Brooks Gives Back was formed as a community-centric organization to support Brooks’ mission of promoting and developing a vibrant, sustainable mixed-use community. Brooks Gives Back’s vision is for all who live, work, learn, play and stay at Brooks to be vested in the ideals of the common good, generosity and aspirational growth for the entire Brooks family. Learn more here.
The Greenline Extension
Located at the southern end of The Greenline, the extension will be approximately 1,200-feet long, connecting to existing walking trails along the San Antonio River at Mission Reach. The extension will feature a 10-foot wide mixed-use pathway, a 43-foot long tunnel underneath the Union Pacific Railroad line, landscaping, drainage structures, and shaded congregation areas. The $1.4 million project broke ground in late July and has an estimated completion date of fall 2021.
University of Incarnate Word Expands Footprint
Spanning 23.5 acres, the faith-based university purchased seven buildings on the Brooks campus to house its health professions programs in the traditionally medically underserved community on the South Side of San Antonio. Four of the buildings are already occupied by the UIW School of Osteopathic Medicine. Of the others, two are vacant and one currently is leased to another tenant.
Smart Streetlight Controls Installation
In collaboration with the City of San Antonio and CPS Energy, Itron will pilot solutions for remote lighting controls and monitoring, and multiple additional smart city solutions, such as parking sensors, air quality, temperature, ambient noise and flood sensing. The first sensors were installed along Research Plaza within the Brooks Innovation Zone.
Inner Circle Road Extension
Championed by District 3 Councilmember Rebecca Viagran, the project will extend Inner Circle Road from its current endpoint at Louis Bauer Drive to Research Plaza, creating a half circle loop in the heart of the Brooks campus. The extension will feature a three-lane roadway with bike lanes, curb and sidewalks as well as utility improvements including the construction of water main, sewer main, recycled water main, underground electric conduit, underground duct bank and CPS gas lines. Low impact development (LID) features will also be added along the roadway to improve drainage, as well as a variety of landscaping features. Construction is anticipated to be completed in late 2021.
Amazon Announced
In December, Amazon announced its plans to open a new 350,000 square-foot delivery station at Brooks. Delivery stations power the last mile of Amazon’s order fulfillment process. Packages are transported to delivery stations from Amazon fulfillment and sortation centers, and then loaded into vehicles for delivery to customers. The delivery station, which is expected to launch in 2021, will bring hundreds of jobs with an industry-leading pay and comprehensive benefits while supporting service delivery throughout South Texas.