This year brought many exciting developments to the South Side
It’s official: 2019 was a successful year for Brooks. From the very start, every day was dedicated to our mission to promote and develop a vibrant, sustainable community that serves as a catalyst for progressive economic development and regional prosperity.
Brooks and the entire South Side region saw a lot of exciting developments in 2019. With every announcement, 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.
VIA Brooks Transit Center Opened
Improving transportation to and from Brooks was a major priority in 2019. The opening of the VIA Brooks Transit Center was a hugely important step in expanded connectivity. The transit center not only provides new and convenient routes for the people who live and work in the area, but also serves as a key amenity that helps attract new businesses to the area.
Cuisine Solutions Broke Ground
Adding to the roster of international companies choosing to set roots at Brooks, Cuisine Solutions broke ground on their fourth (and largest) U.S. plant on 23.7 acres located off of Aviation Landing. Founded in France, Cuisine Solutions is the industry-leading provider of sous-vide, an innovative slow-cooking technique. Cuisine Solutions provides high-quality prepared gourmet entrees, sauces and other menu items to food service providers around the globe like Starbucks and Panera Bread. The 290,000-square foot facility is projected to bring more than 500 jobs to the South Side.
Southerleigh Brewery Announced
The announcement of a second location of Chef Jeff Balfour’s Gulf Coast-inspired eatery Southerleigh at Brooks had been made previously, but it was then followed up by the inclusion of a brand-new brewery too. While the restaurant will be located on The Greenline, the 6,000-square-foot brewery will be located off of Sidney Brooks east of South New Braunfels and will include a tap room.
OKIN BPS Announced
In February, the Czech Republic-based OKIN Business Process Services announced its plans to open its first U.S. headquarters at Brooks, an event which was attended by Governor Abbott. OKIN is projected to bring more than 1,000 jobs to the South Side. Two historically designated, former military buildings from Brooks’ days as an Air Force Base were brought back to life for OKIN.
CAST Med Opened
As part of the Center for Applied Sciences and Technology, CAST Med High School launched in fall 2019 at Brooks. CAST Med was created to add to the pipeline of much-needed doctors and researchers in the San Antonio area and builds on San Antonio’s unique strengths with an emphasis on medicine and biomedical research.
Sun Mountain Unveiled
Crafted by local artist Cruz Ortiz, “Sun Mountain” aims to visually represent the late U.S. Congressman Frank Tejeda as a force of nature for the south side and whose leadership helped create Brooks Development Authority. The massive solid metal sculpture measures 20-feet across by 40-feet tall and incorporates metal letters from the sign that stood at the entrance of what was previously the Frank J. Tejeda Complex at Brooks Air Force Base, a nod to how Tejeda’s legacy has been an influential force throughout San Antonio for more than 20 years.
A Productive Year
We couldn’t be more proud of the entire team and all our stakeholders who helped make 2019 such a successful year. From major project completions to awards and recognitions, these are a few more accomplishments that the Brooks team saw this year.
- First Opportunity Zone Transaction
- Completion of Aeromedical Road
- Completion of Aviation Landing road
- Brooks hosts nearly 100 events and activities, including Barbacoa & Big Red attracting more than 50,000 people to campus
- 2018 Business of the Year (announced in 2019) by the San Antonio Business Journal
- 2019 Citizen Diplomacy Corporate Responsibility Award from Sister Cities International
- Leo Gomez named 2019 Commercial Real Estate Influencer from The Business Journals
- South San Antonio Chamber of Commerce names Brooks a 2019 Legend
- San Antonio Chamber of Commerce recognizes Brooks as “Most Impactful Military Accomplishment”