SAN ANTONIO, TX – Brooks City Base today celebrated the completion of $9.1 million in improvements to the newly-minted Kennedy Hill Road, a key thoroughfare that will make way for new developments including a 9-acre retail center, The Kennedy at Brooks City Base luxury apartment complex, a 43-acre linear park named The Greenline and University of the Incarnate Word’s School of Osteopathic Medicine, all scheduled for completion by the fall of 2017.

The project expanded the roadway to three lanes, one in either direction with a center turn lane, to meet city standards. Other improvements include the addition of bike lanes, six to 12-foot sidewalks and more than 250 new trees.
The project expanded the roadway to three lanes, one in either direction with a center turn lane, to meet city standards. Other improvements include the addition of bike lanes, six to 12-foot sidewalks and more than 250 new trees.

At a ceremony featuring District 3 Councilwoman Rebecca Viagran and representatives from Brooks City Base, UIW and The NRP Group, officials renamed the former Dave Erwin Drive to Kennedy Hill Road to honor the legacy of President John F. Kennedy, who dedicated several buildings at the former School of Aerospace Medicine at Brooks in his last official act as president in 1963. Those buildings will be a part of the future UIW medical school campus.

A procession of cars drove through the ribbon to ceremoniously open the new road, beautified with trees and expanded lanes.

“It’s an exciting time with so much progress at Brooks City Base,” said District 3 Councilwoman Rebecca Viagran. “Kennedy Hill Road is one of many infrastructure projects laying the groundwork for future investment and developments that are building Brooks City Base into a boon for the Southside and a great destination for residents from across the city.”

The project expanded the roadway to three lanes, one in either direction with a center turn lane, to meet city standards. Other improvements include the addition of bike lanes, six to 12-foot sidewalks and more than 250 new trees. The traffic signal and gateway signage at Southeast Military has also been updated. Pape-Dawson Engineers served as engineering design consultants, and E-Z Bel Construction as the general contractor.

At a ceremony featuring District 3 Councilwoman Rebecca Viagran officials renamed the former Dave Erwin Drive to Kennedy Hill Road to honor the legacy of President John F. Kennedy, who dedicated several buildings at the former School of Aerospace Medicine at Brooks in his last official act as president in 1963.
At a ceremony, featuring District 3 Councilwoman Rebecca Viagran, officials renamed the former Dave Erwin Drive to Kennedy Hill Road to
honor the legacy of President John F. Kennedy.

“We envision Brooks as a vibrant place where folks can walk, bike, or drive around campus. This beautiful new roadway goes a long way toward fulfilling that vision,” said Manuel Villa, Chairman of the Brooks Board of Directors. “The UIW School of Osteopathic Medicine will be a terrific anchor tenant and the retail center, housing and linear park will draw even more marquee employers and residents to Brooks to live, work, shop and play.”

The Kennedy Hill Road project is funded through a tax increment reinvestment zone (TIRZ) established by the City of San Antonio for $5.1 million and an additional $3.9 million in funding agreements between the Brooks Development Authority and the City of San Antonio. The half mile of roadway from Southeast Military Drive to Sidney Brooks Drive will be dedicated to the City upon the conclusion of construction.

“The completion of Kennedy Hill Road represents another important milestone in the development of our School of Osteopathic Medicine at Brooks City Base,” said UIW President Dr. Lou Agnese. “We’re grateful to all who’ve been involved with this project, which will greatly increase access to the school when it opens in 2017.”

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Media Contact: Connie Gonzalez
210-678-3317