Better Block Event Reintroduces San Antonio to The Alamo

Businesses and residents in San Antonio are celebrating what a temporary makeover of Alamo Plaza last weekend revealed about the potential to bring locals back to the city's tourist mecca.

1 minute read

August 22, 2012, 10:00 AM PDT

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


Organized by the city of San Antonio and Team Better Block, the Alamo Plaza Better Block Project held last weekend, "drove a surge in sales and foot traffic
for businesses along Alamo Street, encouraging store owners to believe a
makeover of the plaza could attract many more locals in the future," reports Neal Morton. Better Block got its start in Dallas and has since inspired inexpensive
and experimental complete streets projects throughout America.

With $1 million recently approved by voters for upgrading the historic grounds, "after welcoming the mixed crowds of locals and the expected summer
tourists, retailers saw dollar signs in the vision of a new plaza."

"Though the opportunity for growth delighted retailers," writes Morton, "the presence
of even more commercialism on the hallowed ground rankled
some Alamophiles."

 

Tuesday, August 21, 2012 in San Antonio Express-News

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Use Code 25for25 at checkout for 25% off an annual plan!

Redlining map of Oakland and Berkeley.

Rethinking Redlining

For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

May 15, 2025 - Alan Mallach

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

May 21, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Rendering of California High-Speed Rail station with bullet train.

California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself

The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.

May 19, 2025 - Benjamin Schneider

Red SF Muni ticketing machine.

San Francisco Muni Raises Fares a Second Time

A 10–cent fare hike for adults is part of the agency’s plan to chip away at a growing budget deficit.

6 hours ago - San Francisco Examiner

Electric car charging station with several Chevy Bolts charging in parking lot of store in Bellingham, Washington

Electric Grid Capacity Could Hamstring EV Growth

Industry leaders say the U.S. electric grid is unprepared for the increased demand for power created by electric cars, data centers, and electric homes.

7 hours ago - GovTech

Top view new development riverside residential and commercial neighborhood with vacant land in Texas, USA.

Texas Bill Supports Adaptive Reuse in Commercial Areas

Senate Bill 840, which was preliminarily approved by the state House, would allow residential construction in areas previously zoned for offices and commercial uses.

May 21 - The Texas Tribune