Bexar County Judge Wolff and Commissioner Justin Rodriguez to Tour Phase 1, Segments 2 & 3 Construction Site

What: Media is invited to join Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff and Bexar County Precinct 2 Commissioner Justin Rodriguez as they get a walking tour of the construction progress on the second and third segments of Phase 1 of the San Pedro Creek Culture Park.

The second and third segments of Phase 1, which stretch from Houston Street to Caesar Chavez Blvd, are scheduled to be complete mid-October 2022. The second segment will include the much-anticipated community gathering space around the preserved historic foundations of the St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church, the Klemke/Menger Soap Factory, and the Alamo Ice and Brewing Company located at the corner of Houston Street and Camaron Street.

Other key features of the two segments include five new bridges, a five-panel ceramic tile mural, a 250-foot water fall and interactive sculpture, public restrooms, a second flood control gate, and direct trail access from Texas Public Radio and UTSA’s future School of Data Science and National Security Collaboration Center.

San Pedro Creek Culture Park is a linear park in the heart of downtown designed for the enjoyment of the community. Since its opening in May 2018, San Pedro Creek Culture Park has established itself as an urban event space, hosting a variety of free family friendly events. The completed portion of San Pedro Creek Culture Park spans four blocks from the flood tunnel inlet at N. Santa Rosa Street to Houston Street.

When/Where: 9:30 a.m. on Friday, June 10 211 S. Flores (Bexar County Parking Garage) Park in the Bexar County Parking garage. There will be parking reserved for media. Then, walk across to the construction site entrance on Nueva Street (see map). You will receive a parking validation ticket at that time.

IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTE: Media must wear closed toe shoes and long pants. Each member of the media will be given a hard hat and construction safety vest prior to the tour. Women are advised to wear tennis shoes instead of flats, no heels are allowed on site during the construction tour.

VISUALS: Media will be escorted down into the creek channel to get birds-eye angles from inside the creek channel.

Who:

Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff

Bexar County Precinct 2 Commissioner Justin Rodriguez

San Antonio River Authority General Manager Derek Boese

San Antonio River Authority Board Chairman Jim Campbell

San Antonio River Authority Project Manager Christine Clayton

San Antonio River Authority Public Art Curator Carrie Brown

 Artist Information Meetings on March 9, 12, and 14, 2022 

SAN ANTONIO — Bexar County has engaged the San Antonio River Authority (River Authority) to assist with selecting artists and writers to create permanent public artwork at San Pedro Creek Culture Park (Culture Park) in downtown San Antonio, TX. Three opportunities of varying scope and scale, in Phases 2, 3 and 4 of the Culture Park, seek to engage artists and writers in telling the story of San Pedro Creek. Project descriptions, budgets, and deadlines are listed below. Applications must be submitted through PublicArtist.org. 

Graphic Design and Poetry: Opportunity for artists and writers to create custom tile patterns, graphics for decorative metal screens, and poetry for the Culture Park. The custom tile designs will be translated into hand-made ceramic tiles that will be located on benches in various locations; the decorative metal screens will be placed in the landscaping along the creek and will provide privacy from an adjacent parking lot; and the poetry will be etched into limestone blocks that are used to form retaining walls throughout the three phases. Budget: $15,000 for each selected artist and writer. Artists and writers residing in Bexar County are eligible to apply (no previous public art experience required). 

DEADLINE: 5:00 pm, March 23, 2022 

El Paso Street Trailhead: Opportunity to create a 3-dimensional artwork for Phase 4 of the Culture Park. The artwork will serve as a beacon for the El Paso Street Trailhead (where El Paso Street crosses the creek) and celebrate the culture of San Antonio and 

the unique history of San Pedro Creek. Budget: $50,000. Artists, or artist teams, residing in Bexar County are eligible to apply. 

DEADLINE: 5:00 pm, March 30, 2022 

Interstate 35 Bridge Overpass: Opportunity to create a large-scale, functional artwork for Phase 3 of the Culture Park. The artwork must provide (and demonstrate) water quality improvements, one of the main goals of the Culture Park, by capturing run off from the Interstate 35 bridge overpass and diverting it from the trail below. The artwork will be located near the confluence of San Pedro and Apache Creeks, where the Culture Park meets an existing trail leading to the San Antonio River. Budget: $250,000. Artists, or artist teams, residing in the United States are eligible to apply. 

DEADLINE: 5:00 pm, March 30, 2022 

Artist Information Meetings will be held on the dates listed below. For those who cannot attend in person, the presentation materials will be posted online at https://spcculturepark.com/about/art/. 

• March 9, 2022 at 6pm – Eye of the Beholder Gallery (1917 N. New Braunfels Ave) 

• March 12, 2022 at 10am – Confluence Park (310 W. Mitchell St) 

• March 14, 2022 at 12pm – Clamp Light Artist Studios (1704 Blanco Rd) 

Artists interested in being considered should submit applications to www.PublicArtist.org, an online application system for public art commissions. The Request for Qualifications can be accessed by visiting www.sariverauthority.org under “Contracting Opportunities” or www.spcculturepark.com under the “Art” tab. 

Bexar County and the River Authority will administer a competitive selection process among interested artists that includes stakeholder reviews, with final approval by Bexar County Commissioners Court. 

For more information about the artist information meetings, please contact Carrie Brown, Public Art Curator with the River Authority, at [email protected]. 

SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio River Authority (River Authority), in partnership with Bexar County, seeks to commission a permanent mural (five panels, approximately 1600 square feet) for the second segment of the San Pedro Creek Culture Park which is currently under construction. The mural may be rendered in hand-glazed or digitized porcelain tile, glass, ceramic, stone mosaic tile, or other similar material suitable for the creek environment. The mural will serve as a signature work of art for one of the most culturally significant sections of the park.

The mural will be located on the east bank of the creek, between Commerce and Dolorosa Streets.  This block includes the Spanish Governor’s Palace, City of San Antonio’s Cultural Arts Division main offices and art gallery, and the historic Continental Hotel (built in the 1890’s).  This opportunity is open to all professional artists, age 18 and over and residing in Bexar County.  Artists must apply in teams (2-5 members) and will be responsible for the development of a cohesive design for all five panels. Teams may include artists from multiple disciplines; however, each team must include at least one visual artist.

 To read the full Request for Qualifications and to apply for this opportunity, visit Public Artist

 For more information about San Pedro Creek Culture Park, please visit our website.

SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio River Authority (River Authority), in partnership with Bexar County, seeks to commission a permanent mural (five panels, approximately 1600 square feet) for the second segment of the San Pedro Creek Culture Park which is currently under construction. The mural may be rendered in hand-glazed or digitized porcelain tile, glass, ceramic, stone mosaic tile, or other similar material suitable for the creek environment. The mural will serve as a signature work of art for one of the most culturally significant sections of the park.

The mural will be located on the east bank of the creek, between Commerce and Dolorosa Streets.  This block includes the Spanish Governor’s Palace, City of San Antonio’s Cultural Arts Division main offices and art gallery, and the historic Continental Hotel (built in the 1890’s).  This opportunity is open to all professional artists, age 18 and over and residing in Bexar County.  Artists must apply in teams (2-5 members) and will be responsible for the development of a cohesive design for all five panels. Teams may include artists from multiple disciplines; however, each team must include at least one visual artist.

 To read the full Request for Qualifications and to apply for this opportunity, visit Public Artist

 For more information about San Pedro Creek Culture Park, please visit our website.

Segment 1 Set to Open with All Day Family Celebration

SAN ANTONIO – The first segment of the much-anticipated San Pedro Creek Culture Park – a one-of-a-kind urban greenspace located on the western edge of downtown San Antonio – will officially debut on Saturday, May 5, 2018. The world-class linear park is the result of a joint effort by Bexar County, the San Antonio River Authority and the City of San Antonio to transform San Pedro Creek into a restored natural creek habitat and greenspace. Combining purpose with beauty, the San Pedro Creek Culture Park weaves public art and architectural design into historic preservation, flood control, water quality and ecosystem restoration.

“Through the revitalization of San Pedro Creek, we are inviting people to connect with our community’s vibrant history and culture,” said Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff. “Bexar County was founded along the banks of San Pedro Creek and the San Pedro Creek Culture Park celebrates and expresses the culture, history and natural qualities of Bexar County through its beautiful design and artwork.”

The first phase and segment of the San Pedro Creek Culture Park – stretching from the flood tunnel inlet at N. Santa Rosa Street near Fox Tech High School to Houston Street – will debut with a full day of family-friendly programming – including children’s art and craft activities, historical presentations, live music and local food truck fare – from noon to 9 p.m., including a special evening Illumination Ceremony at 7:30 p.m., presented by Bexar County.

“The San Antonio River Authority gets a tremendous amount of joy bringing these types of projects to fruition for the community,” said San Antonio River Authority Board Chair Mike Lackey. “It’s been a challenging in terms of designing and constructing a linear park in the middle of downtown San Antonio but seeing the transformation of the Creek gives us the energy and excitement to continue working on these types of once-in-a-lifetime endeavors.”

Exemplifying beauty with a purpose, the San Pedro Creek Culture Park serves as vital infrastructure for a growing downtown. By increasing the depth and width of the existing channel, the project will remove 30 acres from the 100-year flood plain, safely conveying floodwaters within the San Pedro Creek banks. The project will also improve water quality in a highly urbanized segment of the downtown watershed through the use of low-impact development features, including bioswales and storm water interceptors.

In addition to creating a beautiful new linear park, the San Pedro Creek Culture Park returned the creek to a more natural state, which benefits the native flora and fauna, while also improving flood control. Through the project, the existing channels will be deepened and widened to contain the 100-year floodplain with the San Pedro Creek banks and will vastly improve water quality with the addition of bioswales and aquatic plants that remove pollutants from the waterway.

Public art provides a beautiful backdrop to the restored creek, telling the story of our community through contemporary art and cultural programming. The first segment of the Culture Park features four tile murals designed by prominent San Antonio artists – Adriana Garcia, Katie Pell, Alex Rubio and Joe Lopez – that commemorate the rich and interweaving cultures that define San Antonio and Bexar County. Additional artwork commissions include storytelling through historical text and poetry by John Phillip Santos, ceramic artwork representing the historical nature of the nearby street names by Diana Kersey and colorful tiles by Michael Menchaca inspired by the people, culture and history of San Antonio.

“Bexar County has invested in many vital projects to improve the lives of our residents, but no other project has been more prominent and culturally meaningful than the creation of the San Pedro Creek Culture Park,” said Bexar County Commissioner Paul Elizondo. “The vision of the Bexar County Commissioners Court to create a space where local citizens and visitors could learn and appreciate the roots of local heritage and culture is being realized with the opening of this first segment.”

Visitors will be able to navigate the San Pedro Creek Culture Park with the help of the mobile app, which includes a variety of ways to learn about and interact with the Creek. Available on Android and iOS, the app features a customizable 18-stop audio tour as well as extensive plant and animal lists for those who want to learn more about the native flora and fauna of the creek.

The San Pedro Creek Culture Park will encompass a total of four phases, with three segments in the first phase. The second segment, which spans from Houston Street to Nueva Street is currently under construction. When the four phases are completed, the San Pedro Creek Culture Park will span 2.2 miles through downtown.

To learn more about the San Pedro Creek Culture Park, including grand opening details, event day street closures and planned programming following the grand opening celebration, visit SPCculturepark.com.

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MEDIA CONTACT:

Anamaria Suescun-Fast                   Lindsey Campbell

The DeBerry Group                           The DeBerry Group

210-363-2673                                             210-998-9000

[email protected]         [email protected]

 

BEXAR COUNTY AND SAN ANTONIO RIVER AUTHORITY KICK OFF 30-DAY COUNTDOWN TO SAN PEDRO CREEK CULTURE PARK GRAND OPENING

San Pedro Creek Culture Park Debuts on May 5  

SAN ANTONIO – With the backdrop of the nearly completed segment 1 of the San Pedro Creek Culture Park, Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff, Commissioner Elizondo and representatives of the San Antonio River Authority officially kicked off the 30-day countdown to the May 5 grand opening. During the news conference, the Culture Park’s new logo was unveiled and the new website was launched.

The completed first segment of the San Pedro Creek Culture Park – stretching from the flood tunnel inlet at N. Santa Rosa Street near Fox Tech High School to Houston Street – will be celebrated with an all-day grand opening event on May 5, 2018. The grand opening event is free and open to the public and will incorporate family friendly fun lining the banks of the Culture Park from noon to 9 p.m., including food trucks, live music, children’s activities and historical presentations – as well as an evening Illumination Ceremony at 7:30 p.m., presented by Bexar County.

“After nearly a year and a half of construction, we’re thrilled to officially begin our countdown to the opening of segment 1,” said Judge Wolff. “The idea for the San Pedro Creek Culture Park was in the works long before we broke ground in September 2016. Today, we begin to make our transition from a construction project to a living, breathing Culture Park that is flowing toward the future with a renewed purpose.”

For the past year, while under construction, this has been referred to the San Pedro Creek Improvements Project. Now with the first segment of phase 1 almost complete, it will officially evolve to the San Pedro Creek Culture Park. A new logo was also revealed today that was inspired by the manantial, or spring, at the center of the Plaza de Fundación. The pattern symbolizes the birth of a city, while the logo is an interpretation using the sun as a symbol for life and beginnings while the blue colors are representative of water.

San Pedro Creek Culture Park’s new website – SPCculturepark.com – was also launched today and will include a variety of ways to learn about and interact with the San Pedro Creek Culture Park. Website features include a virtual tour of 18 stops along the creek so visitors near and far can interact with the Culture Park, video vignettes of each of the artists and their inspiration behind their art pieces featured throughout the Culture Park, as well as extensive plant and animal lists for those who want to learn more about the native flora and fauna of the creek and more.

The world-class linear park is the result of a joint effort by Bexar County, the San Antonio River Authority, and in coordination with the City of San Antonio, to transform San Pedro Creek from a concrete-lined drainage ditch into a natural creek habitat and linear park.

“The idea by the Bexar County Commissioners Court was to create a park where local citizens and visitors could learn and appreciate the roots of local heritage and culture,” said Commissioner Elizondo. “The culturally meaningful endeavor transforms San Pedro Creek into a space for San Antonio families to create and share memories for generations to come, connecting the past with the future.”

In segment 1, four San Antonio artists – Adriana Garcia, Katie Pell, Alex Rubio and Joe Lopez – each created a mural based on four distinct themes that commemorate the rich and interweaving cultures that define this city. Additional artwork commissions include storytelling through historical text and poetry by John Phillip Santos, ceramic artwork representing the historical nature of the nearby street names by Diana Kersey and colorful tiles by Michael Menchaca commemorating the people, culture and history of our community

Exemplifying beauty with a purpose, the San Pedro Creek Culture Park serves as vital infrastructure for a growing downtown – by increasing the depth and width of the existing creek channel – to safely convey floodwaters within San Pedro Creek’s banks. The construction of the channel will fully contain the FEMA floodplain while high paseos that will allow for safe passage up to the 100-year event.
Low-impact development features that help improve water quality include bioswales, specially landscaped features that soak up and filter storm water runoff from hard surfaces and storm water interceptors that capture floating trash at storm water inlets before it reaches the creek, helping to ensure the sustainability of the biotic habitat.

The San Pedro Creek Culture Park will encompass a total of four phases, with three segments in phase 1. The second segment, which goes from Houston Street to Nueva Street, is currently under construction. When the four phases are completed, the San Pedro Creek Culture Park will span 2.2 miles through downtown.

In total, construction on the San Pedro Creek Culture Park will add more than 60,000 linear feet of new walls, replace eight street bridges and all associated utilities while adding four miles of walking trails and 11 acres of landscaping. Once fully complete, the San Pedro Creek Culture Park is expected to spur a $1.5 billion economic impact by creating 2,100 new housing units, 1,428 new downtown employees, 7,300 new downtown residents, a 150 percent increase in new property value and $227 million in ad valorem tax revenues.

“ The San Antonio River Authority is honored to be a part of this project to restore San Pedro Creek’s natural environment and create a world-class linear park – with a purpose that goes well beyond just being beautiful and enjoyable,” said Suzanne Scott, SARA General Manager. “It combines public art, architectural design and historic preservation with engineering, ecosystem restoration and native landscaping to create a one-of-a-kind Culture Park experience.”

For more information on San Pedro Creek Culture Park and the grand opening events, go to SPCculturepark.com.

 

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MEDIA CONTACTS:

Monica Trevino-Ortega                                                       Anamaria Suescun-Fast

San Antonio River Authority                                                           The DeBerry Group

Office; 210-302-3257                                                             Office: 210-223-2772

Cell: 210-204-7875                                                                Cell: 210-363-2673

[email protected]                                                        [email protected]

What: Construction crews are beginning early work on phase 1, segment 2 of the San Pedro Creek Improvements Project, which begins at Houston Street and will continue to Nueva Street. Demolition is currently underway on the old Dollar General building, located at 323 W. Commerce St. The demolition will make way for the construction of a landscaped greenspace at the creek level at Commerce Street widening the creek and adding water features and a welcoming gathering area along the banks.

Other features that are currently under design for this segment include a performance plaza adjacent to the Alameda Theater at Houston Street, the addition of paseos and art murals along the creek behind the Spanish Governors Palace.

Phase 1, segment 1 of the San Pedro Creek Culture Park from Fox Tech High School to Houston Street will open to the public in celebration of Bexar County’s 300th Anniversary on May 5, 2018.

SAN ANTONIO – Bexar County and the San Antonio River Authority hosted a design update meeting on August 4 to obtain input from project stakeholders, property owners and the public regarding new design enhancements and public art elements that could be featured along the San Pedro Creek Improvements Project from Houston Street to Cesar Chavez Street.

The meeting took place from 9 to 11 a.m.  at the San Antonio River Authority, 100 E. Guenther Street. Members of the project’s construction and design teams, and the co-chairs of the Citizens Advisory Committee were available to answer questions.

“As with all design aspects of the San Pedro Creek Improvements Projects, it is important for us to receive input from the community to help guide the team in prioritizing and refining the dynamic design and public art elements for Phase I,” said Suzanne Scott, General Manager of the San Antonio River Authority.

Construction on the San Pedro Creek Improvements Project began in early January of this year, and progress will continue on Phase 1 through spring of 2018. As part of the city’s Tricentennial celebration, Bexar County will celebrate the transformation of San Pedro Creek with a special dedication ceremony on May 5, 2018, to officially open the first segment of Phase 1, from the Tunnel Inlet to Houston Street.

Community members can find more information about the San Pedro Creek Improvements Project and sign up for construction alerts at spcproject.org. Updates can also be found on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using @SanPedroCreek.

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About the San Pedro Creek Improvements Project:

Bexar County and the San Antonio River Authority, in coordination with the City of San Antonio, are transforming San Pedro Creek as a cultural park to reflect its place in our cultural history, improve its function in flood control, revitalize natural habitat and water quality, and catalyze economic development. To learn more about the San Pedro Creek Improvements Project, visit spcproject.org.

SAN ANTONIO – Bexar County and the San Antonio River Authority released a request for qualifications to establish a prequalified list of artists, which will be used to create a streamlined selection process for public art projects for the San Pedro Creek Culture Park. Emerging and established public artists working in a variety of media and artistic approaches are invited to apply.

“This is an amazing opportunity for many exceptional artistic talent from the local, national, and international arts community to contribute work that will leave a lasting impact on Bexar County,” said Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff. “The revitalization of San Pedro Creek is a unique opportunity to use art to showcase our community’s vibrant history and culture.”

The purpose of the prequalified list of artists is to provide a streamlined application for artists interested in being commissioned for public art projects for the San Pedro Creek Culture Park. Artists will be commissioned for temporary, permanent and performance-based artwork while the park is under construction, in newly opened sections of the park, and to participate in planning for future phases. The first section of San Pedro Creek Culture Park will open on May 5, 2018 as part of the Tricentennial celebration. Artists may apply now through June 30, 2017 at PublicArtist.org to be considered for the prequalified list.

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About the San Pedro Creek Improvements Project:

Bexar County and the San Antonio River Authority, in coordination with the City of San Antonio, are transforming San Pedro Creek as a cultural park to reflect its place in our cultural history, improve its function in flood control, revitalize natural habitat and water quality, and catalyze economic development. To learn more about the San Pedro Creek Improvements Project, visit spcproject.org.

Five Local Artists Selected to Create Signature Tile Murals for San Pedro Creek’s First Phase

SAN ANTONIO (May 18, 2017) – Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff and Precinct 2 Commissioner Paul Elizondo and the San Antonio River Authority have announced the selection of four local artists who will create tile murals that will be the signature art pieces of the first segment of the San Pedro Creek Culture Park. The murals will serve as a lasting commemoration of the rich, interweaving cultures that define Bexar County and will create a foundation for our community’s future. Each mural will be inspired by a theme evoked by San Pedro Creek including history, culture and nature.

• Adriana Garcia’s mural will be located on the west bank of the creek between Santa Rosa Street and Martin Street and will explore the spirit of San Antonio’s blended cultures. In the mythic narrative of San Pedro Creek, this quality is expressed as De Todos Caminos Somos Todos Uno – From All Roads, We Are One. The mural will be 14 feet 8 inches high and 120 feet long, a total of 1,760 square feet. Garcia is well known in the San Antonio arts community and currently serves as the interim executive director of San Anto Cultural Arts.
• Katie Pell will commemorate the flora and fauna that once flourished along San Pedro Creek in her mural entitled Lost Nature to be located on the west bank of the creek between Martin and Travis Streets. Pell’s past work has explored personal, gender, and cultural identity, and has been featured in exhibitions both locally and nationally. The mural will be divided on two walls. On the first wall, the mural will be 1 foot 6 inches high and 50 feet long. On the second wall, the mural will 2 feet 6 inches high and 68 feet long. The entire mural will be a total of approximately 245 square feet.
• Alex Rubio will lend his signature curvilinear brush strokes, brilliant hues, and high contrast elements to capture the theme of water in a mural on the east bank of San Pedro Creek between Travis and Houston Streets. The mural will be 6 feet 9 inches high and 47 feet 5 inches long, a total of 321 square feet. Rubio’s work has been featured across Texas and is informed by his extensive outreach to San Antonio’s Latino communities.
• Joe Lopez has been recognized as one of the leaders of the Chicano art movement. Located on the west bank of the creek between Travis and Houston Streets, Lopez’s mural will evoke the diverse patronage of the Alameda Theater and the dynamic performances that took place at the cultural icon. The mural will be 8 feet high and 51 feet long, a total of 408 square feet.

Each artist will paint their murals on canvas. The painted murals will then be photographed and that digital file will be used to transfer the mural onto glazed ceramic tiles. The murals will be revealed at a grand opening of the first phase of the San Pedro Creek Culture Park on May 5, 2018 as part of the Tricentennial Celebration. The first phase stretches from the San Pedro Creek tunnel inlet near the Christopher Columbus Italian Society to Houston Street.

“On behalf of Bexar County and the San Antonio River Authority, I am pleased to announce that these local artists will be sharing their talents through the creation of four large-scale murals for the San Pedro Creek Culture Park,” said Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff. “Through the revitalization of San Pedro Creek, we are inviting people to connect with our community’s vibrant history and culture, and these murals will be an important part of the cultural storytelling that will take place along the creek.”

Bexar County and the San Antonio River Authority also announced the release of a request for qualifications to establish a prequalified list of artists, which will be used to create a streamlined selection process for additional public art projects for the San Pedro Creek Culture Park. Artists interested in being commissioned for work along San Pedro Creek are invited to apply at SPCProject.org or PublicArtist.org.

“Through the prequalification process, we hope to attract top-level artistic talent from the local, national and international arts community,” said Carrie Brown, arts curator for the San Pedro Creek Culture Park. “There are several permanent and temporary art locations identified in the remaining segments of the project. We’re seeking artists who will create compelling works that will celebrate San Pedro Creek and engage the community in innovative ways.”

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About the San Pedro Creek Improvements Project:

Bexar County and the San Antonio River Authority, in coordination with the City of San Antonio, are transforming San Pedro Creek as a cultural park to reflect its place in our cultural history, improve its function in flood control, revitalize natural habitat and water quality, and catalyze economic development. To learn more about the San Pedro Creek Improvements Project, visit spcproject.org.