Tag Archives: Urban redevelopment

Riverwalk and Redevelopment

Few things excite me more than urban re-creation; inspiring redevelopment that attracts people to live, work and play in the city.  I am not a fan of town centers, parking structures or a new building or two.  I love to see a city take a negative, like a derelict elevated rail structure that was considered and eyesore, and turn it into a unique park that attracts new development and becomes the center of the new community, as New York has done with the Highline.

I have heard about the Riverwalk in San Antonio but did not expect a beautifully landscaped, widely varying, 10 mile walk/bike trail that is spurring redevelopment and getting people active.  The San Antonio River is really not much of a river, more like a stream, but planners are milking it to the maximum. Most people are probably more familiar with the Riverwalk downtown and the main tourist area, but the new extensions are where the real story is, in my view. 

San Antonio’s Riverwalk:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/alaynedunn/8570941976/

Continue reading