Neighborhood Revitalization Project
The St. Mary's University Revitalization Project is a collaboration with our neighbors and the University Park Neighborhood Association focusing on commercial transformation, housing rehabilitation, infrastructure and quality of life improvements.Activities Summary
Summary of Efforts and Activities, 2010
- Completion of the University Park’s first pocket park is expected in summer 2010. In addition, Councilman Justin Rodriguez has provided funding for a second park at the corner of Woodlawn Ave. and Camino Santa Maria.
- New street signs, stone marquees, bike paths, and crosswalk enhancements are coming to the neighborhood in the first half of 2010, in addition to a turning lane on NW 36th Street into the campus, projects executed by the Office of Councilman Justin Rodriguez.
- St. Mary’s University annually offers free assistance to small businesses through a program that helps local businesses and nonprofits while giving advanced students a hands-on learning experience. The Small Business Institute offers in-depth consulting services in areas of accounting, entrepreneurship, finance, human resource management, information technology, international business and marketing.
- The St. Mary’s Learning and Leadership Development Center, in partnership with the City of San Antonio, focuses on adult literacy and job skills development and provides many other forms of educational outreach to the community. The St. Mary’s University Service Learning Center is exploring ways in which students can assist in these efforts.
- Students in the clinical programs at the St. Mary’s University School of Law Center for Legal and Social Justice are introduced to the practice of law through representation of indigent clients in the trial or appeal of actual cases. Clinical programs serve the public in the areas of civil justice, community development, criminal justice, human rights and immigration issues.
- Continuing the Heritage, a day of service to the community, is hosted each semester by the University. During these scheduled days, approximately 300 students, faculty and staff, and parents and alumni work side by side with the neighborhoods and engage in brush pick-up, graffiti cleanup, house painting, visiting the elderly and sick, and more.
- The City of San Antonio is considering the area that includes St. Mary’s University and the University Park neighborhood as one of the City’s reinvestment areas. Reinvestment areas are aided by the City for strategic planning and assistance with applying for funding opportunities.
- The small business community was invited to a free summit in February offering information on how to access resources for improving facilities and operations. Invited presenters included ACCION Texas, Bexar County Purchasing, City Purchasing, Westside Development Corporation and VIA Metropolitan Transit.
- Area businesses received an application for a stimulus funds grant that could help them with facade improvements.
- A pocket park was constructed at the intersection of Cincinnati, Tulane and Stonegate in the University Park neighborhood, less than a quaRter-mile from campus. Previously a traffic island, the pocket park was a joint effort among District 7 Councilman Rodriguez, St. Mary's Neighborhood Revitalization Project, the City of Sany Antonio, and Preferred Landscape and Lighting, to name a few.
