Over the past year, Downtown Alliance has hosted relevant programming in an effort to educate our membership, as well as others, on the developments within the center city and the possibilities for its future. Our standard annual events – the Urban Spaces Tour, Urban Renaissance Luncheons, the Downtown’s BEST Awards and the Downtown Golf Tournament – experienced record attendance and continue to be favorites for both learning and networking. We also added two new programs this past year – Live Centro and the Downtown Alliance Young Professionals – both of which will provide education and support for two key downtown issues, residential development and attracting and retaining young professionals.

As we look forward to 2012-2013, we are preparing for what will be a critically significant year as we begin implementation of the Strategic Framework Plan for the Center City, which serves as a road map for the growth and development of the center city over the next decade. Key to this plan was the passing of the 2012-2017 Bond Program that includes several projects that will improve parts of the center city.

In Spring 2012, the Boards of Directors of the four existing non-profit organizations – Downtown Alliance, Centro Partnership, Centro San Antonio and the Downtown Community Development Corporation – voted to adopt the Centro Collaborative as its organizational model that will serve as a consortium to improve

collaboration, communication and coordination on behalf of downtown and the center city. All will be served by a common staff in an agreement that delineates and strengthens the unique services that each provides. The organizations will continue to operate much as they always have but with greater efficiencies and collective muscle.

In May 2012, SA2020 described the vision for downtown as being a “showcase for visitors, a center of vibrant activity for citizens to live, work and play, and an economically inviting locale for businesses to flourish. Downtown’s historic buildings and character are preserved, its parks and green spaces are inviting, and the river continues to be treasured as its defining asset.” For over thirty years, Downtown Alliance has served as the voice of downtown business and is honored to support the SA2020 vision of a downtown that is “everyone’s neighborhood.”

Be Centro,

Ben E. Brewer, III

Ben E. Brewer, IIIPresident CENTRO

C O L L A B O R A T I V E

CentralizedAdministration

DT CommunityDevelopment Corporation

501(c)3

~ Project Assistance ~

Centro SA (P.I.D.)501(c)4

~ Public Space Services ~

∙ Maintenance∙ PSR’s∙ Streetscaping∙ Future Capital Improvements

Downtown Alliance501(c)6

~ Programs & Advocacy ~

∙ Administration∙ Membership/Advocacy∙ Marketing/Communications∙ Events/Education

Centro Partnership501(c)6

~ Strategy & Policy ~

∙ Public/Private∙ Strategic Vision∙ Catalytic Projects∙ Recruitment/Retention

∙ Grants∙ Donations (Land & $)∙ Development

Table of Contents

Downtown Alliance .....................................................................................................................3

Urban Spaces Tour ................................................................................................................3

Urban Renaissance ................................................................................................................5

BEST Awards ..........................................................................................................................7

Golf Tournament ...................................................................................................................9

Live Centro ...........................................................................................................................11

Young Professionals ............................................................................................................13

Centro San Antonio ...................................................................................................................15

Ambassador Amigos ...........................................................................................................16

Maintenance Amigos ..........................................................................................................16

By the Numbers ...................................................................................................................17

Streetscaping Amigos ..........................................................................................................18

Special Projects and Capital Improvements.....................................................................18

Centro Partnership .....................................................................................................................19

PR/Marketing ..............................................................................................................................21

Event photography credits: Melissa Burnett, Greg Harrison, Ellie Leeper

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Downtown Alliance’s annual educational and fun-filled walking tour provides a first-hand glimpse into downtown’s neighborhood, showcasing exciting residential, commercial and cultural spaces in the center city. In 2011, the Urban Spaces Tour explored the newly developed River North cultural arts district on the north end of downtown.

The 2011 Urban Spaces Tour included:• San Antonio Museum of Art, including a tour of the exhibit 5,000 Years

of Chinese Jade Featuring Selections from the National Museum of History, Taiwan and the Arthur M. Sackler Collection, Smithsonian Institution

• Najim Campus Center at Providence College Preparatory School• VFW Post 76• Speegle apartment• 1221 Broadway, a mixed-use residential development project• Knapik apartment at the Pearl• Culinary Institute of America• Bike World & Synergy Studio• Center for Architecture

This year’s tour was sponsored by Peloton, the San Antonio River Authority, Broadway Bank, The Pearl, Jordan Construction and 1221 Broadway. The tour was complemented by the fare of True Flavors at the opening reception at the San Antonio Museum of Art, and Don Strange of Texas at the closing reception in the Center for Architecture at the Pearl. Refreshments were provided by Alamo Beer, a consistent supporter of the Urban Spaces Tour, and The Boiler House, which will open at the Pearl in 2012.

Each tour time slot on the 2011 Urban Spaces Tour was completely sold out – a first for the event. Tours were led by students from Trinity University’s Urban Studies program, also known as, “Urban Studs.” This was the first year that students served as the official tour guides for the event, which is part of Downtown Alliance’s new effort to engage more young professionals as volunteers in annual programs.

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Initiated in 1998, this luncheon series features presentations from the most successful downtown initiatives and revitalization programs in the country. Speakers cover a variety of topics such as transit and how transportation impacts, living, working and transforming downtown. With a renewed focus on the urban environment, issues like art in public spaces, safety and reenergizing the city center are discussed. The goal of the Urban Renaissance series is to engage, inform and inspire those who support downtown San Antonio as the definitive face of the city’s business, arts, culture, entertainment and political community.

September 28, 2011 Placemaking in the Center City- Making It Happen Embassy Suites RiverwalkDowntown Alliance partnered with ULI San Antonio and the City of San Antonio Center City Development Office for an informative presentation on Placemaking and the next steps that downtown San Antonio should take to make recent initiatives a reality. Phil Myrick with Project for Public Spaces discussed the results of San Antonio’s PlaceMap exercise, as well as some real projects that should be undertaken right away. The luncheon was sponsored by Baptist Medical Center, Jacobs and Jefferson Bank.

February 13, 2012Top 10 Global Trends Affecting Downtowns Hyatt Regency RiverwalkThis program, sponsored by the Center City Development Office, VIA and CPS Energy, provided a provocative view of the future and tangible ideas for anticipating change in the context of an increasingly volatile world. Brad Segal, President of Progressive Urban Management Associates, presented the top global trends that are currently affecting planning and development decisions for the next 20 years in America’s downtowns, as well as impact of the economic recession and ongoing changes in demographics, lifestyles and global competition.

In May 2012, Downtown Alliance hired Progressive Urban Management Associates to study the existing boundaries of the current Downtown Public Improvement District, as well as opportunities for extending the boundaries as Centro San Antonio looks to reauthorize the District in October 2013.

April 16, 2012The Strategic Framework Plan for the Center City Hyatt Regency RiverwalkIn April 2011, Centro Partnership commissioned HR&A to produce the Strategic Framework Plan for the Center City. The team conducted planning through research and analysis, community meetings, stakeholder consultations, and close collaboration with Centro’s board and City officials. At this Urban Renaissance program, attended by over 500 people and sponsored by SA2020, the Center City Development Office and Nix Health, Jamie Torres Springer, partner with HR&A, presented the final report and the recommendations to support growth of the center city in order to meet the goals set forth by the community for the center city in SA2020.

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Each year, Downtown Alliance recognizes those who have made a significant contribution to downtown with the “Downtown’s BEST” Awards. Initiated in 2001, the awards are divided among multiple categories that celebrate people, organizations and places that support downtown San Antonio. The BEST Awards Program is a juried event and awards are presented at an annual luncheon program and serves as a key fundraiser.

The 2012 BEST Awards competition received a record 76 nominations, doubling the number received in past years. The Pearl was this year’s presenting sponsor of the luncheon, which was held at the Grand Hyatt on March 30, 2012. Paula Stallcup, 2011 Downtowner of the Year, passed the “downtown torch” to 2012 Downtowner of the Year, Pat DiGiovanni, City of San Antonio Deputy City Manager. Additional Awards program major sponsors include The NRP Group, San Antonio Business Journal, the Grand Hyatt hotel and the Center City Development Office.

The winners of this year’s BEST Awards include:

BEST Adaptive UseTownePlace Suites by Marriott in the Neisner Building

BEST Cultural DistinctionKing William Cultural Arts District

BEST Music FestivalEchale! Latino Music Estyles

BEST Development/ConstructionCevallos Lofts

BEST Year-Round Cultural Venue Promotional CampaignThe Historic Pearl Brewery

BEST Single Event PromotionSan Antonio Cocktail Conference

BEST New BusinessThe Bike Waiter

BEST Public/Private PartnershipSan Antonio B-Cycle Municipal Bike Share System

BEST Residential1221 Broadway

BEST Neighborhood RestaurantLiberty Bar

BEST Hotel RestaurantLas Canarias

BEST in SustainabilityCPS Energy, Green Initiatives

BEST Work in ProgressUniversity Health System Robert B. Green Campus Expansion

BEST Way to Get Lost... in San Antonio’s History (Wild Card Category)The Hugman Tour

BEST Downtown Neighbor (Wild Card Category)Mission Restaurant Supply

BEST Recognition forLiving the Dream (Wild Card Category)Rodney J. Smith

2012

TournamentGolf

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The Downtown Alliance has held successful golf tournaments for the last fourteen years. Each year, a portion of the tournament proceeds is donated to a downtown charity organization, and the remaining proceeds are used to further the DTA’s educational programs and to keep the downtown constituency informed as to the importance of a healthy center city. Our goal continues to be a cleaner, safer and friendlier downtown and the Golf Tournament functions as a fun way to convene our members and friends, and to raise funds for a good cause. It is yet another opportunity to reach out to the downtown community and build relationships between members, businesses, property owners and organizations in downtown San Antonio.

On May 14, 2012, Downtown Alliance hosted the annual “Downtown Golf Tournament” at Brackenridge Park Golf Course – “Downtown’s Golf Course.” 124 golfers participated in the tournament, supported by Double Eagle Sponsor, HNTB. Along with the $800 raised on the activity holes – Designated Driver, Speed Hole and Play with the Pro – Downtown Alliance donated a portion of the proceeds to SAMMinistries to support their mission to help the homeless, and those at risk of becoming homeless, attain self-sufficiency by offering shelter, housing, and services.

After the tournament, golfers enjoyed dinner in the newly-built pavilion behind the clubhouse. Golfers dined on fare provided by The RK Group as prizes were handed out for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in the tournament.

1st Place - Embrey Partners

2nd Place - Frost Bank

3rd Place - Weston Centre

After dinner, guests participated in the annual raffle contest with prizes from local hotels, restaurants and businesses. Supporting sponsors of the tournament include:

Baptist Health System

Block by Block

Bohanan’s Prime Steak & Seafood

Catto & Catto

Central Parking

CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Children’s Hospital

Creative Civilization

Embrey Partners

Emily Morgan Hotel

Frost Bank

Grand Hyatt Hotel

Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce

Greater San Antonio Transportation Company

Gunn Automotive

Hilton Palacio Del Rio

Hixon Properties

Hotel Contessa

ISS Grounds Control

Marriott Rivercenter

NuStar Energy

Quarter Moon Plumbing

Roger’s Garden

San Antonio Convention & Visitors Bureau

San Antonio Commercial Advisors

The Sabinal Group

SAMMinistries

Spurs Sports & Entertainment

Travis Park Plaza

TSM Digital Printing

Weston Centre

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In February 2012, Mayor Julian Castro, District 1 Councilman Diego Bernal, and Jim Mery, interim director for the downtown operations department, unveiled Downtown Tuesday, a new plan to bring the local community back to the center city. Downtown Tuesday offers parking at City-operated parking garages, parking lots and parking meters every Tuesday evening from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m.

As a partner in this initiative, Downtown Alliance started Live Centro, a new program on Tuesday evenings that showcases a downtown residential property and gives those considering living downtown an opportunity to explore the urban lifestyle, as well as talk to current downtown residents.

In addition to providing residential properties the chance to give tours and answer questions, Live Centro has also peaked the interest of surrounding downtown businesses as an opportunity to market themselves to both current and future downtown residents.

Over 70 people attended the first Live Centro in April 2012 at Cevallos Lofts, a new apartment complex in Southtown. The event was hosted by The NRP Group and food was delivered by The Bike Waiter. There were also tours across the street at the Cevallos Modern Contemporary Homes, a small complex of modern townhomes.

In May 2012, Centre Group Consulting hosted Live Centro at the Vidorra Condominiums near Sunset Station and over 100 people got the opportunity to tour four model units, as well as enjoy food and refreshments from Whole Foods, who catered the event and discussed their downtown grocery delivery service.

In June 2012, Live Centro enjoyed it’s largest attendance to date at The Vistana apartment complex. Guests enjoyed amazing city views from the amenity deck, toured model units and savored appetizers from Luke Restaurant and refreshments from NOLA Tropical Winery.

“To be a first rate San Antonio, this city needs to better attract and retain young professionals. In the desirability race for young professionals San Antonio has been losing. Too often students leave San Antonio after they graduate from college, and not enough young professionals come from other locations. For years San Antonio has been talking about this issue, but now is the time to act. Successful cities align their values with those of young professionals. San Antonio should not mimic the strategies of other cities, but rather should focus on how it can improve upon its current shortcomings related to density, higher education, and community & networks, while likewise capitalizing upon its unique assets. San Antonio needs to build on its comparative advantages and highlight its distinct characteristics that no other place can offer.”

The quote above, taken from the SA2020 report completed by Trinity University Urban Economics students, speaks to the reason why the Downtown Alliance Young Professionals group was formed in October 2011. This group is made up of 20- and 30-somethings who have a mutual interest in social and business networking, community involvement and professional development, with a primary goal to promote downtown San Antonio as an exciting place to live, work, and play.

The group was built to exchange ideas, interact socially and share common interests, as well as position themselves as the center city’s leaders of today and tomorrow for the betterment of our community. Downtown San Antonio is filled with many opportunities for a young professional, but sometimes it’s hard to know where to start. Joining Downtown Alliance YP is an easy way to develop several business and social contacts so that the network of peers continues to grow.

The Downtown Alliance YP group made its debut with a Holiday Social in December 2011 at The Esquire Tavern, resulting in over 150 young professionals signing up to join the group. The DTA is currently developing more young professional programming focusing on professional development, as well as community interaction and public service.

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Centro San Antonio helps accommodate downtown’s growing residential population, enhance its office and retail market, and position downtown as a premier convention and visitor destination through the efforts of the Downtown Public Improvement District.

Funded by a special property assessment on properties within the Downtown Public Improvement District, Centro San Antonio provides services and improvements as a supplement to services provided by the City of San Antonio. These services are provided by Ambassador Amigos, Streetscaping Amigos and Maintenance Amigos. In addition to regular duties, each Amigo serves as additional “eyes & ears” for the SAPD Downtown Bicycle Patrol & Park Police. For the past 12 months, all Amigos have worn pedometers while performing their duties. This resulted in 59,574 miles walked, or the equivalent of walking 2.5 times around the earth’s equator.

Ambassador Amigos play an important role in the District as goodwill ambassadors for downtown’s various users. Their high visibility positions them to be proactive in assisting downtown conventioneers, visitors, workers, residents, and downtown’s various law enforcement officials.

Equipped with two-way radios and local area knowledge, these uniformed Ambassadors are strategically situated throughout the District and in high-pedestrian traffic areas at key times of the day. They form a unique partnership with local authorities providing maximum assistance and safety throughout the District, thereby supporting overall crime prevention.

In the past year, the Ambassador Amigos:• Assisted 883,072 downtown guests, office workers and residents with

directions and service needs• Manned the Mobile Information Kiosk at various locations daily• Maintained training in specialized historical & geographical facts• Maintained a six-member team that is certified as Professional

Tour Guides

Maintenance Amigos supplement the City’s maintenance efforts by performing sidewalk cleaning, graffiti abatement, trash pickup, power-washing and weed removal. They perform services 7 days a week, 360 days a year.

883,07268,32941 million59,574

Public Improvement District Service Area

downtown guests, office workers and residents assisted

trash bags collected

square feet of sidewalks power washed

miles walked by the Amigos

In the past year, the Maintenance Amigos:• Collected over 68,329 bags of trash – a total of 850 tons• Power washed in District a total of 41 million square-feet of sidewalks• Power washed 11,054 bus stops• Removed weeds from 1,005 block faces of District sidewalks• Removed 100,247 gum spots from District sidewalks• Removed 10,120 graffiti tags & stickers• Provided contract maintenance services for City of San Antonio

(COSA) Downtown Operations on the River Walk, the San Antonio River Authority on the Museum Reach and the Pearl Farmer’s Market & Sunday in the Park

Streetscaping Amigos provide planters and plant materials to help “soften” downtown’s public right-of-ways. These improvements help enhance the pedestrian experience for our many downtown workers, residents, and visitors. The District is responsible for maintaining these improvements. This includes watering, fertilization and replacing seasonal vegetation as necessary. The Streetscaping Amigos program intends to expand in scope each year, as funds are available.

In the past year, the Streetscaping Amigos:• Planted 2,016 bougainvillea plants• Planted 3,360 pansies • Planted 3,360 petunias• Regularly pruned, fertilized and treated for insects• Dispensed thousands of gallons of water to supplement rainfall• Regularly replaced missing and dead plants as necessary

Over the 2011-2012 fiscal year, the Downtown Public Improvement District implemented special projects and capital improvements, including:• Partnering with COSA Downtown Operations to provide funding for

a grackle “relocation” program• Partnering with Downtown Alliance and Centro Partnership to

provide funding for a downtown strategic plan with focus on housing, parking, hospitality & office attraction

• Purchasing 25 new blue sidewalk recycling receptacles• Utilizing handheld PDA’s to conduct landscaping surveys for COSA

on the River Walk, at Milam Park and Travis Park• Adding wi-fi to the Mobile Information Kiosk, as well as outlets for

visitors to charge their mobile devices

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In the recent SA2020 planning process, a vision for downtown was created – “In 2020, downtown is the heart of San Antonio and is everyone’s neighborhood.” In April 2011, Mayor Julian Castro called on the Centro Partnership to take the lead on updating a strategic plan for downtown and the center city. The Centro Partnership, a public-private partnership, worked with other stakeholders to raise funds for and to develop this plan and help facilitate a series of public workshops. In December 2011, a report called The Strategic Framework Plan for the Center City was completed.

In April 2012, Centro Partnership partnered with Downtown Alliance to host an Urban Renaissance Luncheon, where Jamie Torres Springer, partner with HR&A, presented the final report and the recommendations to support growth of the Center City in order to meet the goals set forth by the community in SA2020. In an effort to engage the younger generation of professionals, a targeted demographic of SA2020, Centro Partnership asked a new young professionals group called LOOP – Leadership Organization of Professionals – to place a member at each luncheon table and facilitate discussion about the Strategic Plan and the future of downtown.

In May 2012, Centro Partnership became the official lead partner for the Downtown Development vision area of SA2020, with a responsibility to provide strategic assistance and meaningful data measurements to maximize impact of that vision area, as well as work closely with SA2020 to develop productive community networks of investors and ensure accountability among all of the lead partners. Among the goals for the Downtown Development vision area are:

• Increase downtown housing units• Increase the number of people working downtown• Increase transportation mode options• Decrease downtown crime rates• Increase activities and visitation by local San Antonians to downtown

Also in Spring 2012, Centro Partnership released a statement of support for all five propositions within the City of San Antonio’s 2012-2017 Bond Program. This bond mapped out $596 million in capital improvements in San Antonio, including over $110 million in capital improvements that will directly impact the areas in and surround the center city. All five propositions passed with voter approval.

PR & MARKETING

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At the Downtown Alliance Annual Meeting in 2009, Mayor Julian Castro declared this the “decade of downtown” and downtown San Antonio has experienced an increase in interest from local media ever since, including Ben Olivo’s Downtown Blog and regular updates from the Express-News, the San Antonio Business Journal, San Antonio Magazine and the local television outlets, just to name a few. In 2012, former Express-News editor, Bob Rivard, introduced The Rivard Report, a new media web site dedicated to San Antonio’s urban renaissance with a platform that encourages citizens to contribute commentary as well as move discussion about the center city.

Downtown Alliance continued to share news about downtown on downtownsa.org, including national news coverage on San Antonio’s rankings in several key areas. This past year San Antonio was ranked in the top 10 of happiest cities for jobs (Forbes.com), ranked as the 25th fittest city in the country (Men’s Fitness Magazine) and ranked as the nation’s best-performing city by the Milken Institute, a story that ran in U.S. News and World Report, Yahoo!News and Forbes.com.

Downtown San Antonio also received positive national television coverage on TNT during the 2012 NBA Western Conference Finals, as well as coverage of our city’s culinary scene on Bravo’s “Top Chef - Texas.”

In addition to the Downtown Alliance web site, daily updates on news and events were provided on Facebook and Twitter. Conversations on the social media outlets were introduced via local news on downtown, as well as national stories on revitalization in other downtown cities. According to Facebook Insights, interaction in the form of “Likes” was up 54% over the past year.

In January 2012, Downtown Alliance unveiled a new look for the monthly e-newsletter, including the addition of a Member Spotlight section, which features a Downtown Alliance member and their thoughts on the future of the center city.

In Spring 2012, the home page of downtownsa.org was redesigned to highlight news and events of each particular non-profit within the Centro Collaborative. In addition, an Amigo Feedback page was created in the Centro San Antonio section of the web site to showcase the positive feedback received about the Amigos from downtown visitors.