AT A GLANCE
- City Council voted Thursday to rezone large industrial areas near the Frost Bank Center into mixed commercial and residential zones.
- The decision follows the passage of Project Marvel, which will move the Spurs downtown, leaving East Side residents demanding reinvestment.
- District 9 Councilwoman Misty Spears voted against the rezoning, while District 10’s Marc Whyte was absent along with District 7’s Marina Alderete Gavito.
- The vote marks the first tangible step by city leaders to fulfill promises to East Side residents after the Project Marvel election.
City Council Approves Rezoning in 8-1 Vote Near Frost Bank Center As Spurs Prepare To Leave The Neighborhood
Two days after San Antonio voters approved Project Marvel, city leaders took their first meaningful step toward restoring faith in the East Side community the Spurs will soon leave behind.
In an 8–1 vote, D10 Councilman Marc Whyte was absent along with D7 Councilwomen Marina Alderete Gavito. D9 Councilwoman Misty Spears showed her team spirit for the East Side with a ‘nay’ vote. City Council still approved the rezoning plan, in a majority vote, to phase out heavy industrial operations around the Willowwood and Meadowview neighborhoods, just blocks from the Frost Bank Center.
The measure will convert nearly 470 acres into mixed commercial and residential use, a long-sought goal for residents who have endured decades of air and noise pollution from nearby warehouses and trucking facilities.
Before the vote, McKee-Rodriguez delivered an impassioned speech reflecting both the pain and perseverance of his East Side constituents. “For too long, the East Side has been treated as San Antonio’s dumping ground. Today, we say enough.”
“This vote is a first step, not a finish line. Reinvestment in the East Side cannot stop here. The people who have held this community together deserve to see it thrive.” D2 Councilman stated.
For many East Side residents, Thursday’s vote was decades in the making. Longtime homeowners say they’ve spent years battling dust, fumes, and heavy truck traffic generated by nearby industrial sites.
UHIA President Alonzo Jones and others of UHIA have led an 18-month effort with the city’s Planning Department to rezone the area, changing land designations from heavy industrial to light commercial and residential. Supporters say the shift will finally open the door to grocery stores, restaurants, and other businesses that have long avoided the East Side due to its industrial landscape.
The timing of the vote was significant. After both Prop. A and B passed Tuesday, securing the Spurs new downtown arena, many East Side residents feared they would again be left behind. This is only the first of many steps forward.
The rezoning will not immediately displace existing industrial businesses, but it restricts future heavy industry and lays the groundwork for redevelopment. For residents, in the Willowwood and Meadowview neighborhoods, it’s the first tangible proof that the city is serious about reinvesting in the East Side.
