San Antonio is not yet a great city. San Antonio is sprawling with expensive infrastructure, its inner-city and suburban school districts fail too many families, and it’s considered news when a City Council member takes the public bus. Those are just the big things.
As a city, we don’t do enough to promote the amazing artists who live here. We don’t offer enough jobs in technology. There’s nothing to do downtown that doesn’t involve working or the River Walk, and although San Antonio has 300 sunny days each year, we have zero real bike lanes. We should have 300 bike lanes.
Despite all those faults, I love San Antonio. I love San Antonio because we get to change all of that. We get to make San Antonio into a great city.
My wife, Megan, and I moved to San Antonio in 2009 for what we thought would be a temporary stay. With the exception of some time spent in Kansas City between 2013 and 2014, we have been living and working here ever since. Our first stay in San Antonio became less temporary when Megan was offered a fantastic opportunity at work and my graduate school instructor, Ivy Taylor, saw something in me and offered me a job as a City Council aide to work on housing and development on the Eastside.
Overnight, I went from talking about urban development issues at the UTSA School of Architecture to doing the real thing. I fell in love with San Antonio and the promise this city held. I met many talented and committed people who you have likely read about in the Rivard Report. I came to know and work with people like Brian Dillard, Zac Harris, Barb Garcia, Sho Nakpodia, Nicki Marrone, and Kelly Beevers. Ryan Bigley and I started the Downtown Kickball League. I served as the Dean of Awesome SA, and became a reading buddy at Bowden Elementary School.
While I was starting a kickball league for 100 (now 250!) people to gather on a weekly basis, Mayor Julián Castro was launching the “Decade of Downtown,” then-Councilwoman Ivy Taylor was fighting tooth and nail for a stronger and safer Eastside, the San Antonio River Authority was doing amazing things with the Museum and Mission Reaches, the Pearl was growing, Hemisfair was being reimagined, B-Cycle was leading a mobility revolution in San Antonio, and Geekdom was growing a community of people who could change the shape of San Antonio’s economy.
It was at this time that Megan and I made the decision to move to Kansas City so we could live closer to our family. I spent hours every day exploring Kansas City’s neighborhoods on foot, while pushing a stroller. I observed that the city was experiencing successes and failures, just like San Antonio. But one major difference stood out. Kansas City’s civic and business culture is more rooted in hierarchy, whereas San Antonio’s civic and business culture is more grassroots. That culture creates opportunities for people who want to be involved, and doors open more easily here.
I still have a number of friends who work in talented and innovative fields in the Kansas City area. Their skills would be recognized anywhere else in the country, but the community there doesn’t fully embrace their talents because they operate outside the established system. San Antonio is not perfect, and it certainly suffers from issues of inequity, but it has more opportunities for people who want to be involved and actually make a difference.
Ultimately, that is why Megan and I moved back almost two years ago. When we weren’t looking, San Antonio had become our home. The community embraced and nurtured us and set down the path toward greatness with us. This is the city we want our kids to call home, and the city that allows us to lead the march toward greatness.
After we moved back to San Antonio, I took a job at Centro San Antonio and, again, I had the chance to work with people who are making a difference in this city every day, and I don’t just mean the talented team at Centro. I got to work with people who are truly transforming San Antonio. They include folks like Molly Cox, Suhail Arastu, Rick Stemm, the Cortez family, Graciela Sanchez, and Paula Owen.
San Antonio is the kind of community where you can go from being a dreamer to being a doer.
That is why I am so proud to now be working at the Rivard Report. The staff here is unbelievably talented and committed. I will be working behind the scenes, here, as the Business Manager. In short, I am helping to manage the membership program and running the office so Bob and the team can focus on what they do best: reporting the news that matters to you.
Bob Rivard, Iris Dimmick, Scott Ball, Camille Garcia, Kathryn Boyd-Batstone, Lea Thompson and Jaime Solis and our contributors are building something together at the Rivard Report that won’t just document San Antonio’s march toward greatness. They will push us there.
The Rivard Report is a now a nonprofit and reader supported. You should consider supporting this amazing team.
*Top image: Rivard Report Business Manager Scott Gustafson during a typical day at the Rivard Report office. Photo by Scott Ball.
Related Stories:
Rivard Report: Four Years Old and Growing
The Rivard Report Board: Experience, Commitment & Vision
Camille Garcia: Finding Adventure in My Home Town
Kathryn Boyd-Batstone: Life Through a Lens
Lea Thompson: Finding the Life Behind the Story
San Antonio is lucky to have you…welcome back, welcome home.
My husband and I are proud RR supporters. Welcome! And while I’ll disagree with you on our fair city’s greatness status and that whole Riverwalk statement, I can definitely agree that SA will be getting “greater” as we all work together for the future.
Scott Gustafson! I told you that you should write more often. SA needs you and your familia to stay.
Totally agree, The Rivard Report is why San Antonio is becoming a great city. But all citizens have to work as a team to make it happen.
Great points!
So glad to see you as a part of the great team at the Rivard Report!
Good man.
I concur, we ARE on the cusp of opportunity. That’s why it’s exceedingly important for our civic leaders and citizens to stay steadfast in our mission to showcase our unique Culture to the rest of the World. With that in the forefront we set ourselves up for success ! Lead from the front….
It’s quite an exciting transitional time for San Antonio. With that comes opportunities for well thought out growth and community involvement on one end of the spectrum, to personal greed and corruption on the other end of the spectrum. My hope for San Antonio is that SA grows in a healthy and sustainable way and doesn’t fall victim to the greed and corruption that threaten to curtail that. There’s a lot of potential in this city. We just have to harness it in positive ways.
Well said Scott. SA has as much potential city as any in the US. But, we have to have an honest conversation about where we are today and how other cities are working hard to compete for the talent and jobs of tomorrow – thank you for doing that.
The good news is that people that want to be involved in building a city can do it here. They are welcomed and can make a difference given the openness of our leaders. Glad you are part of that group!
As a citizen who was born here and have lived here all my life, I emphatically state: You do not know this city. I am bemused by the fact you seem to think you can evaluate San Antonio in therms of the lack of “greatness” when you have just moved here (sorta) since 2009.
There is vast, vast difference of experience between those of San Antonio who really know this city from life experience, and from generations of family experience, and those who are recent colonizers, or “doers.” This kind of (perhaps) innocent arrogance can unfortunately lead to vast, vast silent damage to citizens you do not realize exist because of social and historic patterns that you are equally unaware of.
San Antonio may not be “great’ in your eyes, but from my perception the days of San Antonio as truly a unique city with vibrant moving cultural undertones of resiliency is fast coming to an end. This vibrancy is being replaced with shallow, media driven, expressions that come not from a real place even somewhere else, but from media induced reality where people jump in their offices with ties and explore their neighborhoods from behind strollers?! Man, you so cannot understand this city from these gentrified perspectives.
San Antonio is fast becoming an “anywhere” place where “anyone” can mine its cultural, social, landscape , and economic resources and expect a “thank you.” You may call that “great.” I call that “exploitation.”
Seems pretty small town to this editor to suggest someone who has only lived here for a number of years can’t have a legitimate perspective on the city, a privilege only accorded to the locally born. Of course, if you have lived here all your life you wouldn’t have the comparative experience of having lived somewhere else, would you? On the other hand, there is nothing like the strengths of one’s convictions, so why not submit an op-ed under your real name and come out from under that magpie thing? –RR
Mr. Rivard,
I rest my case, particularly in reference to your “pretty small town” quip. Often outsiders feel that people who have lived all their lives in one place do not have a sense of sophistication or little life experience. I can assure you that is not the case, and, as well, not for many natives of San Antonio.
You may be particularity sensitive since this is about someone you hired, but I intended it to stand as a general observation. The perspective of this employee is simply a catalyst for my response. His statement and attitude is pretty generic for newcomers (“doers”) in San Antonio.
Anyone can have a perspective, but this is PARTICULAR to San Antonio, and a few years does not cut it in terms of the complexities of this city. His is a legitimate statement, but one of superficiality. I know this BECAUSE of my experience and insight from having lived in this city for many years (if that’s what you call “conviction”).
I decline your invitation to write an op ed piece because of the disrespect with which it was delivered. Certainly, you must understand why I do not reveal my name. it is my understanding that it is out of a concern for privacy that the Rivard Report does not require full disclosure to those who may potentially ostracize or retaliate against someone for an unpopular opinion.
Magpie–thank you for admitting that your opinions are unpopular. Could not agree more. This “newcomer” thinks that the fact you’ve lived here all of your life means that your assessment of San Antonio’s greatness lacks some validity, as you have nothing to compare it to.
Your opinion and dismissiveness of newcomers is an attitude that has consistently driven away smart, motivated individuals like Scott to other cities. We need all the Scotts in this city that we can get.
You are someone who ROUTINELY posts inflammatory comments calling for more diversity and inclusion of marginalized populations here, yet you routinely marginalize the opinions of so-called “outsiders” as “not understanding San Antonio” because of our lack of time spent here. That’s not fair. It’s not “us versus them”–we can all work together to make this city better. But your derisive assessment of Scott is completely unnecessary to the conversation. The implication that he is not entitled to an opinion because he wasn’t born here is absolutely absurd and downright rude.
Magpie is neither being “absurd” or “rude.” She accurately recognizes that the big-money entities and the insitutions that serve them pander to outsider “experts” who demonstrate that they have no clue about life in San Antonio but who claim they have a right to adversely alter it for people who have no voice. Now THAT, Suzanne, is truly absurd and rude. And, you are right. It is not “us versus them” but rather them versus us.
Suzanne,
I want you to know that I have responded to your concerns but it has been almost a day and I do not see that my post has been published?! I will resend my posting if necessary.
I categorically reject the notion that someone that didn’t grow up here can’t understand San Antonio and that they are exploiting our fair city. I grew up in the inner city of San Antonio and my neighborhood used to be the number two spot in the city for drive by shootings. And one day 3 trinity students that didn’t grow up in SA started a company called Rackspace. And because of that I got a job even though I didn’t have a college degree , got skills that you cant even get in an MBA course and got to travel the world. I thank God every day for those “outsiders” coming to San Antonio. I hope tons more come and do the same thing. People like Scott make our city better. T
Ironically, drive-by shootings were unheard of in San Antonio until mass media interests on the west coast glamorized them, leading to this phenomena showing up in many major cities, not just San Antonio. It is these same kinds of pervasive media phenomena that involve Rackspace. I suggest that you, as someone from San Antonio, get a degree (or not) and begin your own self-start start to address some of the issues you faced as a youth.
Eloy, your comment doesn’t make any sense whatsoever… And then you suggest to someone else “to get education?” Please, troll somewhere else.
JacksonH,
Yes, actually it does make sense, but it requires a bit of reflection to understand what Eloy is saying. As I understand him (and he is quite clear ) that the issues this young faced are not those that stem from San Antonio, but from the kind of pervasive media phenomenon that gave rise to places like Rackspace (that is the irony) . So the young man is not being helped out of a “crime ridden” San Antonio by the Supermen flying out of Trinity University. Eloy is suggesting that he not depend on those from private universities to hire him but to get an education himself and apply his knowledge to his home town.
Excellent post
Magpie, as someone with deep San Antonio roots I wholeheartedly disagree with you. I’m the fourth generation of my family to be born and raised in the city and even as a teen I could see there was a lack of resources and opportunities in many regards.
People like Scott, Bob, the Rackers, and many others are working hard to make San Antonio a place that is filled with opportunity. I applaud them!! I haven’t made the same commitment and have moved away from San Antonio twice as an adult because it still doesn’t provide the right environment for me. Though it is getting closer and I support their events and spaces when I do visit.
Your refusal of Bob’s offer demonstrates the part of the city’s culture that keeps it from truly blossoming. Despite the manner in which it was made, that opportunity should be embraced and used to tell your story. Shrinking away is a disservice to everyone.
Also, have you asked yourself what disassociating from the newcomers accomplishes? And how it harms progress? San Antonio has a unique history and culture, but that culture also needs to evolve if it’s going to provide 21st century opportunities for its citizens. Branding recent arrivals as colonizers creates animosity and eliminates the opportunity to blend their energetic and creative ideas with San Antonio’s historic caldo.
For the sake of my hometown and for the sake of creating a community my kids might be proud of, think on how you can become part of the story.
Jess,
I refused Mr. Rivard’s offer for the reasons I stated. I am not “shrinking away” at all (I am addressing your concerns). I feel much is accomplished by providing a catalyst for discussion and dialogue. I assure you, my perspective is not unique, but many have experienced (as I have in this post) a resistance to this perspective that can be uncomfortable. I never said that I “disassociate” with newcomers (although it can be hard to find them in my day to day life).
I am not “branding” newcomers as colonists, but providing a a very real understanding of the processes that are in play here (and have been for generations in San Antonio). “Newcomers” are, in this case, not simply arriving (like a migration or refugees) but are attempting to pursue agendas (and exploit resources of land, labor, prestige) in San Antonio that are not necessary in keeping with the concerns of the average citizenry of the city. The use of the term colonizer is quite fair given the situation.
Yes, all cities evolve (inherently!). I suggest that it should follow the trajectory of the concerns of native San Antonians who understand (and will be affected by) the impact of these decisions. I also suggest that these changes be spearheaded by San Antonians (like yourself) rather than viewing outsiders has having a superior (they know best) ability and insight. I further suggest that “newcomers” embrace this potentiality. And yes, I am a part of the story. The Rivard Report is not the only game in town.
Bravo!
Jess,
I want you to know that I have responded to your concerns but it has been almost a day and I do not see that my post has been published?! I will resend my posting if necessary.
We do not post comments that engage in personal attacks or name calling. That includes calling someone you disagree with a “colonialist,” which carries racist overtones and has no real meaning in the modern context. Again, you can share your own observations about a changing city, but we aren’t going to post anonymous attacks on people who work for us or write for us. There is no shortage of other local media sites that welcome such postings. –RR
Mr. Rivard, (and readers)
I assure you that there was no such “attack.” (I really mystified by this?). I defined “colonialists” in the most simplistic (accepted) explanation given in current scholarly work on the subject. I explained to Suzanna (above) and Jess (here) WHY I used the term (There is nothing racist about this at all) so there would be some sort of clarification and I felt they deserved to have response to her concerns.
I am further mystified as to why it acceptable to attack my person (‘the Magpie thing,” “shrinking away”, “derisive comments”, rude”), using shaming characterizations that I have strictly avoided using in all my posts on the Rivard Report.
Mr. Rivard, you at least owe me the courtesy to print this.
Clearly, I feel this is a time to refrain from all further posting on the Rivard Report. It was my intention to provide a voice that would offer diversity to public commentary asking for “more diversity.” I am having a hard time trying to square this kind of action with a newly formed non-profit.
Your comment has been posted. My apologies if I mistakenly replied to you when I intended to reply to another individual. –RR
I do not recall calling or naming someone a “colonist.” You may want to check your email again.
Thanks for the shout out Scott Gustafson!! It has been great working with you.
Great read, Scott. Brought tears to my eyes and made me homesick. It’s true that SA has a unique environment where anyone who wants to contribute CAN. The city is lucky to have you.
Great article. You should look into the movement we’re creating on the East side of San Antonio with Alamo City Studios. Many of San Antonio Established Filmmakers are determined to make the east side home to the largest production center in the South, creating a true Third Coast.
The schools aren’t the problem.
Mr. Gustafson says, “San Antonio is not perfect, and it certainly suffers from issues of inequity.” I agree; paternalistic, neo-colonial outsiders, very much like himself, are the principal contributors of “inequity”. He’s been here for a mere few years. That’s all? He doesn’t seem to realize how that sounds to natives of San Antonio. For centuries outsiders like him have been coming here to replace our culture with a version of how they think it should be. Troops formed by the Bostonian Augustus Magee was an example. Though, they were soundly defeated with the help of one my ancestors, the likes of them keep coming. The difference is now instead of coming with guns and swords, they come with laptops and Bluetooths. And, I assure you that these high-tech weapons are far more destructive.
Gustafson is part of a national pandemic of entitlement enabled by digital employment. They come around and try to find ways to make cities like San Antonio as generic as possible, despite what they claim about “showcasing culture” as if we were a reality show.
Years back when a Hard Rock Café appeared on the River Walk, people rightfully complained that it diluted San Antonio identity because every major city had one. Nowadays, the corporate mentality that put the Hard Rock Café on the river is pervasive and is evidenced in Gustafson’s mentality.
The more self-proclaimed “experts” come to town, the more neighborhoods become gentrified, displacing life-long residents with upper crust out-of-towners. And, because they have no emotional ties to the land, they have no commitment to our communities.
If these newcomers really want to “be involved and actually make a difference” like Gustafson says (what a cliché), they may start by questioning their assumptions that we need outsider help.
Your comment sounds incredibly racist.
Can you explain how this is racist?
Guess not.
I have spent all my life in San Antonio. And I am ashamed of people like you, Eloy! How can you say that San Antonio does not need to get better? 99% of all cities need to get better. Especially San Antonio. Our city is not perfect, and we should embrace everyone who wants to move to our city, make it their own city, and contribute to the greater good.
The author’s mentality has nothing to do with the Hard Rock Cafe. Suggesting that makes me question your sanity. In fact, I bet people like Scott don’t care much for chain stores and franchises. People like Scott – as far as I can tell without knowing him – appreciate local mom and pop shops, and authenticity.
Scott, please ignore Eloy’s ignorant, irrational, and possibly racist comment. San Antonio needs people like you, and many of of natives (hopefully most) welcome you with open arms!
I don’t think Scott made any comments about changing the culture of San Antonio–except that our culture is more grassroots, meaning we all can have a say in how are city is shaped, even backwards, anti-progress people like yourself. One thing I think an outside perspective affords someone is the ability to see where we could be better, and I’m not talking about making the “culture” better. I’m talking about more crosswalks, bike lanes, BETTER SCHOOLS, safer streets. These are all improvements that do not dilute the culture of San Antonio. Your claim that out of towners have no commitment to the community is baseless. I think Scott demonstrated above that his commitment to the community is strong–his volunteer work and city involvement outlined above briefly trumps that of most. Please let us know how you have been more involved in the community than he has.
Wonderful read Scott!
The beauty of San Antonio was in the fact that 3 American cultures lived side by side. Then it all changed when more and more outsiders came in and said, “I know what San Antone needs.” That’s when it all changed more and more people started to interfere with the local population until it began to disperse. Haven for Hope, killed a neighborhood, gentrification of historic neighborhoods has moved old families out to who knows where, urban renewal is often in the form of arson, now Soviet style block apartments going up one build on old asbestos laced factory grounds, then there are the increase in crime…the senseless random violence all because some kid wants to prove he is really to be part of a gang by shooting an innocent person. I have been around the world but I have always returned to my hometown, San Antonio, to me San Antonio is the greatest.
Well said, Santiago.
Years ago, when Mike Greenburg was a columnist, he asked the question, “Is San Antonio a first-class city?”. My answer was no, because it fell short in being notable in anything but the downtown area. I have moved away, but had hoped things got better in the past 10 years…
San Antonio is a Great and AMAZING CITY though I am not native here, I will say I appreciate this town. That my love is why San Antonio is NOT YET a great City to many, because like many who don’t know this town, is trying to make it something its not. Rather than create it to be some kind of Faux Pas of another City bits and pieces at least…. People don’t even know San Antonio. People are so insecure about it that they don’t give it credit at all. I have been living here and love it. Sure when my son graduates Higschool I will move to another town, but not because San Antonio sucks, but because I need Water and sustainability. This town lacks any Water and are more into the latest and greatest and then a month later dies out…augh!!!! We favor the same “cool” people not getting to know any other peeps in this town. San Antonio Currents Best of , and San Antonio Magazine Editor picks are all funny stuff… GET TO KNOW YOUR TOWN PEOPLE!!! ITS SOO GREAT!!! You are too busy being so insecure about it..
Ms. Love Bernstein, great post!
“we have zero real bike lanes. We should have 300 bike lanes”. What we actually need is an education/enforcement campaign so everyone knows that a cyclist may use the full width of a standard travel lane because it’s too narrow to share and motorists need to change lanes to pass.
Welcome back! As the different opinions on this thread show, greatness can be defined in a variety or ways. If you look at theories, cities that prosper on neoliberal terms seem to be great or “world class”. Doesn’t mean this is entirely bad (it’s the structure we must operate in), but I think that many San Antonians consider social equity a component of greatness as well. Yeah it’s about having a vibrant downtown but also having a resilient local economy which benefits everyone. We have a comprehensive planning process in the works but it doesn’t seem that anyone notices…it’s a great opportunity for all of us to define our vision for greatness. So let’s do it!
This is nothing more than a pretty name-dropper essay. Seriously? “There’s nothing to do downtown that doesn’t involve working or the River Walk.” The Tobin Center itself has something happening 340 of the 365 days of the year… “nothing” is a pretty harmful word for those working to make it happen.
Christopher, I think the Tobin Center is doing an amazing job in promoting and activating our downtown. Your regular performances are wonderful and you make the space available to organizations who want to host special functions. I love that you engaged with Centro and VIA on the E bus and offer other really cool programming such as the outdoor yoga. San Antonio won’t be great until more organizations are as committed to a better downtown as the Tobin is.
Downtown has art galleries not on the river, resturants not on the river, parks not on the river. Rivard Report is losing it.
We need San Antonio to grow taller and denser and even deeper….definately not wider.
San Antonio will not be a “great” city until its citizens can live here without the necessity of owning a car. Great transit is what makes a great city, and is why every city in Texas is only mediocre.
All the commenters here who feel threatened by change would make me laugh except that their attitude has done great damage to San Antonio, which has existed in complete entropy for decades and cannot afford to continue doing so.
The people here don’t think mass transit is important. They live in their own little bubble and think that only big places like New York or London worry about mass transit, when they have no idea that there are cities half SA’s size that would put it to shame in that category.
Many people here have the mentality of “why should I vote for something only people over there can use” when what they are really saying is ” why should I do anything to help the community get better when I can keep paying for my cars, highways, and crappy strip malls”. Let’s not make public transportation better or fix the streets closer to the city, let’s build more high ways and bland, prairie looking suburbs!
This article reminds me of every eager-beaver fresh-out-of-college manager I have ever had, who comes in all fired up and full of ideas of how to make things better without bothering to take the time to understand how things actually work. The enthusiasm, I have to admit, is refreshing, but it would be nice if–once in a while–it were coupled with perspective and even a modicum of wisdom.
And the results are as predictable as they are preventable. Thankfully, the experience of the long-timers tends to help mitigate the damage.
What this means: You may not like Magpie and Eloy’s approach, but you would do well to listen to what they have to say, because they have what you do not: experience.
Good luck.
They have experience with what? Being progress-allergic and narrow-minded, rejecting anyone who wasn’t born here, and opposing anything that goes beyond pick-ups, barbacoa, Big Red, and Selena?
Scott sounds like he has plenty of life experience, and he seems to understand San Antonio very well.
Wow. Not only is that screed Exhibit A, but it is breathtakingly ironic. Congratulations on the two-fer.
Alex, did you really say that? You had better be glad that most of the real people in San Antonio don’t read the Rivard Report.
cmon Scott, nothing to do downtown?
What about Magik Theater, Central Library, First Friday, second Saturday,the Southwest school of art, the museum of art, luminaria, siclovia, the folklife and Asian festivals, Spurs games, and King William?
Ask yourself – “what do you want San Antonio to be, to you?” Then:
1) Go discover those things. There is a lot to do in this city, just pick up a copy of The Current!
2) If the things are not there, but you love the city – then go fill those gaps
3) If that’s still not acceptable, then go read Orson Swett Marden’s “Miracle of Right Thought”
If you made it to step three, repeat steps 1-3 as necessary.
Jesus, there are so many armchair revolutionaries out there!
Relax,
Sean Attwood
Since I quoted the book “Miracle of Right Thought”, allow me to pull some examples straight of of it and connect them back to the story and the comments, which inspired my simple 3 step recommendation above:
a) “Think and say only which you wish to become true” – I ask then, why would one wish to tear down Scott’s enthusiastic and energized call to action to make San Antonio a better city?
My reflection: I challenge the old school San Antonio residents to attract a positive outcome for our city’s future through your imagination, instead of ganging up on our newest residents who bring a new perspective.
b) “People who are always excusing themselves; constantly saying that they are tired, used up, played out, “all in”, that they are all out of kilter somewhere; that they are always unfortunate, unlucky; that fate seems to be against them; that they are always poor and expect to be; that they have worked hard and tried to get ahead, but could not; little realize that they are etching these black pictures – enemies of their peace, happiness, and success- and they very things that they ought to wipe out of their minds forever — deeper and deeper into their consciousness, and are making it all the more certain that it will be realized in their lives.
My reflection: You will attract a reality that is aligned with your thoughts. I see too many commenters who are doing nothing here but trying to undermine others from behind a keyboard. Do you really want to attract that type of reality in your life and your future?
Let’s all come together as a community and do something great in our neighborhoods. Let’s show interest in the perspectives of others and truly care for our selves by taking care of others.
-Sean
Now I would like to make myself clear, I do not care what people do to San Antonio, all I am asking is to include the people affected by the change. I have been to enough input, town hall, general meetings, where people are instructed to sit and listen to the developer tell us how his development is going to be constructed. The neighbors are left out, now if I came in and said I want to develop a rifle range in East Point on Nolan St. I am sure there would be protests against my project. Well is should be the same people should be allowed to express their concerns such as the wall blocks out the sun to my garden, your fence is inviting graffiti, do we have to cut down so many shade trees, what about drainage is your parking lot going to drain oil and run-off into my back yard. This is what I am talking about Sean, let the citizen have their questions and concerns answered. I am tired of every 10 years hearing all these new concepts that will change this tired old city. Please! San Antonio has been through a lot of history, I for one, am proud that this city developed out of the Spanish Colonial Concept of mission community to a modern major city, it is the only one in the USA. So San Antonio has always been changing but for the betterment of its people not to suit one individual who will make their money and move to some foreign country and spend their money there.
Sean , this is San Antonio, not California. I echo Mr. Escobedo.
Once again… there is a vast gulf between those who have lived through generations in San Antonio, and those that read self help books. The gulf is apparently too vast for accommodation. The doers and planners (recently, these are newcomers aligned with developers -old and new) ) will have jump the divide and truly LISTEN to those affected by proposed changes simply because it the right thing to do for those native to this city, in particular those who will be the ones to “accommodate” the “new vision” for our city (stress vision as potential optical illusion)
Magpie,
Don’t patronize me. Identify yourself, add something positive, or just go away.
Thanks!
Sean
Sean,
Citing pop psychology is patronizing.
Telling someone to “go away” because you do not share their perspective is NOT exactly a positive gesture . My perspective is real, is shared by many, and is a legitimate concern .
There are also many in this dialogue who do not identify themselves. Why are you asking me to do so?
Suzanne (Posted 2/22),
I am “dismissive” of the assumption that “outsiders” can assess the “greatness” (or define what greatness is) of a city after just few years of living here. I don’t think that is “inflammatory,” I think it is prudent. I never stated (in fact to the contrary) that Mr. Gustafson has no right to an opinion, but that , having been raised here I find his perspective to be superficial. This should come as no surprise.
I have lived in every major sector of San Antonio, and among diverse cultural and social classes. I have an in-depth grasp of the historical patterns that have culminated in the contemporary life of this city. I know the seasons, the land that once was (that “newcomers will never see). I know the places where things have happened and where generations of memory still orient the experience of families and communities.
I know , unlike those newly arrived, what will be lost when the “doers” decide what is “best for the city” (generally by standards of social class) when they cannot be aware of the impact of their decisions on people and places they cannot know BECAUSE they do not have the experience or sensibility of this place. They envision a city that suites THEIR agendas. All decisions must be tempered by a understanding of their impact on peoples, on the land, on the emotional landscape that has accrued through generations of a rhythmic flow of events. I know BECAUSE I have experienced a continuity of living in this city.
Lastly, I “ROUTINELY” post commentary about this issue because I am responding to ROUTINELY stated patterns of thought/proposed actions expressed by “newcomers” in the Rivard Report. Do I think it makes a difference? I believe it may, but only to those who read these comments and see their own thoughts in my words. They at least, will know they are not alone.
As for the Newcomers, they cannot say, in the future, when the vitality that has been San Antonio is gone and the entire city become a Fiesta Texas, a canned experience for millennials, that they did not know this could happen.
Yes, my views are unpopular. And I am perfectly fine with that.
I share many of your concerns about newcomers coming into San Antonio and wanting to change it. And this is coming from a relatively newcomer (originally from Houston).
And I think the reason I’ve become so skeptical of my fellow newcomers is that many of the new things around town like the Pearl and new downtown housing tend to cater more to either newcomers or the well off. And to me that’s not San Antonio. To me the authentic San Antonio is the place that caters to all San Antonians. That means it must be affordable and cater to most or all San Antonians, reflective of the present local or regional culture, and mindful of the historical culture. If I wanted to live in what feels like another city I would move there. I’d much rather live in San Antonio.
Joey–I would argue that nothing is more “mindful of the historical culture” of San Antonio than the Pearl…. While I concur that many of the establishments at the Pearl are not affordable for everyone, they do go above and beyond to have events such as the Tamale Festival and the Farmer’s Market that are very inclusive of all residents and are “reflective of the present local or regional culture” by highlighting local farmers and such. I would argue that Pearl does a great job of including programming and shopping that appeal to a range of incomes, ages and tastes.
To your point about new housing Downtown needing to cater to everyone in San Antonio–that’s ridiculous. It would not make economic sense for a developer to spend a ton of money building a new apartment community and then offer it at rates that everyone can pay for. If you want more affordable housing, please write HUD or the SAHA and ask them to do something about it. Private, for profit developers shouldn’t have to bear the burden of paying for affordable housing unless they are incentivized to do so financially. They have a fiduciary responsibility to their investors and employees.
Sure the Pearl throws a bone to the less than wealthy every now and then, but my tia’s, abuelos, and primos who grew up here kind of liken it to stone oak-built by the rich and for the rich.
I’m not suggesting downtown housing needs to be cheap, just within reach and worth the tradeoff to the average San Antonian.
Suzanne,
I would argue to the contrary. Yes, developers, ESPECIALLY because they profit from their investment, DO have a social responsibility to the local community. It is we who pay the taxes and provide the infrastructure to make their development possible. If developers (perhaps like yourself) feel their only responsibility is to their investors and employees, then they are NOT the kind of developers that we need in San Antonio.
There are adjectives other than “fiduciary” that would describe the kind of predatory development you refer to: one is greedy and the other is exploitative.
Is this what we can expect in your “newcomer” vision of a “great city?”
I suggest we look for developers who are willing to invest in a sincere partnership with the citizens and communities that they propose to impact with their proposals. Of course, that would require a true vision of sustainability of the city as a whole and would lead to creative and positive forms of development that could actually enrich all of us. How is that for a guiding vision for the future of San Antonio?
Having read through Magpie’s comments, I’m still mystified what kind of San Antonio she is “for” as opposed to “against.” The best I can gather, she is against anyone who wasn’t born here or against any kind of change. The reality, however, is that people have been migrating to San Antonio in large numbers for over a century and the City has been in a constant state of change ever since its founding.
Where I sympathize with Magpie is in the sense that it is tiresome to continually hear opinions that seem based on the idea that there is some kind of hierarchy among cities (for example, San Francisco is the best, then Austin, Dallas and San Antonio somewhere at the bottom). As a relatively recent newcomer, even I personally resent that kind of simplistic framework. There is no universal standard for judging a place and there is really nothing to be gained from adopting such a mindset either.
San Antonio is clearly not perfect or complete, and, thus, it confuses me why there can be so much opposition to people, like Scott, who are focusing their life on making the City a better place to live. This is a big enough city that there isn’t some kind of zero sum game where Scott trying to make things happen in one part of the City is going to make Magpie’s San Antonio disappear. This kind of logic underlies a lot of the gentrification arguments in San Antonio, which are in my opinion totally unnecessary given how much of the city (arguably a large majority of it) remains geared towards the kind of affordable, traditional San Antonio that Magpie wants to preserve. The idea that having pockets in the City that appeal to someone like Scott who isn’t a native of the City is somehow threatening Magpie’s way of existence is complete fiction.
I do still understand how the tone of this article, and one’s similar to it, can rub people the wrong way. Perhaps the lesson here is to not make categorical statements like “San Antonio is not yet a great city” or act like you have the authority to level such assessments and know precisely what a “great city” is or how to make one. You can certainly be vocal about the ideas you have for making this is better place to live (for example, improving transit) but there is no super bowl here to decide what city is the “best” or which cities are “great.” This kind of thinking also suggests an external focus on how outsiders perceive San Antonio. Just as it holds true in one’s personal life, I think this kind of focus is unhealthy and tends to distort people’s understanding of what is really going on. San Antonio needs to be comfortable in its own skin, accept the place it is in, and be confident as it moves into the future. Comparing ourselves to our neighbors can be helpful if we’re trying to learn new ways of doing things, but I think we should reject the idea that there is some ranking system out there that tells us who we are as a city.
Phil,
I think Joey (and others) have expressed my concerns very well. But I would like to address your “mystification” over my commentary, primarily because of the obvious sincerity of your intention.
First, I am not “against” anyone “who was not born here.” I am concerned about those who are arriving ( with very rapid development as a consequence) with particular agendas (hi-end housing, hotels, commercial enterprises) that are designed , not for native San Antonians, but for other newcomers and corporate interests. Yes, cities change, but change is not always beneficial. Often cities lose their unique cultural and environmental landscape. This is especially true, when change is rapid and colonial in nature (earmarked for economic benefit of entering populations)
I am well aware of the centuries of “migrations” that have taken place in San Antonio. In particular, I am VERY well aware of the details involving these migrations that HAVE affected the working people of this city in adverse ways. I am not “opposed” to change, I am very concerned about the KIND of change that is taking place, so rapidly that there is little time for reflection or consideration of the impact of these changes on San Antonio’s unique vitality that stems from vibrant communities formed over decades. I suspect that this rapidity is intentional SO that this reflection cannot take place or, if so, only under superficial means (local town meeting, speaking before city council etc.)
I assure you, what many people know and love about San Antonio could very well be lost (Actually, much of this loss has taken place). People who have lived here and have roots here will feel this loss. Newcomers will not even be aware that it has taken place. Intimate communities, unnoticed by local government and economic interests, swept away, not unlike the loss of natural creeks, the land, and the clean, fresh water we once enjoyed out of the tap.
Second, note that Mr. Gustafson has apparently not felt it important to participate in commentary over his own article ( only to compliment an apparent entertainer). This demonstrates the kind of unconcern many agenda bearing newcomers have about issues raised by native San Antonians. And yes, Mr. Gustafon’s vision of “greatness” for San Antonio (advertised as a means to make happen) CAN very well affect “Magpie’s” San Antonio. This is not a zoo, where different species are separated into their own environments. Cities are interlinked, organic, and very fragile systems of communities.
The kind of changes that are being implemented in San Antonio WILL continue to have massive impact on communities. These impacts are not being addressed because , as stated, that would require the kind of reflection and dialogue that may lead to corporate entities being denied the carte blanche of “betterment” that they have enjoyed so far (and I suspect will continue to do so).
The very great irony here is that the essence of uniqueness of San Antonio that is being marketed, will be destroyed. What will remain will be the theme park facsimile of San Antonio that I have referred to above. I don’t see how that would be good for anyone living in San Antonio. Do you?