Residents of a Southside neighborhood are getting a new community center — after soil expansion caused a sudden, months-long closure.
The Father Manuel Roman Community Center at Villa Coronado Park on San Antonio’s far South Side has been closed since October because of structural issues.
Neighbors were unsure about the center’s fate until last week, when the city invited them to a June 26 meeting to discuss the Father Roman Community Center Replacement Project.
The city’s Public Works Department, Parks and Recreation Department and the City Council District 3 office said last week that they’ve quietly been working to find $12 million for the demolition of the existing structure and a new, larger 10,000 square-foot facility.
Demolition is set to begin in August.
“Structurally, it’s in an unsafe condition and it’s not cost effective to repair it, based on the assessment we got,” said Byron Smith, architect for the city’s Public Works Department. The city is still identifying funding sources for the project, according to Smith’s department.
Smith said the community center will stay at Villa Coronado Park and will keep its name.
District 3 Councilwoman Phyllis Viagran told the San Antonio Report the city is looking at unspent funds for other projects and money earmarked for “emergency builds” to support the project.
The unexpected search for funds came after Parks officials determined the need for a new building due to soil expansion, which can shift a building quickly, she said.
In March, the city stated that replacing the center would cost $3.4 million, including demolition and building a new one.
But that estimate was generated by a third-party firm, and estimated costs for a new community center the same size as the current one. It also didn’t include line-item costs, design, permitting, project management, inspections, testing, contingency or price escalation, said Nick Olivier, public relations and marketing manager for the Public Works Department.
The city’s updated, $12 million cost estimate for the project includes construction for a new community center 2,000 square feet bigger than the current center, Olivier said.
“This project remains in the early design stages, but the larger size and modern best practices will allow for increased functionality and community benefit,” he said.
The new building will include similar spaces to the existing facility, like the gym, a classroom and a multipurpose space, Smith said.
The city will use the June 26 public meeting to get feedback from area residents about programs and amenities they would like to see included in the community center.
Olga Martinez, president of the Villa Coronado Neighborhood Association, said the neighborhood is glad a replacement is coming after the closure, but some issues are top-of-mind.
In addition to making sure the center stays in the same location and keeps its name, Martinez said the city should commission a colorful mural of Father Manuel Roman similar to the one on the current building.
“We just want it back. We want the kids to be able to go have fun, enjoy themselves, stay there all day, have something to eat and stay out of trouble,” Martinez said.
