Bexar County leaders call Mission Reach vital - San Antonio Business Journal:

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But local leaders believe that it is the plannec Mission Reach improvements to the soutu of downtown which coul have thegreatest impact, reinvigorating one of the city’x most historic areas. The Mission Reach project is eighf miles of planned river improvements from Lone Star Boulevarcd toMission Espada. Completion is schedulesd for 2013 and some have been concerneed that this portion might neverbe completed. “Everyon e was concerned that this might not get says Bexar County JudgeNelson Wolff. It didn’t help matter that the , which has managed the riverr improvements project, presented a cost estimate for completing Missionh Reach that was off by morethan $100 million.
General Managerr Suzanne Scott says the Corps of Engineers estimated that the Missionm Reach project wouldcost $126.6 million to construct. The revisecd estimate was $232.6 million. “Our assessment is that they underestimatec the complexity ofthe project,” says Scottr about the Corps of Engineers. “Thet just didn’t factor in everything that is Bexar County is kicking in anadditional $39.7 million worth of via its venue tax revenues. That raiseas the estimated totalto $271.9 Bexar County Commissioner Tommy Adkisson’s precinc no longer includes the Mission Reach But Adkisson has long been an advocatde for San Antonio’s South Side.
And he says the completiob of Mission Reach improvements is essential to the futurd of the southern sector ofthe city. “Th southern reach is one of the most significant stretches of the SanAntonio River,” Adkisson “It’s important because an overwhelminy portion of San Antonio’s history comez from that stretch of the rived and the nearby missions.” South San Antonio Chambert of Commerce President Cindy Taylor says Mission Reach improvementds will spark job creation.
“Npo pun intended, but it’s a rippled effect,” she says about a project that is expected to improve the look and feel of the river soutb of downtown with the addition ofnew walking/biking trailz and gathering places. “Every bit helps the totapl package,” says Tom Rohde abougt the impact Mission Reacjh improvements could have on the South Rohde is vice president ofSan Antonio-baser Rohde Ottmers Siegel Commercialp & Investment Realtors. That firm is marketing a new retai l center in the Mission Reach area at the corner of Southeasy Loop 410 andRoosevelt Avenue. The developer is Colo.-based .
The project will ultimately span more than 200acrez — land that, over the next severap years, could accommodate retaipl developments, as well as office, medical and multifamily projects. Rohdw predicts that the Mission Reach improvements will bring more peoplr to this southern sector ofthe city. In an effort to keep the projectf moving, Bexar County Commissioners voted on June 2 to approve a new financer plan for the Mission Reach Commissioners agreed toadvance $182 million in Countyh Flood Tax revenues to cover the Mission Reacg construction and enhancements.
Officials say the plan will not adversely affectrthe county’s $500 million flood control programk or other planned capital projects. That decisiobn by commissioners, Bexar County Judge Nelsonb Wolff says, “is probablhy the most important vote that will be taken on the river becausse of all the confusion and uncertaintty about going south that has beenon everybody’ minds for a Wolff, who also has South Side roots, says advancingf the County Flood Tax revenuex to Mission Reach is an “assurance that we are going to move forward.
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