SAN ANTONIO – A mini park, or parklet, an urban solution to provide a place for pedestrians to sit surrounded by greenery, could be coming to the downtown area for the first time.
If City Council approves the project Thursday, the first-of-its-kind park will be built on Jefferson Street and Peacock Alley.
"San Francisco, New York, Austin, any other bigger city they have this type of solution," said Luis Miguel Martinez, who works as the Urban Developer for AREA Real Estate, the firm behind the project.
AREA Real Estate owns the Burns building next to where the parklet is planned to be built.
If the council gives the green light for the parklet, AREA Real Estate will pay an $800 annual fee.
The parklet will take the place of four parking spots on Jefferson Street next to the Burns building. It will be able to sit 50 people and will have moveable chairs, benches and tables.
For two years, AREA Real Estate has been renovating the Burns building. The building's public lobby, which currently has a barber shop, will soon house Common Wealth Coffee and a new distillery, Devils River Whiskey, next door.
Martinez said the company wanted to bring the parklet next to the building, not only to attract customers but also to give downtown pedestrians a place to enjoy themselves, saying it's better than just more parking spots.
"You are able to sit 50 people here, so for that, I think it's a great win for downtown and also pedestrians," Martinez said.
If passed by council, the real estate firm will have a permit for the park for the next 10 years.