Midcrown Concept Master Plan
Urban Planning + Community Engagement
A vacant 8.6 acres parcel in San Antonio’s Northeast side was acquired by the San Antonio Housing Trust in 2024. In collaboration with the City of San Antonio this project seeked to establish a shared community vision for the site, and to advance a coordinated, interdepartmental framework for long-term implementation of a community-centered development that integrates affordable senior housing, open space, and a multi-generational community center.
The site is surrounded by four neighborhoods: East Village, Park Village, Northeast Crossing, Camelot I, with approximately 7,000 households and a total population of ~20,000. Combined household income in the census tracts surrounding the site ($55k) are lower than Bexar County average ($69k), have a significant concentration of people of color, and residents mostly identify themselves as Hispanic.
The planning and engagement process from April through October 2025 included inter-departamental coordination, community outreach, engagement, and concept development.
The selected site concept includes 80 units of low-density, affordable senior housing and a ~4 acre park with a multi-generational community center. The project will advance along two coordinated tracks: housing led by the San Antonio Housing Trust and the park and community center by the City of San Antonio through the stewardship of District 2 Office.
Approach
Multiple Engagement Fronts
Community engagement formed the foundation of the project’s direction. Outreach included bilingual materials, 285 survey responses, two public community meetings, and multiple pop-up events. In addition, the project team conducted one-on-one conversations while canvassing nearby businesses, engaged with neighborhood groups and associations, coordinated with the Near Northeast Sub-Area Planning process, deployed physical signage, mailed two rounds of postcards to neighbors, and distributed electronic newsletters.
Process
Shaping a Collaborative Vision
The visioning process combined reflection and imagination—building a shared understanding of housing cost burden and the need for affordable housing in San Antonio, while exploring how new housing and community programs could be organized through multiple rounds of iteration.
Affordable Housing, Park + Community Center
The final master plan concept organizes the site into two primary components. To the north, low-density housing is arranged as an 80-unit, two-story courtyard building, accessed from Eisenhauer and buffered by a landscaped setback and a dedicated parking area. To the south, a community center is integrated with an approximately four-acre park along Midcrown Drive, featuring spaces for active recreation—such as sports courts and a walking trail—alongside passive landscape elements, including stormwater detention and a rain garden.
