New DHNA Website

When you get a chance visit the new Dignowity Hill Neighborhood Association website at http://www.dignowityhill.org/.

There's a new logo that was designed by neighbor Sonya Castro along with lots of other great info and pics about Dignowity Hill.

The old association web site will be shutting down shortly.

Remember the Bobcats-Emerson Jr HS

You never know what serendipity can bring to your feet. I was working in the community garden on Sunday morning when these two gentlemen showed up. Apparently, they were former students of the old Emerson Junior High School and they were there to take a group picture with other former classmates.
Waldo Emerson Junior High School was located in the buildings of what is now the Ella Austin Community Center.  The school was in operation from the early 1950's through late the 1960's when classes were moved to another middle school and Emerson Junior High was shut down.  It was the neighborhood junior high school back before someone got the bright idea of calling them middle schools.

The gathering of former students that morning had all graduated from Emerson in the late 1950's to mid 1960's. The group graciously allowed me to intrude in their gathering.  It was fun listening to their stories of how the neighborhood was back in the day.  Most of them had moved away to other parts of the city but their affection for Emerson, each other and the old neighborhood was readily apparent. You just never know what stories you may stumble upon on a Sunday morning in Dignowity Hill.

We Come in Peace!

After over a year of intense community debate, dissection by the media and misplaced johnny come lately organized opposition, the city council gave a unanimous vote in approving the microbrewry plan next to the Hays Street Bridge to go forth and multiply many more Alamo Beer fans.  While some lingering concerns remain regarding the use of the space on the bridge overall this is a a good thing for the neighborhood and the city.

One of the many smoke screen issues that surfaced during the vetting process was around how the newcomers to the neighborhood are the ones that have been pushing the economic development notion over having another park next to the old bridge....and in the process are the ones that are pushing out long time residents in their quest to invest in the neighborhood. Well, the bucket that tried holding that argument was full of holes. The brewery project is about private investment in a long neglected waste land with a serious touch of blight. No one is being displaced because of this project or to put it another way, the brewery is not the root cause of some major gentrification trend!

My good friend and neighbor, Tony C, spoke eloquently before our esteemed city council about being a newcomer to the neighborhood. One comment that he made was classic: "we newcomers come in peace".  Well said! Tony and his wife Sonya moved into the neighborhood 2 years ago and quickly became involved in neighborhood/community building activities. They joined the neighborhood association, they participate in the tutoring and mentoring program for the neighborhood elementary school, they also started a garden club for the after school program at the Ella Austin Community Center called the Germinators, and they are core members of the community garden group. Tony is a member of the board of directors for the neighborhood association so he's learning the ropes of community leadership.  These folks are compassionate doers that believe in building community.

Newcomer Tony and all around good guy!

The reality is that the old neighborhood is changing and it's changing in a positive direction because of newcomers like Tony and Sonya and others who bring much needed new energy and vibrancy to a neighborhood in the mist of transition. Together these newcomers along with long time residents are creating a a wonderful synergy of ideas that is leading to improved quality of life for all neighborhood residents.  Will full blown gentrification happen in our neighborhood? Maybe, maybe not. What we're experiencing in Dignowity at the moment is a spurt of urban renaissance.  We have a long ways to go before any one can start claiming that Dignowity Hill has become gentrified. 

Bridge, Brews and Public Spaces

Following the approval by the city's planning commission a couple of weeks ago, the micro brewery proposal next to the Hays Street Bridge will be on the city council meeting agenda sometime in early August.  The brewery project has support from the neighborhood association as well as broad community support. The project was recently endorsed by the editorial board of our local newspaper as a great example of bringing private investment to an area that has been longing for investment, either private or public.  Council approval is the last step for this project to get going in what has been a year long process of meetings, discussion and debate.

The restoration of the Hays Street Bridge was a wonderful achievement by a committed group of individuals. Those folks should be rightly recognized and honored for their accomplishment but they don't own the bridge and neither will the brewery operator. The bridge has always been public space and will remain public space. And because the bridge is a public space and city owned property is involved, there has been over the course of a year an open and fair public process that ensured that the community had a say one way or another.  From neighborhood association meetings to community meetings organized by the city to hearings before the city's planning commission, citizens have had several opportunities to voice their support or opposition.

Those folks that are in opposition of the brewery certainly have a right to voice their concerns and ask questions.  However, in this case the the notion of private investment around a historic structure that could potentially spur other investment on the Eastside was more compelling an argument for the community than putting another park in the neighborhood.

Dignowity Hill on the Move

A couple of weeks ago the first annual Bowden Elementary School 2 Mile Fun Run/Walk took place along a route that took us through the streets of the neighborhood and over the Hays Street Bridge.  The brainchild of Gregorio Velasquez, assistant principal at Bowden, the run/walk is one great example of the kind of vibe that is unique to Dignowity Hill. The event pulled in over 340 participants!  Dignowity Hill in motion, bringing students, teachers, parents and neighbors together!!

Speaking of uniqueness, check out the recent posting on the Rivard Report on the craziness called the Dignowity Hill Pushcart Derby. Go to the link below to see a short film by local film maker Jim Mendiola. The derby, which was conjured up Dignowity Hill artist Cruz Ortiz, has become synonymous with the neighborhood, brings families, friends and residents together for a day of celebration.
 Rivard Report-Pushcart Derby 

View from the Hill at Night

Downtown SA from the Hays Street Bridge

Downtown SA and the Hays Street Bridge

View of Downtown SA from Lockwood Park

Dignowity Hill has some of the best night time views of downtown San Antonio.

Brewery vs Reality

Alamo Brewery is getting closer to becoming a reality next to the historic Hays Street Bridge.  The owners of the Alamo Brewery recently submitted their final proposal for the brewery to the city.  Whether you're against the brewery or support it there is no question that this is huge for the Eastside, the city and especially for Dignowity Hill.  In 2010 when the Eastside Economic Summits were initiated, a list of "catalytic" projects was developed from input from Eastside stakeholders. The brewery was not on that list. Yet this project if it comes to fruition has enormous potential to actually change the landscape on the near Eastside and be a real catalyst for further economic development. So how can you not be in support of this project?

Hays Street Bridge

At the same time for those of us that live on the Eastside, we need to also be realistic that the brewery by itself is not going to be our saving grace for the many challenges that Eastside neighborhoods face. Many of our neighborhoods still need sidewalks, street repairs, improved drainage, better street lighting. Over the last 10 years the Eastside has seen a decline in population density as folks have move away to other neighborhoods in the city. Housing and education are big issues for the Eastside. If further investment is to occur on the Eastside then the neighborhoods along with basic infrastructure need to be improved for folks to want to either stay or move back to the Eastside and more importantly to bring further investment into the Eastside.

Despite the many challenges we face, I would not want to live anywhere else in San Antonio.  We all have a great opportunity before us to build our community and all us who have a stake in the Eastside need to do our part.