Cattleman Square, on the near westside of downtown San Antonio, is an area with deep cultural and historic roots that has experienced decades of disinvestment. Today, it faces growing pressures related to housing affordability, limited availability, and a rising unsheltered population. While the San Antonio Housing Trust owns key properties in the area, a more comprehensive, community-driven approach is needed to guide meaningful reinvestment.
Strategic Moves
The project is organized around three coordinated tracks addressing immediate needs and long-term transformation. Outreach partners are providing direct support to unsheltered individuals, while a broader coalition advances a Homeless Response Action Plan.
Urban Alchemy Collective is leading an eight-month, community-centered engagement process to define the future of Cattleman Square. Through more than 50 touchpoints, including public meetings, pop-ups, and one-on-one conversations, the process ensures a wide range of voices shape the vision.
Outcome
The work will result in a comprehensive master plan that translates community priorities into implementable strategies. Supported by market analysis and development feasibility, the plan will identify catalyst sites and position Cattleman Square for more inclusive and coordinated revitalization.
Urban Alchemy Collective created a community-driven master plan to guide Melissa’s future parks, trails, recreation, and open spaces.
Urban Alchemy Collective reimagined a vacant site as a connected, nature-based park for recreation, gathering, and future growth.
Urban Alchemy Collective facilitated a Policy Lab exploring innovative, community-driven solutions for the future workforce.
Urban Alchemy Collective is leading a community-driven master plan to guide inclusive revitalization, housing stability, and coordinated investment in Cattleman Square.
On Project DC, Urban Alchemy Collective has demonstrated a strong ability to lead a complex and sensitive community engagement process with professionalism, care, and clarity. Their team shows a clear understanding of the nuances involved in housing- and equity-focused work, prioritizing spaces where residents and stakeholders feel informed, respected, and meaningfully included.
“UAC’s outreach strategies resulted in one of the most robust engagement efforts in recent city projects, including over 1,200 unique points of community input, bilingual outreach across all major plan phases, and interactive workshops that led directly to several final plan priorities. They ultimately helped deliver a 10-year vision that is clear, actionable, and deeply reflective of our community’s character and values.”
“Urban Alchemy Collective distinguishes itself through its ability to balance big-picture vision with practical implementation. Their deliverables were clear, well-organized, and policy-aligned plans that have directly informed City decision-making, capital planning, and future investment. They translated community input into clear priorities and actionable recommendations our leadership could confidently implement.”
