The San Antonio ISD board of trustees voted unanimously to approve the amended terms introduced by Superintendent Jaime Aquino for the negotiation and sale of the Camaron Street property for the construction of a new downtown Missions Baseball stadium during its Nov. 18 meeting.

The overview

The updated terms include five elements that are designed to assist the district and its residents. Aquino said as one of the city’s largest employers, the sale must be in line with the district’s values and be beneficial to residents and staff. He also noted that as of Nov. 18, the district had not received a proposal that aligns with its values.

“[SAISD] believes in economic development, but [the] school district’s mission is to advance the educational offering for our students and support our families, parents, staff and students, so we will recommend a proposal that we believe aligns to our mission,” Aquino said.

SAISD board trustee Sarah Sorensen said that the board’s proposal is the first time monetary compensation has been discussed.

“Initially, there was an offer that they would provide 250 parking spaces at a new garage that would not be owned by the district,” Sorensen said.

SAISD proposal includes:

• Appointment of the superintendent or designee to a seat on the Houston Street tax increment reinvestment zone, or TIRZ
• Using TIRZ funds to construct an estimated $45 million building for the Advanced Learning Academy
• Providing necessary parking with safe passage to the Fox Tech campus
• Providing $400,000 per year to compensate for loss of interest that could have been earned by SAISD if SAISD was to have sold the property through a sealed bid process
• Guaranteeing a minimum of 1,250 units of affordable housing in SAISD attendance zones, with more than 500 two-to-three-bedroom units set at 60%, 50% and 30% of the federal guidelines for area median income

During the presentation, Deputy Superintendent Patti Salzmann said SAISD’s proposal is designed to mitigate factors that could contribute to a declining student body while also allowing the district to assist in developing a plan that would benefit district residents and staff.

“[SAISD officials] believe that having the superintendent serve as a representative on the TIRZ board would protect SAISD’s long-range master plan and interests, and mitigate or avoid further declines in enrollment,” Salzmann said.

District officials also emphasized that a commitment to funding affordable housing must be a condition for the sale of the 2.3 acres of land.

“Family affordable housing is a lifeblood [the district needs] to prosper and revive the schools that have closed. This is the opportunity to help us revive these communities with multifamily rental units,” board trustee Ed Garza said.

After the presentation, the board voted to approve the proposal, with an adjusted request for more than one seat on the Houston Street TIRZ.

Quote of note

“This is a wonderful opportunity for SAISD, a wonderful opportunity for the developers, for the city and county, to really talk about education as part of this vision of making this area a thriving downtown, and a place that all of our kids can grow and come back to,” Garza said.

Stay tuned

The superintendent will formally notify all parties involved and request a response on or before Dec. 9.