The city of San Antonio said March 22 that local community organizations and businesses may now apply for the city’s new corridor pilot program that is designed to equip merchants and community leaders with tools to help revitalize and invest in their communities.
The program is funded by American Rescue Plan Act monies and was developed in partnership with Main Street America, a nationally renowned corridor development and revitalization program from the National Main Street Center.
City officials said the program will offer the following resources:
- Training and technical support to help develop and implement strategic programming and investment in the corridor;
- Up to $200,000 in direct operational funding support; and
- Up to $225,000 in technical assistance contract funding to support the overall strategy and corridor development.
Through this pilot program, two selected commercial corridors will receive direct organizational and development support over a two-year period, city officials said.
“The city of San Antonio has experienced tremendous growth over the past decade, and we expect this trend to continue,” City Manager Erik Walsh said in a statement. “As a city, we are committed to ensuring growth is equitable and sustainable, creating the greatest benefit for all San Antonians. This pilot program will provide selected commercial corridors with the tools needed to cultivate stronger economies in their business’ corridors and surrounding neighborhoods.”
Main Street America and its collaborators and partner groups are committed to strengthening communities through preservation-based economic development in older and historic downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts, said Dionne Baux, MSA vice president of urban development.
“MSA commends [San Antonio] for dedicating technical and financial resources to this two-year pilot initiative that will support the expansion and development of its neighborhood commercial corridors,” Baux said in a statement.
Applications for the pilot corridor program will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. May 1. Corridors selected for inclusion in the pilot program will be announced in late June with sponsored activities beginning shortly thereafter and continuing through September 2025, according to city officials.
The city is offering information sessions about the new program both physically in five public locations and virtually on two other occasions.
