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Turning Northwest Plaza Lot Into City Park/Flood Control Plain

Bexar County

As the flood waters recede and evaporate from Saturday’s rains, Bexar County is breaking ground on a flood control project on Fredericksburg Road.

The Northwest Plaza Shopping Center at Fredericksburg and Gardania was condemned and torn down a few years ago and is now a concrete slab.  The 26-acre plot of land just a few blocks south of loop 410 and Wonderland Mall will now become two large detention ponds about 8 feet deep to alleviate flooding.  

The $28 million Laddie Place flood control project is part of the county’s 10-year $500 million flood plan.

Renee Green, public works director for Bexar County said with help from the city, the ponds will serve as sports fields when not filled with water.

“During the design process we realized that we didn’t want to have two big holes in the ground so we began working with the City of San Antonio’s Parks Department to convert this to a greenspace,” Green said. “The City partnered with two non-profit soccer clubs so this is now going to be location of some soccer fields.”

Green said a walking trial will surround the park as well. San Antonio City Councilman Cris Medina says 74 homes will be taken out of the floodplain downstream.

“In addition to the $24 million Seeling Channel Phase I and II project down at Woodlawn Lake, that’s going to take an additional 225 homes out of the floodplain,” Medina said. “All coupled together, we’re taking an access of 300 homes out of the floodplain. Anytime we can do that that’s a tremendous win for our community with regards to flood control.”

The project will take about 18 months to complete.

Joey Palacios can be reached atJoey@TPR.org and on Twitter at @Joeycules