RIBBON CUTTING: Pearsall Park Stakepark Expansion - Tuesday, April 2, 2019

Join us and Councilman Rey Saldaña at the newly expanded skatepark at Pearsall Park! Designed by world-renowned Pillar Design Studios, this skatepark is the largest in San Antonio. The new up-and-coming zones and activity areas for Pearsall Park will be unveiled as well!

Wednesday, April 10, 2019
9:30am

Pearsall Park
4838 Old Pearsall Road
San Antonio, TX 78242

Lincoln Park Splash Pad Opening! - Friday, June 15, 2018

Come Luau with us at the new Lincoln Park Splash Pad! Also enjoy the Lincoln Park Pool, delicious food, music, an appearance by H-E-Buddy and lots of kid-friendly activities. This event is sponsored by Charles Butt and H-E-B, City of San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department, and 300 San Antonio. The addition of the splash pad was made possible by a generous contribution by Charles Butt, and we have been proud to lead the design and installation of this exciting expansion to Lincoln Park's amenities! The community can also look forward to a new playground and pavilion in the coming year as we finalize the design for the next phase of improvements at the park.

Saturday, June 16, 2018
11am-1pm

Lincoln Park
2915 E. Commerce Street
San Antonio, TX 78202

*splash pad luau rendering courtesy City of San Antonio

First Ever Surclovia Event this Sunday at Pearsall Park! - Monday, November 13, 2017

Much like the hugely popular Siclovia of downtown, the South Side will host its own car-free streets event this weekend at BWCDesign's award-winning Pearsall Park. Surclovia provides the chance to enjoy our streets on bike or foot, free to excercise and play, without the interference of vehicular traffic. With a variety of activities planned -- including an organized bike ride, live music, vendors, food trucks, senior-friendly games, and special sections for kids and pets -- this event promises fun for the whole family!

Sunday, November 19, 2017
10am-3pm

Pearsall Park
4700 Old Pearsall Road
San Antonio, TX 78242
www.sacurrent.com/surclovia
Parking and shuttles for the event will be available at:
5622 Ray Ellison Drive
San Antonio, TX 78242

Grand Opening Ceremonies for the Historic Evans Road Hike & Bike Trail - Friday, November 10, 2017

Join us for the Grand Opening of the new Evans Road Hike & Bike Trail! This 1-mile trail linking Historic Selma Stage Stop to the Historic Harrison House is the third of four phases of construction for the Historic Harrison House project BWCDesign has proudly been a part of. An elevated boardwalk above what used to be the old road and creekbed that connected the Stage Stop and Harrison House more than a century ago gives visitors a unique view of the surrounding watershed. Also, check out the first and second phases of the project completed recently: the Harrison House Park and the newly refurbished Historic John S. Harrison House and grounds.

Saturday, November 18, 2017
9:30am-11am

John S. Harrison House & Pavilion
9046 Pinseeker
Selma, TX 78154

SA Parks System Plan Public Workshops Begin - Monday, October 9, 2017

A series of Public Input Workshops for the San Antonio Parks System Plan begin this Thursday, October 12, and will run periodically through January 23, 2018. The SA Parks System Plan guides future planning decisions on the expansion, capital improvements, and programming of the more than 240 City-owned parks and recreational facilities, 15,000+ acres of green space, and over 181 miles of trails. The plan is updated every 10 years with the last plan being adopted in 2006. The current effort to update the plan will leverage the work of and coordinate closely with the SA Tomorrow plan initiative, include an Urban Forestry Strategic Plan, and recommend future funding goals and objectives.

Join us at the first workshop at the Central Library this Thursday and share your input about what you envision for your City parks!

Thursday, October 12, 2017
5:30pm-7:30pm

Central Library
600 Soledad
San Antonio, TX 78205

For more for information and to see the full schedule of available workshops and their locations, visit: www.sanantonio.gov/ParksAndRec

Not able to attend a workshop? Click below to take the brief SA Parks System Plan survey online at:
SA Park System Plan Survey (English) - or - SA Park System Plan Survey (Spanish)

Buster Simpson's Artwork in Pearsall Park Honored - Wednesday, June 20, 2017

BWCDesign was privleged to work closely with Seattle-based public artist Buster Simpson in his vision for the dynamic wickiup installations at Pearsall Park. Simpson's work was recently recognized by Americans for the Arts in their national Year in Review for its contribution to American public art.

The Americans for the Arts Public Art Network (PAN) Year in Review annually recognizes outstanding public art projects that represent the most compelling work for the year from across the country. A panel of art professionals serve as jurors to review hundreds of project applications and select up to 50 projects to include. The PAN Year in Review is the only national program that specifically recognizes public art projects. Below is an excerpt of the project's description and its significance in the Pearsall Park project:

"Wickiup refers to a primitive domed structure historically associated with Native Americans of the Southwest - temporary strong domed dwellings made of bent green branches, hides, and thatch. Simpson’s modern take on a Wickiup includes two sites, three metal domes, metal mesh, and geometric benches providing shade and a place to rest that honors the historical presence of indigenous peoples and their light footprint on the land. The pair is called Wickiup Encampment and the singular is Wickiup Overlook; both are visible from Pearsall Park and draw visitors to explore the distant amenities. Upon arrival at each installation site, visitors are rewarded with a place for respite and views over looking Lackland Air Force Base, meandering Leon Creek, pastoral and native landscapes, suburban villages and, in the distance, downtown San Antonio."
For more information on the Pearsall Park Wickiups, visit: http://www.americansforthearts.org/

Hemisfair Interior Complete Streets Awarded Public Works Project of the Year - Thursday, June 15, 2017

Hemisfair Park's internal roadways redesign received top honors today at the Texas Public Works Association Annual conference. BWCDesign collaborated with MIG, Inc. (Berkley, CA) on the redesign for the sections of both Water and E. Nueva Streets that run through Hemisfair Park. The result is a vibrant multi-modal streetscape that improves pedestrian access, safety, and comfort while providing essential vehicular circulation, improving stormwater management, and addressing utlity improvements. The overarching design intent was to incentivize change and activate the streets to promote active living and healthy communities.

Congratulations to the entire Design Team!

Hemisfair Park
San Antonio, TX

Pearsall Park Wins Park Design Excellence Award - Thursday, March 2, 2017

We are are incredibly honored by this special recognition of Pearsall Park! The Texas Recreation and Park Society honors one park annually that displays a high degree of professional design quality and recreation usage which aligns with their vision of championing engaged communities, wellness lifestyles, and greenspaces.

Bender Wells Clark Design thanks the City of San Antonio and the entire consultant team for their outstanding support and effort in creating such a dynamic park in our city! Congratulations to all!

This Saturday: The Highly Anticipated Grand Opening of Pearsall Park! - Tuesday, June 7, 2016

Join us this Saturday - June 11, 2016 - at the Grand Opening Event at Pearsall Park! Festivities begin at 8 a.m. and will include a 5K race and fun at the new splashpad and play area!

Improvements to Pearsall Park include two basketball courts, zip-line, shaded canopies, one of the nation's first forty-yard sprint timers, and 5k running/walking trail improvements with multiple routes, which will host over 2,000 Fit Pass 5K participants for the first time ever on Saturday.

Pearsall Park
4700 Old Pearsall Road
San Antonio, TX 78242
For more information about the Grand Opening Event, visit: www.sanantonio.gov/ParksAndRec
For more information about the project and a sneak peek at Pearsall Park's new improvments, visit: www.therevardreport.com/pearsall-park

Maverick Park Dog Park Crowdfunding Launch - Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Fundraising begins for San Antonio's newest dog park! As multi-family housing development increases in the River North area, so does the need for public green space. Working with Friends of Maverick Park, BWCDesign has developed a conceptual plan to transform an underutilized urban park into a modern, much-needed dog park for the area's residents and four-legged visitors. Help us bring this park to life!

For more information, visit: www.facebook.com/maverickdogpark
DONATIONS GRATEFULLY WELCOMED HERE: REVITALIZE Maverick Dog Park

Unveiling Celebration for Pearsall Park - Friday, May 1, 2015

Please join District 4 Councilman Rey Saldaña, the Parks and Recreation Department, and Transportation & Capital Improvements at 10am as we celebrate the upcoming improvements to Pearsall Park. Battlefrog Racing and Determined Racing will be onsite with activities to participate in. Please share this invitation with anyone who may wish to attend!

Pearsall Park
4700 Old Pearsall Road
San Antonio, TX 78242

BWCDesign Honored with 2015 Texas ASLA Design Award - Thursday, April 23, 2015

Bender Wells Clark Design celebrates a Merit Award from the Texas Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) for the Master Plan of Pearsall Park. The award honors planning and design excellence put forth by landscape architects throughout the state and was presented today at the annual Texas ASLA conference.

“We are pleased to be recognized for this plan - taking disturbed land around the mounds leftover from a closed landfill and making it into a beautiful, sustainable, vibrant, fun, and safe place for San Antonio families to enjoy was a challenge.”
- Larry Clark, Vice President & Senior Landscape Architect

LID design competition finalists announced - Friday, June 14, 2013

Bender Wells Clark Design teamed with TetraTech for San Antonio's first Low Impact Development Design Competition. Working on a mixed-use redevelopment plan for Billy Mitchell Village at Port San Antonio, the team's project entry has advanced the final stage of the competition. The team will present a 7 minute "lightning" presentation at the Finals Event at The Pearl Stable on July 10. Congratulations!

This event is underwritten by San Antonio River Authority

LID design competition kickoff - Wednesday, Februrary 6, 2013 (6-8pm)

David Batts, Chair of the Texas Land/Water Sustainability Forum will present the rules for the competition, and representatives of the three design competition properties will speak about the plans for their projects. Networking for design teams to form and ask questions to the property representatives. Registration is $25. Hors d'oeurves and refreshments will be provided.

AIA Gallery at The Pearl
200 East Grayson, Suite 110
San Antonio, TX 78215
Register before noon on Monday, February 4th at: www.sa-lid-kickoff-feb2013.eventbrite.com

For more information, contact:
Karen Bishop, San Antonio River Authority
(210)302-3642
kbishop@sara-tx.org

This event is underwritten by San Antonio River Authority

low impact development workshop - November 30, 2012

The San Antonio Land/Water Sustainability Forum presents a Low Impact Development Design, Cost, and Performance Case Study Workshop on Friday, November 30th from 8am to 4:30pm. The $100 registration fee includes breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, presentation materials, and certificate of completion.
Register before 5pm Tuesday, November 27th at: www.sa-lidworkshipnov2012.eventbrite.com
CPS Energy Training Center
4514 Frank Bryant Lane
San Antonio, TX 78220

**7 PE CE's, 7 AIA & ASLA CE's, and 4 CFM CE's will be offered**

For more information, contact:
Karen Bishop, San Antonio River Authority
(210)302-3642
kbishop@sara-tx.org

normoyle park public meeting - November 15, 2012

A public input meeting regarding the 2012-2017 Bond Improvements for Palm Heights Park will held at Normoyle Center beginning at 6:30pm on Thursday, November 15. Capital Improvements Management Services Department (CIMS), in cooperation with the Parks and Recreation Department and Bender Wells Clark Design, looks forward to receiving public input on recommendations for park improvements.

Normoyle Center
700 Culberson
San Antonio, TX 78225

For more information, contact:
Jamaal Moreno, Landscape Architect, CIMS
(210)207-6924
jamaal.moreno@sanantonio.gov

palm heights park public meeting - November 8, 2012

A public input meeting regarding the 2012-2017 Bond Improvements for Palm Heights Park will held at Palm Heights Community Center beginning at 6:30pm on Thursday, November 8. Capital Improvements Management Services Department (CIMS), in cooperation with the Parks and Recreation Department and Bender Wells Clark Design, looks forward to receiving public input on recommendations for park improvements.

Palm Heights Community Center
1201 W. Malone
San Antonio, TX 78225

For more information, contact:
Jamaal Moreno, Landscape Architect, CIMS
(210)207-6924
jamaal.moreno@sanantonio.gov

collins garden public meeting - October 18, 2012

A public input meeting regarding the 2012-2017 Bond Improvements for Collins Garden Park will held at Collins Garden Library beginning at 7pm on Thursday, October 18. Capital Improvements Management Services Department (CIMS), in cooperation with the Parks and Recreation Department and Bender Wells Clark Design, looks forward to receiving public input on recommendations for park improvements.

Collins Garden Branch Library
1525 Nogalitos
San Antonio, TX 78204

For more information, contact:
Jamaal Moreno, Landscape Architect, CIMS
(210)207-6924
jamaal.moreno@sanantonio.gov

public input meeting for pearsall park master plan update - August 7, 2012

Now that the City's 2012 Bond Program has received voter approval, we need your thoughts on how best to improve Pearsall Pak with the $7.5 million dedicated to the park.

In 2000, City Council adopted the original Pearsall Park Master Plan. However, there was not enough funding to fully implement the plan to construction. Now that the City has dedicated money for park improvements, the Master Plan needs to be revistited to ensure that the community's vision is built.

Join us from 6:30pm - 8:30pm on Wednesday, August 7 and provide your feedback and suggestions to improve Pearsall Park.

South San Antonio ISD Auditorium
5622 Ray Ellison Dr.
San Antonio, TX 78242

For more information, call (210) 354-2925 or email sjimenez@xa-sa.com

Aquatica Grand Opening Event - May 19, 2012

The expansion and rebranding of SeaWorld's Lost Lagoon into the new Aquatica Waterpark will culminate in the Granding Opening Event scheduled for May 19. Bender Wells Clark Design's involvement in the planting design resulted in a beautiful attraction inspired by the tropics while responding to the high-traffic demands of the park and the low-water requirements of the San Antonio climate. Careful grading allowed for the preservation of the many Live Oak trees on site. These existing trees were seamlessly incorporated into the additions of carefully selected native plantings that would thrive in our semi-arid climate while producing a colorful, lush, tropic-like atmosphere. So take time to stop and smell the rosemary on your way to Stingray Falls!

nwvc master plan receives 2012 texas chapter ASLA honor award - April 6, 2012

The American Society of Landscape Architects Texas Chapter recognized the design for the Northwest Vista College Master Plan at the Texas Chapter annual conference. The Design Team of Alamo Architects (San Antonio), SWA Group (Houston), and Bender Wells Clark Design (San Antonio) collaborated on this extensive master plan to accommodate the expansion of the college facilities. Sensitive integration of the nearly 400,000 square feet of new buildings, associated roads, and parking into the existing oak savannah surrounding the campus required careful grading and alignments of proposed infrastructure elements. Preservation of existing trees throughout the campus and the selection of native species for planting areas resulted in minimal irrigation outside of the primary pedestrian gathering spaces. The heart of the campus incorporates a 2.5-acre lake situated in a natural ravine which visually connects the two sides of the campus while managing stormwater run-off and its associated pollutants.

bwc design installs public rain garden for better block event - March 4, 2012

"San Antonio’s first Better Block Project in coordination with the City of San Antonio’s Complete Streets Initiative and Metro Health’s SiClovia was a great success. Over 80 volunteers showed up to help transform a vacant building, overly wide streets, and empty park into a thriving, active neighborhood destination. Teams built cafes, flower shops, art galleries, kids art spaces, outdoor food courts, wayfinding signage, benches, landscaping, bike lanes, reverse angled parking, a functioning rain garden and more in the span of days. The mayor, council members, and area residents came out to celebrate the revitalized space alongside thousands of pedestrians and cyclists who took part in San Antonio’s second ever SiClovia." - Courtesy Team Better Block website

For more information: www.teambetterblock.com

Tom Slick Park Ribbon Cutting Ceremony - December 7, 2011

The new amenities for Tom Slick Park will be celebrated during the ribbon-cutting ceremony on December 7, 2011. Among additional improvements made to the overall park is the city's newest dog park. The dog park features two separate dog parks for large and small breeds with pet showers, trash receptacles, drinking fountains for pets and people, and 5-foot-high metal fence with gates for both dog parks. In addition, a new children’s play area, fitness equipment, a gazebo with seating areas, irrigation, park benches, an 8-foot-wide concrete sidewalk, bike racks and informational kiosks were added to the park. “Nessie,” a new steel art component by local artist Elizabeth Walker Carrington, was also installed in Quarry Pond (accessible by trails throughout the site).

building san antonio: low-impact rain gardens  by Larry Clark
San Antonio Express-News - April 27, 2012

San Antonio has struggled with water resources since its beginning. In their great efforts to cultivate this dry area, the Spanish-Colonial settlers built irrigation ditches, “acequias”, to take advantage of the abundant water flowing from the springs and into the river and creeks. The ingenious use of these carefully engineered irrigation channels provides a striking example of how to capture and reuse water in our arid climate.

Our regional climate seems to go from famine to feast with respect to rainfall. It is easy to see the effects of drought on many of our landscapes, and often, our rains come in big storm events that can wreak havoc after a long period of dry weather. This storm-drought cycle can cause upheaval and shifting of the soil around a house or building and frequently causes foundation problems in our area.

How we deal with these infrequent downpours and, consequently, the surges of water running off of hard surfaces is also a large part of the problem we have with water quality, drainage, and flooding in San Antonio. Such a large part of our city has been covered over with pavement and buildings that it has changed how water moves and is absorbed into the ground. However, the management of stormwater on a property may be much simpler that one would initially think.

Facebook LIVE with Councilman Saldaña
April 10, 2019

It's always a good time with Councilman Saldaña! Beth and Larry went LIVE on Facebook with the Councilman, Mark Wittlinger of CoSA-TCI, and Sandy Jenkins with CoSA-Parks to officially introduce the new expansion to the already hugely popular skatepark designed by world-renowned Pillar Design Studios at Pearsall Park.

But wait...there's more!

BONUS: Follow the link below to watch the video unveiling the exciting new zones and activities already in the works for Pearsall Park! Thank you, San Antonio voters and Texas Parks & Wildlife, for making these projects happen.

https://www.facebook.com/rey4sa/videos

HDRC Approves Long-Awaited Dog Park at Maverick Park  by Jackie Wang
The Rivard Report - Tuesday, February 6, 2019

After years of discussion, Maverick Park is one step closer to having an off-leash dog park.

The Historic and Design Review Commission approved plans for the Maverick Dog Park at its Wednesday meeting. The dog park will have features such as a ball-throwing area, drinking water, and a dog shower to hose down hot pooches in the summer.

Larry Clark, vice president and designer with Bender Wells Clark Design, estimated that the dog park could feasibly be constructed and ready to open by the end of the year...

Continued on The Rivard Report website: https://therivardreport.com

Maverick Park closer to its doggy makeover  by Gaige Davila
San Antonio Heron - Tuesday, February 6, 2019

The $500,000 revitalization of Maverick Park at 1000 Broadway, a half-mile south of the Pearl, and just a few blocks from the near East Side, is a few months away...

Continued on the San Antonio Heron website: https://saheron.com

Plan will guide San Antonio parks system growth  by Scott Huddleston
San Antonio Express-Ness - Sunday, February 3, 2019

San Antonians have until Friday to weigh in on a broad, conceptual 10-year parks plan that will serve as a guide for future bond issues and annual budget decisions.

There still will be other opportunities for the public to comment on the draft plan, the product of some 18 months of workshops, special events and other public outreach. The 110-page document will be presented to the Park and Recreation Board and Planning Commission in March, then submitted for City Council consideration in April....

Continued on The San Antonio Express-News website: https://expressnews.com

The Trailist: Pearsall Park Trails Offer Nature Access on the Southwest Side  by Brendan Gibbons
The Rivard Report - Sunday, February 3, 2019

In a previous reporting job in Scranton, Pennsylvania, I covered a heated controversy about the fate of a landfill in the middle of town. Many in the community fumed over a proposal to continue building trash mounds skyward for another 50 years.

I don’t blame them for not wanting to live near a trash mountain. But if their landfill expansion does get the go-ahead to grow for another five decades, I would point these Scrantonians to Pearsall Park as a possible source of optimism.

Pearsall is proof that the story doesn’t have to end with a dump...

Continued on The Rivard Report website: https://therivardreport.com

City’s 10-Year Plan Calls for ‘Responsive, Resilient’ Parks  by Jackie Wang
The Rivard Report - Thursday, January 31, 2019

The City’s Parks and Recreation Department has released a draft of a system plan that aims to guide development of and programming for San Antonio’s public parks over the next 10 years.

The plan lays out four overarching goals, which Parks Director Xavier Urrutia called the four “Rs”: the parks department would be responsive to the community’s needs; make the most effective use of its resources; make parks restorative to benefit the community’s health; and ensure parks provide resilience and sustainability for the city.

The proposed parks system plan was written after 18 months of research and public outreach, said Larry Clark, designer and vice president of Bender Wells Clark Design, the landscape architecture company behind Pearsall Park and Nessie at Tom Slick Park....

Continued on The Rivard Report website: http://therivardreport.com

San Antonio parks seek upgrade ideas for parks, security  by Adam King
News 4 San Antonio - Thursday, January 24, 2019

Some changes coming soon to San Antonio parks, including some increases to security measures.

Right now people are telling the Parks and Recreation department what changes they want to see in the future, along with a tobacco free policy, and a greenway expansion, the Parks Department said there will be an extra eye in the sky for safety at some parks.

Sandy Jenkins, Parks and Recreation manager works to answer one question...

Continued on News 4 SA website: https://news4sanantonio.com

San Antonio Is Planning To Improve, Expand City Parks. What Do You Want To See?  by Jan Ross Piedad
Texas Public Radio - Tuesday, January 22, 2019

With more than 15,000 acres of existing green space and a growing population, San Antonio is looking at new ways to enhance the outdoor experience for residents.

The City's plan for managing and improving the parks system is ready for its decennial update.

The Parks and Recreation Department is seeking feedback on the current state and possible opportunites for local parks and facilities, including over 181 miles of nature trails and public programs like free Fitness in the Park and youth summer camps.

How can exposure to nature and access to green spaces impact quality of life in a community? What are your favorite natural areas in San Antonio? ...

Continued on the Texas Public Radio website: http://tpr.org

The Trailist: Visit the Loch Ness Monster at Tom Slick Park  by Brendan Gibbons
The Rivard Report - Sunday, January 6, 2019

Sometimes when I venture out, I know exactly where I want to go. Other times, I simply open up a map and click around the green spaces.

That’s how I found Tom Slick Park, off of Texas 151 near Loop 410 on the West Side. I thought to myself: A trail that follows around a pond made from a former quarry? Looks nice. A playground, basketball courts, and two dog parks? Seems promising.

But wait, what’s this? A Google Maps picture showing a metal sculpture of the Loch Ness monster poking up out of the pond? What’s that about?...

Continued on The Rivard Report website: https://therivardreport.com

505-Acre Pearsall Park Opens This Saturday  by Iris Dimmick
The Rivard Report - Tuesday, June 7, 2016

Councilman Rey Saldaña (D4) walked through the vast fields of Pearsall Park Monday morning, stopping to swing from ring to ring on playground equipment and run a 40-yard dash in 7.23 seconds – all while wearing a tie – to give people a taste of the revitalized park. The relatively quiet, 505-acre park will be filled with families and friends starting this Saturday when it officially reopens to the public, just as thousands of students begin to enjoy their summer breaks.

The festivities will begin at 8 a.m. with a 5K marathon and Saldaña expects 2,000 people to show up for the race alone. Construction crews will be working throughout the week on deadline to complete dozens of the park’s amenities.

PHOTOS: Sneak Peek at City's Newest Park  by Sinclair Broadcast Group
News4 San Antonio - Tuesday, June 7, 2016

SAN ANTONIO - A sneak peek of San Antonio's newest city park on the Southwest Side. Pearsall Park has splash pads, a playground and the largest skate park in San Antonio. It also has a zip line course and two public art installations by renowned artist Buster Simpson.

Pearsall Park will officially open to the public on Saturday.
Sneek Peek photos can be viewed on the News4 San Antonio website: http://news4sanantonio.com/

New Pearsall Park to Debut with Upgrades, Attractions  by KENS 5 staff
KENS 5 Eyewitness News - Monday, June 6, 2016

SAN ANTONIO -- It was once locally known as "Mount Trashmore," back when it was a city landfill. As of Saturday, a big space on the southwest side will have a new name. Pearsall Park will be the city's largest park and is set to offer new attractions. In addition to hiking and running trails around the 500-acre site, there's a splash pad, several playgrounds, a zip line, and plenty of other activities for people of all ages.

The grand opening party is Saturday morning.
Airborne Aerial Photography captured drone video of the new park and can be viewed on the KENS 5 website: http://kens5.com/

Pavestone Creates Custom Paver for Centro Plaza Transit Hub
MASONRY DESIGN - November 2015

80,000 Square-Feet of CityLock Pavers Help Connect Natural Landscape with Modern Design

Recently opened Centro Plaza, a $16 million, multi-modal transit center for the VIA Metropolitan System of San Antonio, features an architectural design that celebrates the beauty of the natural landscape with a modern, illuminated twist. In addition to incorporating lights, stainless steel, aluminum and glass into the new downtown transportation hub, CityLock and Eco-City Lock pavers from Pavestone® were installed to help bring the project vision of landscape architect Bender Wells Clark Design to life. The pavers, which also contributed to the sustainability requirements on the project, were custom manufactured specifically for Centro Plaza.

Larry Clark, VP of Bender Wells Clark Design directed the design of the hardscape and complex water conservation system, the structural soils providing a healthy root zone, and the tree bosque. “We needed a good-looking paving material that would serve for both the permeable and impermeable areas of this downtown plaza. It was a challenge to find a unified paver that would cover the entire plaza, allowing rainwater to pass through in some areas and not in others. Pavestone worked with us to develop a paver system that served both conditions. One paver lets water seep into the structural soils and sand layers below, while the other is a more conventional concrete paver, but they look alike. It is hard for most people to tell the difference between them, which is exactly what we wanted.”

Pearsall Park turns dump into destination   by Jeremy T. Gerlach
San Antonio Express News - May 1, 2015

At first glance, Pearsall Park is about 500 acres of rolling hills of grass, where residents run and bike along winding trails. Dig a bit deeper, and you’ll find that underneath the soil are mounds of garbage that made up the former District 4 municipal landfill. And after a planned $7.5 million worth of improvements, the park’s transformation from wasteland to playland will continue with the inclusion this year of a skate park, splash pads and a zip line, making it the most exhilarating pile of garbage in the area.

City staff Friday unveiled plans for an ambitious 11-month project that will help transform Pearsall Park into a destination spot for runners, skaters and thrill-seekers from all over Bexar County as part of a 2012 bond package. Pearsall is already the only park in the city that can host fully enclosed 5K, 10K and half-marathon races, according to staff with the city’s Parks and Recreation Department.

Beginning next month, workers will slap one of the city’s largest skate parks on the grounds. Other amenities include obstacle courses, playgrounds, fitness areas and basketball courts. The city will convert the park, located at 4700 Old Pearsall Road on the Southwest Side, into a unique fitness and challenging obstacle course area with climbing nets and a modular playground assembly packed with slides and other things to climb on.

Keeping it green during drought  by Jim Beal, Jr.
San Antonio Express News - April 19, 2013

Area landscape experts are preaching and practicing a gospel that preserves green in dry times.

“At my house, I got rid of grass entirely,” said Larry Clark.

Clark is a landscape architect with Bender Wells Clark Design, a firm that has been involved in projects such as Texas A&M University — San Antonio, the Northwest Vista College master plan, SeaWorld of San Antonio's Aquatica water park and Six Flags Fiesta Texas.

The same principles that apply to large-scale projects also cover the work weekend gardeners do on their lawns, just on a different scale.

“The key is planning, not just coming home with a bunch of stuff and sticking it in the ground,” Clark says.

Local architecture firms recognized for design  by Express-News Staff
San Antonio Express News - November 5, 2012

Seven member firms of the San Antonio chapter of the American Institute of Architects received recognition for their works Friday night at the group's annual awards ceremony.

“We had a more diverse group of firms who received awards, and overall we saw a more diverse group of submissions,” said Torrey Carleton, executive director of the local chapter. “There were many new and emerging architecture firms, so there was a very rich pool from which to pick.”

Former landfill destined to become community asset  by Mark D. Wilson
Prime Time Newspapers - August 13, 2012

A former landfill off Old Pearsall Road and Ray Ellison Drive is making the transition from dump to destination with $7.5 million in funding from San Antonio's 2012 Bond program.

A community meeting held Aug. 7 attracted around 100 residents, who came to offer ideas on how to use the 252-acre property known for decades by locals as “Mount Trashmore.” District 4 City Councilman Rey Saldaña urged residents to “think big” with regard to the amenities and project possibilities at Pearsall.

“Think of the craziest ideas you can for this park,” said Saldaña during the meeting in the South San Antonio Independent School District auditorium at 5622 Ray Ellison Dr. Some of the “crazy” ideas being kicked around include a ropes course, BMX trails, a skate park and a zip-line ride. Others suggestions include decommissioned airplanes as an interactive educational tool, a paintball course and tree-houses and forts scattered throughout the site. Saldaña said nothing is off the table at this point.

rain garden pops up on broadway  by Colin McDonald
San Antonio Express-News - March 17, 2012

Every time it rains, water the color of pencil lead flows off Broadway and into the San Antonio River. The water, and the runoff from streets all across San Antonio, carry fine sediment, heavy metals, oils, grease and bacteria. It often causes fish kills and makes the river unhealthy to touch, even days after a rain fall.

So Larry Clark and Beth Wells decided to do something about it.

While volunteers were preparing for Síclovía, the city's celebration of physical activity on March 4, Clark, Wells and a small team of their friends were busy building a 50-by-5-foot rain garden on the public right of way near the intersection of Broadway and Jones Avenue.