Katy Trail represents a remarkable resource for the residents of the Dallas Fort Worth region. This project enlivens and makes accessible right-of-way established by the storied, but later abandoned, Missouri-Kansas-Texas (better known as the “Katy”) line, and serves as a unifying element for the surrounding neighborhoods. Katy Trail provides approximately 3.5 miles of intercity bicycle and pedestrian trail, resulting in a transportation and recreational corridor for jogging, passive nature interpretation and walking. The trail links approximately 20 neighborhood areas to the Central Business District, the American Airlines Center and Southern Methodist University. Active integration of legacy establishments and involvement with the neighboring communities were part of an ongoing process that enhanced the project’s success.
Buffalo Bend Park
Houston’s East End is a bifurcated community, with heavy industry brushing up against a vibrant and culturally diverse residential area. Answering residents’ call for more park space, SWA created Buffalo Bayou Bend Nature Park by converting a formerly neglected industrial site into a wetland ecosystem and public green space.
Three interconnected ponds, ...
Pacific Plaza
The latest step in the renaissance of Downtown Dallas has arrived with Pacific Plaza, a 3.89-acre public park that serves the central business district’s burgeoning population and contributes substantially to the city’s outdoor experience. The first of an ambitious four-park initiative, Pacific Plaza complements adjacent urban greenspace with a varied program ...
San Pedro Street Pedestrianization
SWA created a vision for transforming North San Pedro Street in the heart of Downtown San Jose into a vibrant pedestrian outdoor dining and socializing space, formalizing and enhancing what local restaurants and city leaders had begun during COVID-19. The design replaces the existing curbs and roadbed with plaza paving to create a continuous space for people w...
San Antonio Spirit Reach
San Antonio’s river trail system has long stood incomplete, its northern reach at Brackenridge Park abruptly halted by a patchwork of private lands. Recognizing the waterway’s cultural significance, landowners forged an unprecedented partnership, opening sections of their properties for public benefit. The 162-acre Spirit Reach Vision Plan allows v...