Randy Smith, a downtown pioneer, faces the irony of his own success as he navigates a complex web of corporate citizens, real estate developers, and student housing needs to fulfill his ambitious goal of transforming downtown San Antonio into a thriving urban hub. In this episode, you will: Discover how a public-private partnership transformed downtown ... Show More
Jun 5
174. Twenty Years at SAPD: Chief Bill McManus on Recruiting, ICE, and Who Comes Next
This week on bigcitysmalltown, we sit down with San Antonio Police Chief William McManus as he approaches the end of his nearly 20-year tenure leading the San Antonio Police Department. With retirement on the horizon in September 2026, Chief McManus offers a candid reflection on ... Show More
48m 27s
May 29
173. Charlie Amato and Gary Dudley on Building SWBC — and Betting on San Antonio for 50 Years
This week on bigcitysmalltown, Bob Rivard sits down with Charlie Amato and Gary Dudley, co-founders of SWBC, to mark the company's 50th anniversary. What began in 1976 with $1,500, a third partner in Dallas, and car trunks for offices has grown into one of San Antonio's largest a ... Show More
36m 5s
May 22
172. Ambassador Tony Garza on Mexico, Trade, and What San Antonio Gets Right
This week on bigcitysmalltown, Bob Rivard sits down with Ambassador Tony Garza, a Brownsville native who served as U.S. Ambassador to Mexico under President George W. Bush from 2002 to 2009 and now works as counsel and special advisor to the global law firm White & Case in Mexico ... Show More
34m 26s
Oct 2022
S1E11 - Activists and Public Sector Working Together
<p>In this episode of Let’s Talk Housing we’ll be talking about systemic changes to address the root causes of homelessness. To foster this discussion, we’re joined by Chrissy Brett, Indigenous Housing and Community Advocate, and Stephanie Allen, BC Housing’s Vice President of St ... Show More
28m 34s
Feb 2024
Having Fun and Doing the Right Thing in San Antonio — Episode 151
<p class="MsoNormal">We know the importance of partnerships in parks and recreation, and on today's episode of Open Space Radio, we're diving into an exciting partnership between NRPA and Bobcat. As part of this partnership, Bobcat has extended five grants, each worth $50,000, to ... Show More
44m 51s
Jul 2021
Jacob Lederman, "Chasing World-Class Urbanism: Global Policy Versus Everyday Survival in Buenos Aires" (U Minnesota Press, 2020)
What makes some cities world class? Increasingly, that designation reflects the use of a toolkit of urban planning practices and policies that circulates around the globe. These strategies—establishing creative districts dedicated to technology and design, “greening” the streets, ... Show More
53m 25s
Feb 2022
BONUS: Homelessness Is Solvable (with Aras Jizan)
In this bonus episode, Baratunde learns how data, well-defined goals, and a sense of collective ownership are helping those at the front lines of America’s housing crisis work to solve, not manage, homelessness. His partner in conversation is Aras Jizan, the Portfolio Lead for Da ... Show More
1h 15m