The Hays Street Bridge Restoration Group is suing the City of San Antonio, claiming the open lot near the bridge was donated to the city, but was supposed to be converted into a community space. Instead the lot was sold to a developer. The latest developer plans to transform the space into a luxury apartment complex.
On Friday, the Texas Supreme court ruled the City of San Antonio was in breach of contract for selling the space to a developer - pushing the case back to a lower court.
Yaneth Flores, a member of the restoration group, said they feel the Texas Supreme Court heard their concerns, but now moving forward, they need the community's continued support. They are asking people to call their city council representative before Wednesday afternoon to let their voices be heard.
"This is something that can be solved by the council," Flores said. "What the council enacted, the council can undo, and reverse this land back to public use so it can become a visitor's center, so it can become a park, and it can contribute to the historic Hays Street Bridge. A landmark here in San Antonio that is significant to our history."
The City released the following statement:
The Texas Supreme Court today issued a narrow and technical ruling addressing a contract issue related to the Hays Street Bridge restoration project. The Court’s decision confirmed that Texas cities still have immunity protection from claims for monetary damages related to governmental contracts, but claims seeking specific performance of contractual terms can be considered against a city. The City applied proceeds from the sale of the property adjacent to the Hays Street Bridge to the budget for the restoration of the bridge, which the City contends fulfills the 2014 judgment of the district court, and any requirement of specific performance.
The ruling does not impact current or future development in the area. The Texas Supreme Court sent the case back to the Fourth Court of Appeals for consideration of several other issues raised by the City in the appeal.