UTSA researchers, students help Texas cities, counties plan for their future

UTSA Center for Urban and Regional Planning conducts research, feasibility studies that help cities, counties across state

(May 4, 2016) -- Lining the walls of a small suite in the Monterey Building at the UTSA Downtown Campus are large cabinets storing hundreds of files dating back to 1979. Each file includes a research study that the UTSA Center for Urban and Regional Planning Research (CURPR) conducted to help an American city or county plan for its future.

CURPR is housed in the UTSA College of Architecture, Construction and Planning and associated with the college's graduate program in urban and regional planning. Through CURPR, UTSA faculty members and graduate students help conduct research for cities across south and west Texas and along the U.S. - Mexico Border. The center also regularly partners to assist planning professionals.

Richard Tangum, coordinator of the graduate program, leads CURPR. As a researcher, Tangum has been personally involved in hundreds of urban and regional planning projects.

“The UTSA Center for Urban and Regional Planning Research assists to help clients unlock their city's potential,” Tangum said. “We exist to leverage the diverse expertise of the program’s faculty and students and to conduct research that helps cities and counties plan for sustainable growth and management."

Since CURPR’s creation more than 20 years ago, Tangum and other UTSA researchers have helped cities explore the feasibility of hotels and convention centers, new city squares, parks and historic districts. Each completed project includes comprehensive studies detailing cultural, historic and economic values. Those proposals are provided to city leaders and other professionals to aid strategic planning.

Cities such as Alamo, Eagle Pass and San Antonio have benefitted from the UTSA center’s services and assistance. CURPR has also helped the State of Texas create comprehensive visions for the development of Dimmit, Zavala and Zapata counties, as well as the border region between Laredo and Brownsville.

While UTSA receives many requests for assistance, Tangum says CURPR only takes on a select number of clients per year. The selectivity allows researchers to fully focus on their projects, conducting extensive field studies, research economic feasibility and in-depth proposals.

“We help our clients and professional partners develop strategies to plan for new avenues of growth,” Tangum said. “In order to do that, we have to limit ourselves to places that we can reasonably visit in the course of an academic year.”

Currently, the center is developing an animated visual model of Alamo Plaza that shows the transformation of the Plaza from its beginning to today. Also underway are planning studies for many other Texas cities including Alpine, Garden Ridge, Castroville, Devine and Kingsville.

- Jesus Chavez
Public Affairs Specialist

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Learn more about the Center for Urban and Regional Planning, housed in the UTSA College of Architecture, Construction and Planning.

Learn more about the UTSA graduate program in urban and regional planning.

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April 15-19, various times

Spring 2024 Undergraduate Research & Creative Inquiry Showcase

The UTSA Office of Undergraduate is proud to celebrate National Undergraduate Research with an annual event sponsored by the (OUR) featuring students will showcase undergraduate student research and creative endeavors from all disciplines across campus.

Various Locations

Friday, April 19, 11:00 a.m.

Día en la Sombrilla

Día en la Sombrilla, formerly Fiesta UTSA, is a festival hosted each spring as a part of Fiesta® San Antonio events. Sponsored by Roadrunner Productions, the event features music, food, confetti, games, event t-shirts, and more.

Sombrilla Plaza and Central Plaza, Main Campus

April 20-21

Fiesta Arts Fair

Fiesta Arts Fair features contemporary art from more than 100 artists from across the U.S., Fiesta favorite foods, drinks, live music by local and regional performers, and a Young Artists Garden providing opportunities for budding artists to learn, explore and express their creativity.

UTSA Southwest Campus

Wednesday, April 24, 11:30 a.m.

Denim Day

Join the PEACE Center and Wellbeing Services for Denim Day, a day of learning about the importance of consent and why we wear denim on the last Wednesday of the month each April during Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Stop by our Denim Day display to take a photo in front of our Denim Wall, spin the "Is It Consent?" Wheel, and get a Concha or goodie.

Student Union Window Lounge, Main Campus

Wednesday, April 24, 5:00 p.m.

Simplifying Citations With Zotero

Learn to use Zotero®, a citation manager that can help you store and organize citations you find during your research. Zotero can generate bibliographies in various styles, insert in-text citations and allow you to share sources with collaborators.

Virtual Event

Friday, May 3, 11:30 a.m.

McNair Scholar's Spring Celebration

This event is to achnowlege the graduating seniors and induct the new cohart of scholars to our program.

North Paseo Building (NPB 5.140,) Main Campus

Friday, May 17, 10:00 a.m.

Commencement: Ceremony One

Celebrate the accomplishments of College of Education and Human Development, College for Health, Community and Policy, College of Sciences and University College.

Alamodome

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