Centro Plaza is San Antonio’s next great place and VIA Transit’s most robust transit facility, planned at the western end of city’s central business district. Located at the corner of Frio and Houston Streets, the Plaza is adjacent to the historic and newly renovated I&GN Station, which served as Perkins Eastman’s inspiration for the final design of the plaza. The 90,000 gsf transit center will greatly improve connectivity in the state’s fastest growing city and become a hub for various VIA transportation services including city bus and VIA PRIMO bus rapid transit, new infrastructure to accommodate future commuter rail service, and the expansion of B-Cycle, the city’s bike share system.

This new Plaza, however, will be more than just a location for converging transit systems. Centro Plaza will balance mass transit with open green space, mixed-use development, public art, educational signage, and a host of sustainable design features, including underground cisterns for stormwater runoff and a photovoltaic panel array that will cover 50% of the plaza’s Grand Canopy. Perkins Eastman partnered with local architects Ford, Powell & Carson to preserve historic structures in the area, restore the historic street grid, improve overall pedestrian access, and to create an iconic public square for the city that will spark new development and enhance the surrounding area. The iconic light tower that marks the plaza from miles around was designed by Texas-based sculptor and light artist Bill FitzGibbons. The transit center and plaza opened to the public in November 2015.