Case Study Highlights the Transformative Reutilization of Brooks City-Base
The case study of Doctor of Business Administration candidate, Ricardo H. Lowe, was published in the Academy of Business Research Journal: Brooks City-Base: The Astute Rebranding of a National Icon.
Abstract
From 1917 to 2011, Brooks City-Base served as a landmark of San Antonio and the United States Air Force, until its mandated closure, a casualty of military restructuring of functions and operations. Leading up to its demise and to avert any future considerations for closure, local and state officials lobbied the Pentagon towards a novel City-Base agreement. Accordingly, stakeholders pioneered a plan to partner with the City of San Antonio, thus, chartering a unique public-private, shared operating expenses relationship, the first of its type for any military installation in the nation. As an incentive, Pentagon officials encouraged San Antonio officials towards a transformation of acquired Brooks City-Base real estate into a business, research, and technology park that might, at that time, complement military operations. Faced with the ultimate decision to shutter military operations, Brooks City-Base alternated to marketing its commercial park complex.
However, plagued with somewhat steady but tepid growth, anxious policymakers in local government strived for a more forward-thinking and ingeniously aggressive approach. In response, Brooks City-Base emerged a master-planned, mixed-use community, which boasts commercial, retail, and residential properties. Moreover, salaries at Brooks City-Base remain competitive, averaging $50,000 a year. This case study presents innovative approaches championed by decision-makers, which may be adopted for the revitalization of inner cities, applicable markets, or potential business models.