Riverside Terrace Neighbors, Officials Oppose Proposed Third Ward Gas Station

Neighbors in Historic Riverside Terrace organized an emergency meeting in mid-February and gathered at a town hall Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church to oppose a proposed gas station and convenience store slated for a corner in the Third Ward that residents say borders parts of the Sixth Ward. Residents refer to the proposal as a "STO" and say the plan has "sparked outrage" among homeowners and civic leaders in the neighborhood.

State Representative Jolanda Jones and Councilwoman Carolyn Evans-Shabazz joined neighborhood leaders in raising a slate of concerns at the meetings, citing environmental risks, increased crime, unwanted traffic, strain on infrastructure, and problems with how the proposal was publicly noticed. Neighbors told organizers that many only recently learned about the development and have mobilized in response, and several civic leaders said they intend to press city officials to halt the project before it advances further in the approval process.

Law enforcement described a persistent public-safety presence in the corridor residents flagged. Constable James "Smokie" Phillips, Precinct 7, said deputies are frequently responding to calls in the area and pointed to existing activity around local convenience stores. "Every weekend we are most likely on this street enforcing crime, trying to get these guys to move off the parking lot," Phillips said, referring to gas stations down the street on Southmore. Phillips also noted multiple nearby businesses, "including two across the freeway, an Exxon and a Valero, and two more on the same corner."

What remains unclear to residents and organizers is the project's basic paperwork. The developer's identity, the exact site address, permit or application numbers, zoning classification and any public-notice documents were not presented at the emergency meeting or at the town hall. Organizers and elected officials at the meetings called those omissions significant; neighborhood leaders said they need access to site plans and city permitting records to assess traffic and environmental impacts before taking next steps.

The Riverside Terrace fight mirrors tactics seen elsewhere in Texas where communities have mobilized against large developments. Examples include a proposed $10 billion data center near Lacy Lakeview on a 520-acre site that generated a petition of roughly 3,000 signatures and regular strategy meetings, and episodes in Harlingen and Hood County where residents pressed local boards over water, electricity and land-use concerns. Neighbors in Riverside Terrace used the Feb. 20 meeting to map next steps that resemble those statewide tactics: petitions, town halls and appeals to elected officials.

With a historic neighborhood at stake, residents say the immediate aim is to stop project approvals before plans are filed or permits are issued. In the meantime, State Rep. Jolanda Jones, Councilwoman Carolyn Evans-Shabazz and Precinct 7's Constable Phillips are among the local officials the community has enlisted as it seeks clear permitting records, the developer's identity and formal notice of any applications affecting the Third Ward parcel. Neighbors say they will continue organizing until city leaders address those outstanding questions and the project is formally halted.