Navigation Boulevard has become the heart of the community, El Corazon de la Communidad, with a wider esplanade and walkable, shaded sidewalks. The $5 million ARRA stimulus grant that brought improvements to Sampson and York also funded the exciting, community-driven changes on Navigation. Residents and visitors enjoy safe crosswalks, pedestrian level solar lighting, an active area of commerce, restaurants, events, and attractions. The Esplanade is also home to the year-round East End Farmers Market, with offerings from local organic farmers and vendors, every Sunday from 10 am to 2 pm.
The Esplanade features amenities that are both functional and artistic. Pedestrian-level LED lamps are powered by solar generators with enough battery power to run year round, even on cloudy days. Benches in the esplanade are faux bois, made to look like centuries-old wood. The bench backs are tiled, and the seats have well-known sayings that are applicable to Texas culture and history. Bike racks feature Spanish and English words in script text. Overhead, an iron archway crosses the boulevard, and is fashioned like papel picado, with imagery of some of the original industry in the East End: shipping, railroads, and oil.