The most notable downtown story of 2014 was a death: streetcar.

The departed VIA Metropolitan Transit project left some San Antonians heartbroken and others overjoyed — depending on which side of the issue they were on.

The debate raged on and on about the plan that would have connected the Pearl to the north through downtown to Southtown, while having streetcars circulate east-west on Commerce and Market streets.

On the one side were the critics: Is it a mover of people or an economic generator? If it's really about mass transit, why not connect the airport to downtown, for example — a route seemingly needed more? The price tag — $280 million — is too much for such a frivolous project. Oh, and San Antonians vehemently defeated light rail in 2000.

On the other side was an equal set of arguments: Streetcar is not the same as light rail. While it would only connect parts of downtown, streetcar is the baby step to developing a multimodal transit system. Plus, reinforcing downtown's infrastructure can only have a positive, domino-like effect on the entire city.

Lawsuits were filed. Even Governor-elect Greg Abbott, at the time the Texas attorney general, weighed in when it came to VIA's desire to use Advanced Transportation District sales tax revenue bonds to fund two multimodal centers downtown.

Finally, in a stunning news conference, Mayor Ivy Taylor and Judge Nelson Wolff conceded that the plan (any rail plan, really) was too unpopular to proceed without a public vote.

When Taylor made the announcement, it was just days after she replaced the man who coined the phrase “Decade of Downtown.”

Former Mayor Julián Castro leaving his San Antonio post to join President Barack Obama's Cabinet — and the subsequent political shuffle — ranks second on my top stories of the year. Seems the “Decade of Downtown” mantra fades each day Castro has been gone. New city leadership certainly isn't promulgating it, either — there are just a few remaining acolytes and bloggers.

Coupled with Castro's exit was former District 1 Councilman Diego Bernal's resignation in November to run for the House District 123 seat vacated by Rep. Mike Villarreal, who is running for mayor. Together, Castro and Bernal threw their weigh around as elected officials to push the downtown agenda — most of which made sense.

Taking the third spot is the opening of the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts. Its builders kept reminding us that the $200 million building was "world class." Underneath the pomp and circumstance, there were whispers of derision about its exclusivity and whether the arts center was all it was cracked up to be.

The exclusivity? I'm still on the fence.

But it undoubtedly bolstered San Antonio's arts scene, bringing the likes of Paul McCartney and other top acts while solidifying a home for the San Antonio Symphony and a handful of other locally based performance groups.

Happening kind of under the radar, but coming in fourth, was the latest wave of large-scale apartment projects. Most notably, the lattices were begun for the 350-unit Agave, 411 E. César E. Chávez Blvd., by North Carolina-based Greystar and the 302-unit Rivera, 1130 Broadway, by Austin-based Argyle Residential. Combine 210 Developers' near completion of Peanut Factory Lofts on the near West Side with the announcement of a handful of other sizable projects — another West Side development by 210 and two others on or near the Museum Reach — and it seems like downtown's latest wave of residents is forthcoming.

Who knows whether the next wave of dwellers will bring downtown to that critical mass of locals-based, everyday activity. But it's more momentum to build on.

The near East Side, especially Dignowity Hill, was in the news seemingly all year. While downtown growth as it spread outward had had an infill effect to the north and a more seamless effect on the already opulent King William District, the East Side and discussion of gentrification — whether it was happening or not — had downtown leaders, residents and observers talking.

Then there was the convoluted mess of the Hays Street Bridge, Alamo Beer Co.'s first brewery and the vacant property at 803 N. Cherry St. As we closed 2014, the city sold the Cherry Street property to Alamo Beer — but the Hays Street Bridge Restoration Group and the city both had filed motions in various courts. This debate is likely to drag on for another year.

The public also got its first clear look at the concept behind the redevelopment of HemisFair Park. At Alamo and Market streets, buildings frame the so-called civic park — a big courtyard at the corner, a large green space, a promenade and water features. Work also began on the Yanaguana Garden, the playground-like area south of the civic park that abuts Southtown.

Also high on my list were the changes to La Villita — all that work and planning for such a lukewarm response to new retailers and restaurants.

There’s also the major downtown land swap pitched by Weston Urban and involving the city and Frost Bank, which received a lot of attention because it would result in downtown's first tower since the 1980s. However, a final deal had not been announced by year’s end.

Xavier de Richemont's kaleidoscope-like projection on the San Fernando Cathedral façade gave our downtown one of those choice public art displays usually found in other cities.

And the city successfully transformed Travis Park from a den of depravity to an enjoyable park, after a cop was stationed by it 24/7.

bolivo@express-news.net