The two went on to develop a master plan for a city botanical center in the late 1960's.

The site of the master plan was a former limestone quarry and waterworks area owned by the city.

Ground was broken for the new facilities on July 21, 1976, and the San Antonio Botanical Gardens officially opened to the public on May 3, 1980.

On February 29, 1988 the Emilio Ambasz designed Lucile Halsell Conservatory opened to the public and later that same year the historic Sullivan Carriage House was moved brick by brick to the Garden.

In 2017 with support from its $40 million GROW capital campaign, the Garden expanded eight acres.