The Frisco Downtown Advisory Board presented a proposal to rebrand the historic downtown area as “The Rail District.”

Downtown advisory board member Mark Piper made the presentation during a City Council work session Tuesday afternoon.

Piper, who is also the Frisco Downtown Merchants Association president and owner of Patti Ann’s Flowers, said he has a desire to see downtown Frisco be successful.

“[We] want to create something that has a little of cache and sticks out among the rest of the $5 Billion Mile and everything else to kind of remind us that we have a historic area, that we have roots here,” Piper said.

Piper continued to say that “The Rail District” was a branding that was already taking shape with downtown businesses, Such as Frisco Rail Yard and future developments The Patios at the Rail and The Tower at the Rail.

Piper said the area could incorporate rail themes with murals, benches, signage and activities to let people know that they are in “The Rail District.”

City Council members present were in support of the branding, saying it could make the historic downtown area more of a destination.

“Over the years, we’ve had the Downtown Advisory Board come before us in various capacities, and I think this is one of the first times we’ve seen something that is doable, commendable and affordable that speaks to the area,” Council Member John Keating said. “Historic Downtown has some flavor to it, but I think [‘The Rail District’] brings focus.”

Council member Tim Nelson said he also liked the name and that he would like to hear from residents as to whether they support the branding.

The Downtown Advisory Board will work with city staff to discuss how to execute the new branding of historic downtown. The board will also have to provide resident feedback to Council at a later date. The city is also in process of updating the downtown master plan.