Downtown Montgomery’s next chapter is starting to come into focus as city leaders push forward on several connected projects aimed at easing traffic, improving walkability and making room for future growth and development.
Among the efforts are updates to city ordinances, improvements for McCown Street and work on a new city complex in the former Jim’s Hardware building.
Mayor Sara Countryman said the ordinance revisions are expected to return to Montgomery City Council in final draft form in the coming months after city leaders reviewed earlier draft language in February 2025. She said the goal is to modernize rules that have not been fully updated in decades while preserving the downtown’s character.
“We are running the city, looking forward, not looking back,” Countryman said. “Changing those ordinances to current-day, modern ordinances ... still keep the uniformity, keeps the charm and the feel that we want.”
What’s happening
City Administrator Brent Walker said the McCown Street project is in final design—including traffic flow and pedestrian layout—and will move into competitive bidding once that work is complete.
The McCown Street improvement is intended to rework how people move through a key stretch of downtown, Countryman said, with a focus on traffic circulation, pedestrian access and parking. She said the project is meant to improve “the parking and the walkability” and create “a much better experience in our historic district.”
Walker said the projected $2.3 million McCown Street project is funded by the Montgomery Economic Development Corp. He added that architectural and engineering services are underway for the municipal complex, and the city’s request for qualifications for a construction manager at risk is active and set to close at the end of March. That planning around the Montgomery Community Center grounds is intended to create a safer, more functional setup during busy events.
“Downtown is historic and highly visible,” Walker said. “Careful design, public input and disciplined sequencing are necessary to ensure infrastructure improvements support growth without overwhelming the community’s identity.”
Diving in deeper
The work underway is not just about appearance. It’s about making Montgomery’s historic core work better day to day, city leaders said.
Countryman said downtown parking has become increasingly tight, and bringing City Hall into the center of town would add public parking while putting city services in a more visible location.
“Parking is at a premium downtown currently, and that allows the parking there to be 100% public parking ... because it is the people’s building and people’s property,” she said.
She also said the city expects the building to help accommodate long-term staff growth. When fully built out, Montgomery will house 20,000 people in 5 square miles, Countryman said.
“Our downtown is truly our crown jewel and our heartbeat, and by giving her a face-lift, getting ordinances that are current and modern will also help these businesses and future growth,” Countryman said.
Some context
City sales tax revenue climbed 153.59% from 2020 to 2025, per the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts.
That financial growth has allowed the city to invest in internal infrastructure while also setting aside funds for larger projects, Countryman said. She added the city is only about 43% built out, leaving more room for residential, commercial and industrial growth.
“We still have a long way to go, but we get to be picky,” Countryman said. “We’re in a good position.”
The city’s decisions have been geared toward having new growth shoulder more of the burden of its infrastructure costs. In September 2025, Montgomery City Council approved an approximate 17% increase to the city’s water and wastewater impact fees, which are charged to new developments to help pay for growth-related infrastructure—rather than shifting those costs onto existing residents.
Before you goResidents could begin seeing more visible progress over the next year.
Countryman said the H-E-B is expected to be complete by the fourth quarter of 2026 and that other businesses are eyeing or have already made agreements with the city.
