The opening dates for the plaza and parking garage are expected to align with the 2026 World Cup so both Frisco residents and any visitors can enjoy the new space, said Jason Brodigan, interim director of engineering services.
“That's an aggressive schedule, but it's also one that we believe is very doable,” Brodigan said.
A construction contract should get to council members for them to approve sometime in March, Brodgian said. The full schedule for building Fourth Street Plaza includes:
Elm Street construction: July-December 2023
Main Street construction: April 2024-April 2026
Plaza construction: April 2024-April 2026
Downtown parking garage construction: August 2024-July 2025
The design process for the parking garage is already underway, bringing plans to around 60% complete, Brodigan said.
“Everything goes well today, we're going to put the throttle down, we're going to finish the plans and get everything moving and get under construction,” Brodigan said.Fourth Street Plaza construction is already underway with improvements to Elm Street. (Rendering courtesy city of Frisco)
The details
Fourth Street Plaza will turn the existing downtown spaces into a “wonderful experience,” said Stan Cowan, president and principal of Mesa Design Group, the firm designing the plaza.
“It really gives me goosebumps to think about it,” Mayor Jeff Cheney said.
Some features planned for the plaza include:
A veranda-style performance stage and grass lawn designed to fit 3,000-4,000 people
Parking garage
A train track-inspired red and white shade structure
Trough water fountains
Fire pits
Seating areas
Vendor spaces
Public restrooms
Light features underneath shade structure and for the stage
Trees and seasonable landscape features
The new space should open in time for World Cup 2026. (Rendering courtesy city of Frisco)
“It’s everything you could imagine to have,” Cowan said.
Some of the features visible in the renderings will not be part of the final project, such as the large geyser fountains near the grass space, due to budget constraints. The parking garage will also likely not look exactly how it does in the renderings, Brodigan said.
“I think this will set the standard for the rest of what we see happening downtown,” council member Angelia Pelham said.
Train track-style ribbon shade structures will help bring a Rail District feel to the plaza, according to a meeting presentation. (Rendering courtesy city of Frisco)
Stay tuned
Residents can learn more about the project by attending a 2:30-6:30 p.m. Dec. 7 open house at the Frisco Chamber of Commerce office, located at 6843 Main St., Frisco.
“I think that’s a good time—2:30-6:30 [p.m.], I think, is a good time to get people who work in the Rail District to be able to come by and those who live in the Rail District to be able to come by after work,” Brodigan said.
