Survey results show Frisco residents want walkability, connection from revitalized Rail District

Work to bring a new brand to Frisco’s Rail District is in its final stretch as construction to redevelop the historic downtown officially breaks ground.

A Visit Frisco survey aimed at gauging residents’ thoughts on the Rail District shows most residents want the area to become more pedestrian friendly and vibrant, two things city officials hope to accomplish in its redevelopment. Visit Frisco is the city’s official destination marketing organization.

Now that the discovery phase of the branding effort is completed, Visit Frisco staff can move forward with the information gathered, said Cori Powers, the organization’s marketing and communications director, at a June 4 Frisco City Council meeting.

“As a community, it’s obvious we’re all eager to see the future come to life. In the meantime, our team now has the input we need to move into the branding phase,” Powers said in a June 5 news release.

Breaking it down

Visit Frisco’s survey received 872 responses before it closed May 6, Powers said.

The responses as well as the additional research and interviews with government officials, stakeholders and local business owners is invaluable to creating a new brand, she said.

“We’re thrilled so many passionate people shared their important ideas and insights with us,” Powers said in the release.

When asked to describe the state of the Rail District, residents’ answers included the words:

• Small
• Congested
• Disjointed
• Cute
• Quaint
• Eclectic
• Nostalgic

When asked to envision a future Rail District, residents’ answers included:

• Accessible
• Family friendly
• Vibrant
• One of a kind
• A place to gather
• Inviting
• Fun
• Welcoming

The brand will include many of those core themes, Powers said.

“The best is yet to come,” she said.

Going further

Roughly 80% of the survey respondents were familiar with the general boundaries of the Rail District, Powers said.

Stay tuned

Powers said she will continue updating council members at future meetings before the brand is finalized and rolled out in August. The final product will include:

• A new logo
• A color palette
• Typography
• Consistent copy guidelines