Previously referred to as the Celina Government Center, the city’s Downtown Center and parking garage are on track for construction, officials said.

The gist

Celina City Council members approved a $19.3 million maximum price during a Sept. 10 meeting for the Downtown Center’s parking garage, one piece of a city project to house city departments in one facility.

The parking garage, located near Pecan Street and Arizona Drive, will feature:
  • Nearly 400 parking spaces across four stories
  • An off-site library book drop
The first floor of the garage will include oversized spaces for larger trucks, Assistant City Manager Kim Brawner said. Infrastructure to eventually support electric vehicle charging stations is also included in the plans but the stations themselves will have to be added in at a later date, she said.

About the project


The Downtown Center, a new name that was also approved during the Sept. 10 meeting, is a 100,000-square-foot facility that currently costs around $93 million with the garage’s new price tag. The city has $94 million it can spend from a variety of sources, according to a meeting presentation.
  • $73 million: bonds
  • $3 million: non-bond city funds
  • $4 million: park funds
  • $1.5 million: art funds
  • $12.5 million: 2025 bond funds
“The new parking garage and Downtown Center are critical components of our long-term vision for downtown Celina,” Mayor Ryan Tubbs said in a Sept. 16 city news release. “Together, these facilities will meet the needs of our rapidly growing community and create a thriving activity hub where residents and visitors can connect, engage and contribute to the city’s future.”

Including the rooftop community space and underground library, the incoming building is five stories, Brawner said. There were some cost-cutting options the city could take, like removing a floor or changing building materials, but would take away too much from the original designs, she said.

“This is a 50-100 year old building,” Tubbs said Sept. 10. “I hate to have such a big beautiful building and then cheap out on the finishes.”

Going forward


Parking garage construction is on track to break ground on Oct. 15, according to a meeting presentation.

Here is a quick look at what to expect next for the Downtown Center project:
  • Oct. 15: parking garage breaks ground
  • Nov. 1: parking garage construction starts
  • October 2025: parking garage opens
  • Spring 2026: Downtown Center construction begins
  • November 2026: Downtown Center finishes