Ultimately, City Council approved the project during the Feb. 10 meeting, which would demolish existing properties to build a new apartment complex that will have 279 units.
The details
The 3.09-acre lot is located on Polk Street and consists of 10 properties—one residential property, two parking lots, three undeveloped properties and the rest are commercial buildings, including Staycation Coffee, which will relocate later this year. The project would also close McKinney Street from Polk Street to Kaufman Street, eliminating pass-through motor vehicle traffic. The average unit is 846 square feet, and the project will include a five-level parking garage and 7,100 square feet of public space.
The multifamily project is allowed by rights but it has design elements that deviate from code standards, which requires approval from council, Senior Planner Derica Peters said.
Several Richardson residents spoke in favor and against the Polk Street redevelopment project in a public hearing held during the meeting. Those in favor said the project will help businesses, revitalize downtown and spur other development projects. Those opposed said the project does not fit downtown Richardson. Residents also cited parking concerns, the McKinney Street closure, and traffic backing up on Polk Street and Greenville Avenue blocking first responders during construction.
Kevin Hickman, senior vice president of High Street Residential, said the company took feedback received from community members and tried to incorporate as much as possible into the project’s design.
To address parking concerns, Hickman said the project will add 70 public parking spaces within the proposed parking garage and will open a public walkway through the development for pedestrian traffic.
What’s next?
A timeline on the Polk Street project is unavailable, but City Manager Don Magner said construction is unlikely to start before 2026.
