College Station is working to transform the Harvey Road Corridor into a mixed-use destination. (Rhett Brady/Community Impact)
Editor's note: This article has been updated to better explain planning efforts.
The city of College Station is beginning a year-long effort to create a redevelopment roadmap for the Harvey Road corridor, one of the city’s busiest commercial areas and a key gateway to Texas A&M University, according to the city.
City Council received an update on the ongoing redevelopment of the Harvey Road Corridor at its May 28 meeting, outlining a timeline for the work ahead for the roughly 466 acres stretching along Harvey Road from Texas Avenue to Hwy. 6.
Why it matters
Heather Wade with city Planning and Development Services told the council the corridor serves multiple roles at once: It is a major east-west transportation route, a retail and hospitality destination, a residential area and a primary entrance into College Station for many visitors.
She said the area has been identified as a redevelopment priority in the city’s Comprehensive Plan since at least 2009.
The corridor contains a mix of thriving businesses, aging shopping centers, older multifamily housing and underutilized properties, creating opportunities for future redevelopment.
City data presented to council showed:
Heavy traffic: Harvey Road carries up to 25,000 vehicles per day.
Nearby Texas Avenue sees traffic volumes approaching 50,000 vehicles daily.
Businesses within the corridor recorded more than 15 million visits in 2025.
Residents: Roughly 5,546 residents live within or adjacent to the planning area.
The area’s median age is about 26 years old.
About 96% of residents are renters, reflecting the corridor’s student-oriented housing.
Development: Much of the existing corridor was built between the 1970s and 1990s.
Wade said those factors make Harvey Road one of the city’s most significant commercial corridors while also highlighting opportunities for coordinated reinvestment.
“Ultimately, the goal is to create a framework that supports reinvestment, connectivity, economic vitality and a stronger sense of place,” she said.
The discussion
To help guide the study, city planners divided the corridor into four subareas:
Post Oak Hub
Oakside
Trailside
Texas Hub
College Station City Council received an update on the ongoing redevelopment of the Harvey Road Corridor at its May 28 meeting, outlining a timeline for the work ahead. (Courtesy city of College Station)
The study area includes portions of the Post Oak Mall district, commercial centers along Harvey Road, nearby apartment communities and land surrounding Wolf Pen Creek.
Several council members pointed to redevelopment opportunities around the mall area and aging commercial properties.
At its May 18 meeting, the council agreed a future recreation center should be created in the long-vacant Macy’s building at the mall. No formal action was taken, as previously reported by Community Impact.
Council member Bob Yancy suggested future plans could capitalize on nearby investments at Wolf Pen Creek and potentially create new entertainment destinations within the corridor.
The timeline
The planning process is scheduled to take place in four phases:
May-July: Launch and Understand
Existing conditions analysis
Market analysis
Consultant onboarding
Initial public engagement
July-September: Community Visioning
Public surveys
Stakeholder outreach
Visioning workshops
Identification of goals and priorities
October-December: Plan Development
Redevelopment concepts
Urban design recommendations
Transportation and infrastructure strategies
Draft recommendations
Spring 2027: Adoption and Implementation
Public review
Planning and Zoning Commission hearings
City Council consideration
Final implementation roadmap
Wade emphasized that there will be plenty of community engagement opportunities throughout the process rather than at a single point in time.
In its immediate actions list, the city has already launched a project website and is working to form a working group and begin public outreach this summer. A kickoff open house is scheduled for June 23 from 6-8 p.m. at City Hall.
Looking ahead
Wade stressed the redevelopment plan will not trigger immediate changes to the corridor. Instead, it will establish a long-term vision intended to guide future public and private investment decisions.
Adoption of the plan is expected to take place in spring 2027.
Mayor John Nichols compared the effort to previous redevelopment initiatives that helped transform other parts of College Station, saying the corridor presents an opportunity to “regenerate and reactivate” one of the city’s most visible districts as the community continues to grow.
