What’s happening?
An upcoming project will improve Harris Street from FM 1093 to Fifth Street, adding more walkable spaces with the hope of bringing more commercial development to the area, Public Works Assistant Director Tiffany Stodder said.
The project will include:
- Replacing street asphalt with concrete paving
- Constructing a pedestrian plaza from Third to Fifth streets
- Adding street parking
The background
The project was influenced by findings of the city’s 2019 Livable Centers Planning Study and 2019 strategic plan, in which the city and community worked together to prioritize community needs and improvement projects, Guadalupe said.
“There was a lot of feedback received from the community of wanting ... community gathering spaces, smaller event space and just really bringing it back to the heart of the community, which is our downtown,” she said.
What else?
In addition to the Harris Street project, Stodder said city staff is also working on funding a $3.4 million Downtown Eastside drainage project, which will help to alleviate the need of on-site detention for businesses.
The development corporation has committed to assisting with funding the project, but the rest of the project will need to be worked into upcoming fiscal year 2024-25 budget conversations, Stodder said. If fully funded, this project should be able to move into the bid phase in the fall.
Looking forward
Construction is expected to begin on Harris Street between July and September and should wrap up by spring 2025, Stodder said.
“[The development corporation] is hoping to see that mixed-use lifestyle type of place, where we will have retail and restaurants and things to do for our young families, our teenagers—really everyone of all ages,” Guadalupe said. “We’re starting with Harris Street, but the hope is to really do all of downtown, one street at a time, so we can really see that come to life.”
