The Katy community square located in the Old Katy District will be revitalized after a unanimous vote by the City Council at the April 23 meeting.

The area is bordered by Avenue C to the west, Avenue B to the East and Second and Third streets on the south and north. Kayce Reina, the city's director of tourism, marketing and public relations, proposed the project to the council prior to the vote.

The project will be paid for with insurance money from the city’s 2016 Tax Day Flood claims on the old administrative building currently in the square, as well as with $1.5 million in hotel occupancy tax funds, which were approved last week by the city’s Convention and Tourism Bureau.

The money will pay for installation of infrastructure such as water and electric, as well as demolition and remodeling of the city’s old administration building. Part of the building will be torn down and the remainder will be converted into a visitor’s center, Reina said.

The plan also includes an outdoor museum beneath the water tower, which will remain on the lot while new public restrooms are also installed. The museum will showcase Katy’s heritage, according to city officials.

In an April 18 presentation to the city's Convention and Tourism Bureau, Reina and City Manager Byron Hebert said the infrastructure installed for this portion of the revitalization would support future improvements, which are expected to be done in phases. The city already completed a project last year to add more parking and refinish the roads surrounding the project. Future phases include installation of a stage and a trellis-covered walkway to provide more shade in the area.

Reina said that the goal is to attract more visitors and events to the Old Town Katy district while preserving the city's heritage. Reina said with the approval from the City Council the project is expected to break ground this summer.

"It’s extremely important for us to go back to our heritage to recreate the gathering place for the city," Reina said.

Find a complete recap of the April 23 meeting here.