One of the entrances to the city of Magnolia could receive a drastic facelift within the next 20 years if future developers follow through with plans to create a revitalized town center.

During the June 9 Magnolia City Council meeting, Chris Hillman, C|P|H Structural Engineering Inc. president, unveiled concept plans for the future of downtown area development along The Magnolia Stroll, which runs from Sanders Street to FM 1488 along FM 1774. In April 2013, the city adopted its first 20-year Comprehensive Plan that featured ideas for the new Magnolia Town Center.

“That area means a lot to a lot of people sentimentally. And where it is geographically, it’s set to be a focal point with the town center,” Hillman said. “Even though what we’ve depicted is very contemporary facing [FM 1774], I think it could be a gateway into a more traditional area of development in the back behind everything.”

In the new concept depiction, the sketches show possible future mixed-use live and work centers with retail space on the bottom floors and residential units on the top floors, Hillman said. In addition, the plans depict a more walkable downtown Magnolia area with a multilevel parking garage, he said.

“I imagine some sort of shuttling to the Texas Renaissance Festival and back where people can park at the garage and spend some time,” Hillman said.

As secretary of the Magnolia Planning and Zoning Commission, Hillman has worked with the other board members and development consulting group Motivado to develop the vision for the future town center during the past two years.

Magnolia Economic Development Coordinator Tana Ross said the concept models and 3-D video depiction of the new town center will serve as a powerful tool to market the city to potential developers over the next few years, she said.

“I think a lot of people will be pleasantly surprised with what all this concept addresses, including parking, connectivity and office and retail spaces in a park-like setting,” Ross said.