The goal is to revitalize Main Street to make it a destination for visitors and residents alike, with $10.5 million allocated to the project to date, according to Schertz staff.
Throughout the year, City Council approved numerous ordinances to add an empowerment zone and regulate parking, which helped pave the way for revitalization of the area.
Assistant City Manager Brian James said the goal is not to be like New Braunfels or Fredericksburg, but to create a Main Street that is more eclectic and suitable for the identity of Schertz.
“The vision for Main Street is to be this area that, while maybe not the center of our community, is that unique, central kind of gathering place for Schertz and the surrounding cities,” James said.
Investing in infrastructure
To achieve this goal, the city is investing in infra- structure that will include improvements for side- walks, street lighting, signage, landscaping, utility relocations and architectural elements, such as decorative lighting and signage.
On Sept. 6, Schertz City Council approved the authorization of a task order agreement in the amount of $2.17 million with Kimley-Horn Associates Inc. for work and design services on Main Street.
During the meeting, Council Member Mark Davis commented on the need for investing in Main Street, which he said was neglected by the city in the past.
“We have been battling this Main Street issue for- ever and have very carefully stepped through this over the past three or four years or so,” Davis said. “Honestly, I wish that we didn’t have to spend some of the money that we have to spend on Main Street.”
During the same meeting, Council Member David Scagliola voted against additional funding for the area.
Scagliola said he supports working on Main Street, but he was concerned about addressing other streets in the city that are more regularly used.
“I am not opposed to fixing the drainage or utilities on Main Street,” Scagliola said. “I think there are a lot of other streets in the city that need just as much work.”
James said these services should be ready to put out to bid in spring 2023, which will get the ball rolling on improving the aesthetics and infrastructure of the street.
“Hopefully in the spring, we will be putting these things out to bid,” James said. “We want to take the overhead power lines and move them underground, and we want to go in and redo the street surface.”
The goal is to complete street improvements during 2024, James said.
“We want physical improvements to be well underway next year, so, at least halfway through the year, you should be seeing a lot of physical activity and things torn up down on Main Street. I don’t know that we will finish it in 2023, but we should have it finished in 2024.”
Before any physical improvements get underway, James said the city needs to work with business and property owners to come up with a plan that is the least disruptive to the area.
Assisting businesses
To make Main Street a destination, the city works with business owners to offer grants and incentives that help encourage economic growth.
Two programs offered by the city are the Local Flavor Economic Development Program, which is focused on improving the image and charm of Main Street, and the Preservation Incentive Program, which is focused on the preservation of historic buildings.
According to James, one of the major issues with Main Street is the area is below the flood plain. The city can use grants to help businesses accommodate expenses related to property stabilization.
“Our grant program is a matching program,” he said. “We are not going to pay for it for you, but we will match up to a certain amount on your project.”
James said grant projects are select improvements that help the business function.
“What we are paying for is if you need to relevel the building, or if you need a roof, or if you need to redo the pipes or electrical in it,” James said. “If you come in with a business and you are going to do outdoor seating for a restaurant, that is an eligible piece.”
On new developments, the city will match up to $50,000 and up to $40,000 on existing developments with these matches made over a five-year window.
James said around 32 grants have been approved for businesses on Main Street, since it was created in 2018.
On top of offering grants, the city created an empowerment zone for the area in August, which helps alleviate some of the fees for businesses in the area.
“The empowerment zone was really a way for us to expand our toolbox,” James said. “We want the physical improvements done by 2024, but with the empowerment zone we can keep our eye on Main Street and have something that we can use to encourage growth there.
Business involvement
With the help of incentives from the city, local business owners are investing in the area.
Local business owner Nick Marquez said he has been investing in properties along Main Street and renovating them to be suitable for local businesses.
On Main Street, Marquez owns the properties for Bar House, The Purple Pig BBQ, the strip center at the corner of Main Street and Schertz Parkway, and a few other properties along the street.
As someone who grew up in the area, Marquez said he wants to make a Main Street with a strong identity and a sense of uniqueness that attracts people from across the area.
“I just want Main Street to be a destination for us locally while attracting people in the surrounding area,” he said. “I want to bring it to its full potential, while saving anything historical that we can.”
With all the work being put into Main Street, Marquez said he is thankful for the dedication the city has to revitalizing Main Street and creating an area for Schertz residents.
“The grants have helped a lot because of the flood plain,” he said. “Having that help kind of makes up for the extra little things you have to do because of the flood plain. They are very costly, but getting some money back is motivating and helpful for bringing businesses to Main Street.”
With the city and business owners working together, Main Street has had significant progress over the last few years, with the hope that the area will become a major attribute of the city, according to Marquez.
“People come here to retire and raise their kids, and they should be able to come have all types of local businesses from coffee shops to restaurants to bars to entertainment,” he said. “However, I don’t want the street to turn into a big entertainment spot. I just want to provide everything you would need in the city.”
