Sugar Land officials seeking project suggestions from public to 'invigorate the community'

The city of Sugar Land is continuing to take project submissions in their request for placemaking that began in February. Approved projects will be eligible for funding through the city of Sugar Land and Fort Bend County, which has partnered with the city for the endeavor.

The request for placemaking aims to revitalize underutilized spaces, promote accessibility, support local businesses, increase the amount of public art and create usable spaces that attract people. City officials hope the projects will energize the community and create long-term business viability.

“Over the past year and a half, the pandemic has presented local businesses with extraordinary challenges that require out-of-the-box, innovative solutions,” said Elizabeth Huff, Sugar Land’s director of economic development. “Request for placemaking is designed to meet the city’s current challenges head on and to go a step further.”

The first approved project as part of the request for placemaking initiative is the Art Museum Texas at Sugar Land Town Square, which opened May 27. That project was submitted in early February and approved within a month of the submission.

“The adaptive solutions the city is sourcing through this program will support Sugar Land businesses and residents now and into the future, starting with the program’s first project: Art Museum Texas at Sugar Land Town Square,” Huff said. “New projects like this will increase resiliency for local businesses and further invigorate the community.”

Projects could include the creation of new outdoor shopping spaces, community gardens, touchless hardware installations and more. For a project to be eligible for funding, it must be developed and implemented within a year, be consistent with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, and support a return to thriving business.

There is no set deadline for submissions, and project submissions from Sugar Land businesses, property owners and nonprofits are still encouraged. Projects can be submitted online at https://form.jotform.com/sugarlandecodev/RFP-ProjectSubmissionForm-SLTX.