CTbruin said:
The city doesn't "build up" LaSalle. It private capital money that builds anything worthwhile. I have been here a long time. LaSalle has improved. But it's more commercial.
This is not how city development works. Public money starts first. And then, private follows.
The City of Waco has a sizable economic development office. They have a strategic plan that governs development in Waco. They provide develop incentive programs (i.e. TIF, Tax breaks, etc) to get private money to do business Waco and typically push them to develop in specific areas. The Riverfront is a great example.
They also reach out to private entities to convince them to open manufacturing, retail, hotels, restaurants, office, etc in areas of town that they want to push.
LaSalle is dead because the city hasn't decided it needs to put money there to develop it. Private money doesn't show up out of nowhere and decide it needs to develop an area.
Here is Waco's Economic Development Strategic Plan developed in 2023:
https://www.waco-texas.com/files/content/public/v/49/departments/economic-development/2023-04-20-waco-edsp-final.pdf