Downtown Redevelopment Website

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Edmond Bear
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7:39a, 8/29/24
Waco built a website to explain downtown redevelopment, timing, and events.

https://www.wacodowntownredevelopment.com


In addition to disappearing the convention center, it looks like they are going to shrink and move the ALICO building.


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baylorguy09
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8:59a, 8/29/24
This redevelopment needs to happen sooner than later. The fact that this is going to take almost 20 years is too long... while exciting, other cities are building multiple major developments each year.
Waco needs to capitalize on the Magnolia thing as long as they can, but they cannot depend on it to hold the ship afloat. They need to do what they can to attract more blue-collar jobs that will sustain the developments we are seeing in not just be a one and done.

They also need to figure out a way to KEEP Baylor graduates and younger workforce in the area and building a better workforce that will plant and grow their families here.

Magnolia lit the fire and did the hard part to change the public opinion of Waco, but the city leadership needs to get out of the "old school" ways of doing things and capitalize. I hate to say it, but Temple is starting to figure it out and they are getting a lot of big industry moving in there. Pretty soon, a lot of the "fancier" stuff we are getting in Waco will be heading down that way instead.

Waco should utilize its central location in the state to attract more conventions and youth competitions. If they say a bigger convention center will bring in more conventions and make us more competitive in that realm, then let's make it happen. Stop spending all this time on studies and red tape and delaying it further and further. Convention center on the river, with a nice hotel attached, with close (if not connected) access to the new performing arts center. You would have the opportunity to bring in a LOT of events and host bigger things to draw tourism in and more money.

Waco has great potential - just need to keep the ball rolling quicker.
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PartyBear
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10:07a, 8/29/24
Agree that this should be more of a 5-10 year plan. While at this point I think more than Magnolia is driving this, I would just point out that Magnolia is already 11 years old.
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whitetrash
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In reply to Edmond Bear • 10:28a, 8/29/24
Edmond Bear said:
Waco built a website to explain downtown redevelopment, timing, and events.

https://www.wacodowntownredevelopment.com


In addition to disappearing the convention center, it looks like they are going to shrink and move the ALICO building.




Alico and Roosevelt will stay in place and remain the same size. It's the Texas Life and National Lloyds buildings that are moving toward the river and doubling in height.

And who's building a 10 story building out near 17th and Webster?
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Calrocks94
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10:46a, 8/29/24

I went to the meeting yesterday. I was the young force in there talking about as what I would like to see with the future of Waco and I'm excited for everything. I told him we need more performances and more entertainment options downtown Waco should be a better live music city, concerts, and stuff and the only way to get it going is to start with the first part which is uncovering the old creek downtown and putting some infrastructure and once that is, it'll open up all the other spots could speed up or slow down an estimation 10 to 20 but they said it could happen a lot quicker Way to private development start with the infrastructure businesses and companies are wanting to wake up, but they've got Waco some improvements
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Edmond Bear
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11:42a, 8/29/24
Edmond Bear
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11:57a, 8/29/24

The Convention Center, Performing Arts Center, and Mary Ave Street Festival area are years 4 to 8 which seems about right.

I agree about developing a Youth Sports Complex and would prefer it over a baseball stadium. Waco's location is a huge advantage, an easy day trip for 3 top 10 metros in the US. Would make for alot more hotel and dining tax base to create a healthier Waco.

The area below is the same size as the Craig Ranch Youth Sports Complex in McKinney/Allen. You would have to move Lipsitz Metals, a Dollar General and a pawn store. It is positioned to face the river and downtown. It would be next to the Riverwalk trail. There are three new hotels and a redeveloped Elm Street in easy walking distance + a dozen more hotels in Tuk Tuk distance. And, maybe the best feature, The Water Works would suddenly be a hot property.









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Yogi
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1:18p, 8/29/24
Dear Lord the ALICO shrank!!!

Did it get cold or something?
"Smarter than the Average Bear."
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Yogi
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In reply to whitetrash • 1:21p, 8/29/24
whitetrash said:
Edmond Bear said:
Waco built a website to explain downtown redevelopment, timing, and events.

https://www.wacodowntownredevelopment.com


In addition to disappearing the convention center, it looks like they are going to shrink and move the ALICO building.




Alico and Roosevelt will stay in place and remain the same size. It's the Texas Life and National Lloyds buildings that are moving toward the river and doubling in height.

And who's building a 10 story building out near 17th and Webster?
I believe that is the new location of the Dyson Grant Hotel...
"Smarter than the Average Bear."
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Bexar Pitts
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In reply to Edmond Bear • 5:12p, 8/29/24
Edmond, Lipsitz started in their Bridge Street location in 1895...I wonder if any remediation would be required...and if so,what the remediation costs would be for that piece of property? I haven't a clue...Note: Post edited several times.
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Edmond Bear
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In reply to Bexar Pitts • 6:39p, 8/29/24
Bexar Pitts said:
Edmond, Lipsitz has been in their Bridge Street location since 1895...I wonder what the remediation costs would be for that piece of property? I haven't a clue...


While the company does date back to 1895, it moved several times and in 1975 located to Elm street where we see it today.

But, your point still stands, it's 50 years of who knows what leaching into that soil. And, that's what makes ballfields the perfect use of that land next to a park and a river.

Salmon and Lipsitz (current owners) might be looking to escape responsibility for runoff of whatever into the river.
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Bexar Pitts
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In reply to Edmond Bear • 9:04p, 8/29/24
Edmond Bear said:
Bexar Pitts said:
Edmond, Lipsitz has been in their Bridge Street location since 1895...I wonder what the remediation costs would be for that piece of property? I haven't a clue...


While the company does date back to 1895, it moved several times and in 1975 located to Elm street where we see it today.

But, your point still stands, it's 50 years of who knows what leaching into that soil. And, that's what makes ballfields the perfect use of that land next to a park and a river.

Salmon and Lipsitz (current owners) might be looking to escape responsibility for runoff of whatever into the river.
Elm and Bridge St. are about a Par 3 apart! :-) Thank you for remnding me of the moves..You are correct about ballfields...Temple built a baseball/softball complex over an old sewer plant..I think Waco put ballfields close to the old sewer plant off LaSalle/University Parks. .If memory serves me correctly, I recall that there were issues in the past with PCB's from old transformers leaking into Lake Brazos, but that was cleaned up some time ago.
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CTbruin
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In reply to baylorguy09 • 5:40a, 8/30/24
Waco and McLennan County has experienced more growth in the last several years than in the last 8 decades.

The downtown development and river development is huge and ongoing. Population has increased including move-ins and yes.....Baylor grads staying around. I have three kids that graduated Baylor and they all stayed in McLennan County to work and raise their families.

The growth in the industrial district is substantial. I suggest you take a tour sometime.There are more jobs available than people to fill them.

Waco is providing incentive to attract all kinds of business or this would not be happening.
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Edmond Bear
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7:01a, 8/30/24

And, Temple has always attracted industry. My first job after Baylor was at Texas Instruments in Temple. That town ran 24/7 because of all of the three shift plants.

The HEB was just as busy at 1am as 1pm.
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baylorguy09
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In reply to CTbruin • 9:23a, 8/30/24
CTbruin said:
Waco and McLennan County has experienced more growth in the last several years than in the last 8 decades.

The downtown development and river development is huge and ongoing. Population has increased including move-ins and yes.....Baylor grads staying around. I have three kids that graduated Baylor and they all stayed in McLennan County to work and raise their families.

The growth in the industrial district is substantial. I suggest you take a tour sometime.There are more jobs available than people to fill them.

Waco is providing incentive to attract all kinds of business or this would not be happening.
I agree on most of your points, and I have been through the industrial area and there is growth. I would be interested to know if people filling those jobs are residing in Waco?

Having family in Temple-Belton area, the housing developments are literally shooting up overnight. Myself, having just moved to Waco from Austin am struggling to find a place as the inventory is extremely low, and in most cases, not affordable. I think a lot of folks are going to be moving to Temple/Bell County and making the shorter commute simply because the housing is more plentiful and affordable and the schools are not too bad. With housing growth, the commercial development that Waco loves so much can go with it.

We have had discussions on here before about the Waco city leadership being difficult to work with in regard to housing developers - I cannot speak on knowing any truth to that, just what I have heard on here from others. I feel that there are opportunities for great housing developments out the loop towards highway 6 toward Robinson. I feel a large development like Fairfield (Cy-Fair) or Cinco Ranch in Katy (minus the country clubs) would do well here and bring more folks to want to live in the area.

Regardless, exciting times. I, like all of us, want Waco to do well and be prosperous. Unlike the other major cities in Texas, we have a lot of "blank slate" that we can build on.
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BearCPA
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In reply to baylorguy09 • 7:58a, 9/2/24
I work for a developer/homebuilder out of Belton. We have a small community starting in Lorena and then have a large multi-phase development starting in less than a year off Speegleville Rd with starter homes. Waco is definitely a pain to work with but we recognize the demand exists.
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Plumb-line
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In reply to BearCPA • 11:09p, 9/3/24
BearCPA said:
I work for a developer/homebuilder out of Belton. We have a small community starting in Lorena and then have a large multi-phase development starting in less than a year off Speegleville Rd with starter homes. Waco is definitely a pain to work with but we recognize the demand exists.


Do you have a website for the development or a name/area?
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baylorguy09
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In reply to Plumb-line • 2:14p, 9/4/24
Plumb-line said:
BearCPA said:
I work for a developer/homebuilder out of Belton. We have a small community starting in Lorena and then have a large multi-phase development starting in less than a year off Speegleville Rd with starter homes. Waco is definitely a pain to work with but we recognize the demand exists.


Do you have a website for the development or a name/area?
I would be interested, too. I will be looking to lay the roots down soon in Waco as well. Renting has gotten to be not worth the cost.
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