Real Estate / Neighborhoods

Dallas Suburb to Reinvent its Historic Downtown, Build a Mini Walkable City

Inside Richardson's Ambitious Transformation

BY // 06.12.19

Richardson, the Dallas suburb just 20 minutes north of downtown Dallas, is finally ready to reinvent its historic downtown district. The original business district, off of Main Street and just east of Central Expressway, will be reworked to bring Richardson’s deteriorating downtown back to life.

The city is already working on a $80 million public safety complex at Main Street and Greenville Avenue. Next, developers Durkin Properties and Catalyst Urban Development are teaming up with the city to improve streets and buildings.

Keeping some of the old commercial buildings intact, to maintain the historical vibe, the city is working on creating a walkable, pedestrian-friendly district similar to what nearby Plano and Frisco have already created.

Earlier in the year, the city approved a $21 million rebuild of the streetscape in the district. The construction is planned to be complete by next year. The goal is to create an atmosphere where small businesses can thrive, like the current Tavern on Main Street. There will soon be a boulevard and there are talks to bring new restaurants and co-working spaces to the area.

There will also be a 15-acre urban village called Town Central, which will replace parkings lots. The new village plans include apartments, stores and townhouses. Richardson Gateway is the first phase of the overall urban rehaul and includes four and five-story mixed-use buildings, as well as two and three-story townhouses. The residential building will have a pool courtyard, fitness facilities, coffee lounge and entertainment areas.

With plans to also enhance the area with walking trails and more outdoorsy public areas, there has been some comparison of the redevelopment to a version of Oak Cliff’s Bishop Arts District. As seen in West Plano, in developments like Legacy West, more and more millennials are choosing to move to these mini, walkable cities in the suburbs and Richardson should be no different.

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