Like traffic zooming through the center of town, plans to begin redeveloping downtown Mineral Wells are on a fast pace to initial implementation.
Mineral Wells Rotarians on Wednesday heard a more in-depth presentation from City Manager Lance Howerton about the designs and plans for a downtown makeover that includes gateway features to help give downtown an identity, landscaping, new intersection features, canopies and pedestrian alley to take visitors from the parking areas to the shops and restaurants on North Oak Avenue.
Howerton said the plans are based on an initial design plan created about 15 years ago that were dusted off by a new downtown redevelopment subcommittee born from Envision Mineral Wells.
He said hopes are that by this fall, the Texas Department of Transportation will have under contract a project that will redevelop intersections in a three-block stretch of Oak Avenue that will feature "bubble outs" on each corner of the intersections and install stained and etched concrete patterns to provide new decorative crosspoints in downtown.
Howerton said the planned Phase I project is estimated to cost $426,000 overall with the city providing about $80,000 of that in engineering, surveying and geotechnical costs for an approximate 80/20 cost share with TxDOT. The city's costs will be funded by monies in the special downtown Tax Investment Zone, created in 2008, and would not come from the general fund.
"TxDOT is very excited about this project," Howerton said.
Other proposed features include an estimated $200,000 project for pedestrian access from North Oak Avenue to the west parking lots that would include an arched sign and features within the walkway such as benches, landscaping and perhaps a water feature.
The proposed north and south gateways are designed similar to gateway features seen in other towns and cities like Arlington and Denton. For Mineral Wells, they would play off the Baker Hotel featuring similarly colored brick and terracotta tiles welcoming people to downtown Mineral Wells.
The citizens bond committee looked at a capital improvements project totaling $1.2 million for downtown but decided to not include it in its recommendation to city council of six bond projects proposed for a May 2019 bond election. Council could decide to include that project if it chooses, or delay it for another future bond package.
Howerton noted recent downtown surveys and studies, and referred to city council's recent approval for completion of a downtown area historic resources survey that he said could help with the creation of a historic overlay district that would help downtown property owners apply for monies to help with redevelopment and preservation costs.
He was asked about bringing back a Main Street program, which the city had in the 1980s but discontinued. Howerton such a program will work and receive support in the form of technical assistance and guidance but ultimately it will cost about six figures annually to implement and fund a program.
Rotary Club of Mineral Wells meets every Wednesday at noon at Holiday Hills Country Club for lunch, networking, updates on club news and projects and a program of interest. If you are interested in attending a meeting, presenting a program or becoming a member, seek out a Rotarian for more information and invitation.
Pictured, from left, are Rotary Club President David Cairone, John Richardson of the City of Mineral Wells' Information Technology Department and City Manager Lance Howerton.