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McKinney will seek resident input on the redevelopment of city-owned properties during a town hall meeting Wednesday.
Residents and others interested will have the opportunity to share with city staff what they would like to see developed downtown: new restaurants, retail space, hotels or workspaces. Feedback will be shared with the City Council and used to identify the right development partner, said Michael Quint, development services executive director for the city.
“Too often there’s not a lot of ways to engage with local government, and this is a way that is real, it’s tangible, it’s right now,” Quint said. “Folks can come out and put their fingerprints on the future of what I believe is one of the most special downtowns in North Texas, if not the entire state.”
The city has started constructing the new City Hall, scheduled to open in early 2025, downtown at the northwest corner of Throckmorton and Virginia streets. City staff will vacate current facilities, including the Development Services building and the current City Hall, leaving room for redevelopment opportunities. Two parking lots — one to the north of City Hall and the other to the east — will also be redeveloped.
Downtown has grown, and this opportunity gives the public a chance to weigh in on that growth, Quint said. In fiscal year 2021, downtown saw $75.8 million in taxable sales, with sales tax revenue reaching $1.5 million. Economic growth in the area has continued: In fiscal year 2022, downtown saw $94.2 million in taxable sales, with sales tax revenue reaching $1.88 million.
“We recognize that we have something unique and special in downtown McKinney right now, and I know that our citizens want to make sure that whatever is built here is a positive contribution,” Quint said.
1. Current zoning allows variety of usage
The current zoning for the four properties allows for a wide range of land use opportunities including townhomes, multi-family units, hotels, restaurants and personal services. Zoning allows for all properties to be up to five stories tall.
Zoning under the McKinney town center district focuses on facilitating pedestrian-oriented, mixed-use and urban-infill redevelopment, according to the city’s website.
2. Public key in partnership development
Public input will help inform a request for qualifications — a formalized document that the city uses to advertise a redevelopment opportunity, seeking specialty developers whose skills and focus align with how the community wants to see the area be redeveloped.
“We want to, if we can, get to a point where we’re looking at a couple of segments of the development market, and we only want those development groups to respond to us,” Quint said. “We need the public’s input to help inform and direct what type of partners that we’re ultimately going to start talking to.”
3. Visual preference surveys to guide input
Visual preference surveys will be displayed at the town hall to help gather input. The surveys use a variety of representative images on a board to gain consensus on public preference. For example, if the city wants to gain insight on types of streetscape, the board may include images of different types of bike racks, sidewalks, planters and seating.
City staff are currently planning for the boards to include streetscapes of pedestrian environments and architectural designs. Those who attend will be able to place dots on the images they prefer. The images with the most dots will be shared with the City Council.
“Different pedestrian environments will speak to different people,” Quint said. “We’re trying to understand what concepts the majority of people in and around downtown want to see, and that’s something we’ll want to share with our development partner.”
4. Process will be a good 4-year journey
Residents will be able to engage in the redevelopment process multiple times, Quint said.
“This is a long methodical journey that we’re going to be on for years,” said Quint, who met with the City Council in January to start the process.
“You may not see any dirt moving until early to mid-2025, and construction might take anywhere from 19 to 24 months depending on what is developed on those properties, so we’re talking about a good four-year journey.”
5. More on what to expect during town hall
The town hall will begin with a staff presentation, followed by public feedback through discussions and visual preference surveys, according to a press release from the city. It will be from 6 to 7 p.m. on April 26 at City Hall, 222 N. Tennessee St.
For those who can’t attend but still want to provide feedback, an online survey will be available.
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