Plan would revamp downtown Montgomery
Contractors present city officials with proposal to improve parking, public streetscapes and environment for pedestrians
MONTGOMERY—Downtown Montgomery could look a little different if city officials decide to approve projects from a master plan that would drastically change and improve the area’s public and private roads.
City officials considered a proposal presented by local contractors that would revamp Montgomery’s beloved historic downtown.
Jim Patterson, owner of White Oak Studios which was approved by the Montgomery Economic Development Corp. to put a study together around a year ago, presented council members his vision for a better downtown.
“We’re excited to help them create a long-term vision for how downtown can be the center of Montgomery, and help businesses to thrive and provide a place that people will really have fun going to,” Patterson said.
The improvement plan can be achieved using a three-pronged approach: improve overall parking, invest in public streetscapes and create a safe environment for pedestrians, Patterson said.
Some ideas include adding sidewalks, incorporating trees to provide shade, and installing decorative light poles and large Texas flags to beautify some streets. Patterson’s pitch included ideas for Prairie Street, McCown Street and the Liberty Street intersection.
For solutions on the issue of parking in downtown, the plan proposes adding 15-minute parking spaces for customers looking to quickly drop in and out of a store as well as partnering with private businesses for shared-use parking.
Patterson also showed sketches of photo op displays that could potentially promote downtown Montgomery as a spot to take selfies and attract new visitors.
He said Montgomery is easily missed on Texas 105 due to the lack of signage, and a display feature could be one possibility to increase awareness.
The master plan also proposes an entrance into downtown at the north end, which would include a welcoming sign and a roundabout to alleviate traffic.
Lori Sanguedolce of Gunda Corp., the main consultant for the downtown project, said the timeline for some of the smaller projects within the overall plan can range from one to 10 years. Longterm projects like the Texas 105 project and Liberty Street roundabout could take anywhere from five to 10 years, she said.
City Council could receive funding for some of the street projects from the Texas Department of Transportation, which primarily overlooks highway maintenance, Sanguedolce said. However, funds for some of the more decorative components of the plan may have to come from the city budget.
Before a final vote on the master plan, City Administrator Richard Tramm reminded city officials that approval of the plan is a conceptual vote.
“Council’s approval to adopt this tonight doesn’t approve any of the work to move forward,” Tramm said. “All of that work has to be individually approved … construction projects have to be designed or approved individually.”
After discussion, city officials unanimously approved the adoption of the downtown design master plan.
“Because Montgomery has such a tradition of cooperative improvements where parking is already somewhat on private property,” Patterson said, “that’s why we felt comfortable … showing these visionary ideas on both public right-of-way and on private property.”