Residents upbeat about possible improvements for Kingsville
KINGSVILLE, Texas—David Morris understands what a new look can do for someone's self-esteem.
The Corpus Christi Caller-Times reports he has spent a lifetime sprucing up people's lives by styling, primping and cutting hair for one of South Texas' oldest barber shops.
A fresh new fade can make the difference between landing a job and not. Between getting a first date and staying home on Friday night.
"Impression is everything," said Morris, 77, a barber since the days when a haircut cost just 75 cents.
When he heard the city's downtown may soon be getting a much-needed makeover of its own, he could relate.
Details of what is formally called the Kingsville Downtown Vision Plan were revealed by the city during a public forum in February. They've taken on new urgency in recent weeks.
Plans call for a civic events center, the rehabilitation of the old Texas Theater and improving downtown's connectivity to Texas A&M University-Kingsville through bike paths. It also calls for establishing a "museum cluster;" a concept that ties together the Train Depot, the King Ranch Museum and the Mother Julia Museum with a tree-lined walkway within reach of downtown.
It could be the shot in the arm this military town of 26,000 residents has needed for years.
"It's going to be nice, from what I've seen," Morris said of the project. "Once it develops, it's going to be a good thing for downtown."
City leaders are convinced they've been missing out on scores of tourism dollars for years. The drab, unattractive look of the downtown business district is a hard sell to visitors who want to stick close to U.S. Highway 77, with all its chain restaurants, hotels and travel conveniences.
While some businesses downtown are surviving, the years of neglect there are visible. That's particularly true on Kleberg Avenue, which is dotted with vacant storefronts and loan businesses.
"Every vibrant community has a vibrant downtown," said Manny Salazar, executive director of the Greater Kingsville Economic Development Council. "This (project) is going to modernize and improve things in downtown, make downtown more navigable for people. "Kingsville's best days are ahead."
The improvement plan was developed through a partnership with the University of Texas-San Antonio Center for Urban and Regional Planning Research and the Rural Business Program.
City Manager Jesús Garza said revitalizing downtown is crucial to generating more sales tax revenue to pay for future improvements and infrastructure needs.
The first phase of the project is being paid for from a previously allocated $1 million certificate of obligation. City officials have been working several months, trying to leverage those funds to get grants for additional improvements. Garza said they hope to eventually to complete as much as $2.4 million in renovations if the city is awarded grant money.
Downtown business owners, like Michael G. Chapa, have been patient. They're now eager to see more traffic.
It'll be three years in May since Chapa, a retired Army Ranger who grew up in Kingsville, got the keys to the Fuentes Building and opened Clydesman Fitness.
The tan building, at the corner of east Kleberg and Seventh Street, was once a consignment store. Then a bank. It also was a five-and-dime store; the words "Ben Franklin 5/10," a reminder of those days, are still etched in the silver hand rail at the main entrance.
These days, customers there do squat thrusts, burpees and other muscle-building cross-fit moves to Eminem's "Phenomenal" blaring through concert speakers.
"In downtown ... there's a vibe," said Chapa, 39. "But in a smaller city, you get almost get a historic feel in downtown, enrichment you wouldn't get in a bigger, newer city."
"It's cool to come down here and try to establish something that was my own brand, that would fit in with older stores."
The plan will be formally considered by the City Commission at an upcoming regular meeting. At which time, the council would be able to formally submit a grant application to potentially bring in additional federal funds to help pay for the improvements.
Morris learned of the improvement plan on Facebook just a few weeks ago. He supports it, saying the project could be just what the city needs to restore not only its business district, but also its pride.
Morris worked construction until he was 19, when he decided to go to a barber college in San Antonio. That was in 1959. He's been a barber ever since.
Most of that time he worked at King Barber Shop, on the 900 block of West King Avenue. He and his business partners leased the storefront for decades, until three years ago, when a new owner purchased it with other plans for the property.
That meant Morris had to leave. Morris' son helped him find a store, on Kleberg. That deal only lasted six months because that owner wanted to open an art gallery there.
Morris had to move yet again. He ended up a few doors from Chapa's gymnasium.
Now, a year into his new place, Morris is weighing buying the property outright.
"We need it (improvements)," Morris said. "If it turns out like they say, it's going to be really nice, from what I see. Really nice."