Burleson Focus Fall 2019 Edition
Construction starts on Mayor Vera Calvin Plaza in Old Town Old Town Burleson is experiencing a pronounced rebirth due to decades of investment and strong planning work. Starting more than 20 years ago with the Old Town Development and Preservation Plan, the City Council and City Staff have worked to install strategic improvements and make decisions that foster a vibrant and beneficial district.
planners and architects in Old Town to discuss projects that could build upon our success but also lay the groundwork for a truly walkable, mixed-use district. The plan places an emphasis on a public plaza, an Old Town identity, safe and walkable rail crossings, higher education and expanded living opportunities.
In the years since that plan was adopted, the city added hundreds of parking spaces in the railroad right-of-way, recruited destination restaurants, and invested in infrastructure and hardscaping on multiple occasions. This has helped leverage tens of millions of dollars of private investment in the district.
The city has invested in many action items since the plan was adopted in 2016. To date, more public parking has been completed on Bufford and N. Main Streets, construction is nearing completion on Renfro Street that will calm traffic and increase walkability, quiet zone crossings at rail intersections are underway, and the landmark Mayor Vera Calvin Plaza has broken ground.
In 2015, the Congress for New Urbanism (CNU) approached the city about conducting a legacy charrette in Old Town Burleson due to its unique position and success in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. City leaders met with nationally recognized
The Mayor Vera Calvin Plaza is a TIF/4B funded investment in Old Town that will serve the residents of Burleson and visitors of Old Town for generations. Continued on page 3
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