A bell rings and Jassi Singh comes out the kitchen with a tray in hand. The tray is piled high with traditional Indian desserts and food for a family of five eagerly waiting in a booth in the corner. The colors of the sweets range from light shades of pink to green and the heat over the food dances as the spices overwhelm the senses. Singh, the owner of Royal Sweets on Inge Drive has been doing business in Richardson for the past decade.
“Been here a long time and seen many changes in Richardson,” says Singh. “My restaurant has survived both the good and bad times. I cannot wait to see what’s next.”
Singh’s restaurant is located in a core area the City of Richardson is strategically planning to redevelop and revitalize over the next few years. Singh’s business is doing well despite the economy, and he hopes the new redevelopment to the area will continue that trend.
“Redevelopment is a marathon not a sprint and Richardson realizes that its future is in redevelopment,” says Tina Firgens, planning projects manager of Richardson, as she looks over a highlighted map of Richardson one day recently, explaining the plan and efforts for revitalization. “There are many properties in that area tired and not being used at their greatest potential and there are opportunities in the future for enhancement of existing properties.”
In January 2009, the City Council of Richardson adopted a new comprehensive plan which identified areas in the city that needed revitalization. Envisioned as a long-term project for the City of Richardson, the plan is intended to direct development and redevelopment for the next 20 to 30 years. The target area, or Corridor, for the redevelopment includes a total area of approximately 415 acres. The Corridor is bordered by the city entrance from Dallas to Arapaho Road in the north and Floyd Road to Greenville Avenue on the east and west side.
The Corridor is split into 11 named districts targeted for redevelopment. These districts each serve a different role in the city, depending on the demographic of the area, and whether they are residential or commerial. The Main Street and the Central Expressway districts will be the first sites for redevelopment. Other districts include Rustic Circle, Chinatown, and McKamy Spring District.
“There is an interest to revitalize the downtown area to create and identity for the old Main Street area,” says Firgens. “Exactly how that is going to occur is yet to be seen but with the public input from residents and business owners we are getting better picture.”
The Main Street and the Central Expressway districts are major access route for the community, business areas, and neighborhoods. Enhancement efforts like the addition of bicycle lanes are un. The redevelopment plans will work in phases, focusing on one district before moving redevelopment efforts to the next district.
Currently, planners and city officials are addressing rezoning and new development standards for the entire 11 district Corridor. The rezoning will essentially restructure what local businesses can and cannot do with their land and development. Rezoning issues are expected to conclude by the end of 2014.
The City of Richardson is situated 15 miles north of downtown Dallas. The North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) estimates the DFW Metroplex population will grow from 6.1 million to 9.1 million over the next 20 to 30 years. Richardson is projected to grow to approximately 113,800 residents and 163,000 employees by 2030. As a first-ring suburb, the city is surrounded by other Dallas and other close-in suburbs. The increase in population and employment will require new strategies due to the limited amount of vacant land, officials say.
The city conducted a survey of residents and business owners in February 2012, seeking input on the vision people have for the area and what they want to see in the future. Residents also participated in three public meetings and one all-day focus group. Many more resident-centered meetings are to come in the future.
“We wanted public input and reached out in different ways such as social media,” says Keith Krum, senior planner. “We had a variety of options for the public to be involved. Public meetings included one-on-one times, presentations, and keypad polling. We anticipate to continue this variety in the next phase.”
Comments from the survey include:
“Would like to see this as a work/live/play area in Richardson.”
“I believe the downtown area should be preserved to a large degree, especially the north side of Main Street which is the original Old Town built in the late 1800’s.”
“We should encourage small businesses from individuals with diverse backgrounds and nationalities… It would improve our community’s appearance and reputation while bringing them more business as well.”
The redevelopment efforts have also sought inspiration from well-known and popular areas in Dallas such as the Bishop Arts District, Highland Park and West Village. The project planners hope to add more catalyst sites in the districts that will improve the overall surrounding area. One example of a catalyst site is the newly added Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in the Richardson Heights shopping district. Firgens believes that it only takes one project or new business to kick off redevelopment.
Mohammad Khan, a local business owner in Richardson Heights shopping district, closed up shop one dark wintery night recently. Behind him stands a lifetime of hard work with brightly lit white and green sign reading “Taj Mahal Imports.”
“Shopping traffic in the areas has increased in the past few months,” says Khan. “I have been in this country a long time and this city is always improving.”
