Downtown Development

The Terrell City Council voted in 2017 to create a Downtown Plan. This included the concept of building a park on a single block downtown to serve as a Town Square and then locating a new library across a street from the park to serve as a focal point for downtown redevelopment.

When Council selected KSA Engineering in 2020 to study this planning concept in more detail, the idea of a small-scale single block park and library grew into a larger idea. The Council recognized that not only does the City need a new library, it also needs a new Senior Center, a Community Center and a variety of City Administrative offices. Council also was able to review the pros and cons of a Central Park type concept for the Town Square.

The City Council reviewed a variety of options and selected the version as described in the report because it provided for a more robust, well-rounded civic plaza that could be home to a larger park and additional civic facilities. This option also creates the need for land acquisition, which is a process guided by a variety of State and Federal procedures intended to protect the rights of private landowners.

After careful consideration, Council passed Resolution 1066 on November 2, 2021, endorsing this approach. Implementation of this expanded Town Square with multiple civic buildings and a central park is expected to take many years to complete, but it creates a framework for the City to methodically create a top-quality public space for the citizens of Terrell to enjoy for decades to come.