WACO, Texas (KXXV) — A plaza between Austin Avenue and Franklin Avenue on 7th Street in downtown Waco is being brought back to life, bringing hope for increased foot traffic to local businesses.
Sidney Warren, who owns Marie's Wine Bar on Austin Avenue, less than a block away from the 7th Street Plaza, sees the revitalization as a positive development for the area.
"It's good for us because we need more people coming down and seeing different things," Warren said.
Warren believes the plaza will help introduce Austin Avenue to visitors unfamiliar with the area.
"I think Austin Avenue needs to reintroduce itself for a number of people who aren't from Waco, and so anything that can help that introduction means so much because more foot traffic means more customers potentially," Warren said.
Ashley Millerd, Waco's senior planner of beautification, expressed excitement about seeing the space finished after it had been empty for a couple of years.
"It's amazing… I hadn't been downtown in a while. I noticed how bad the previous mural on the ground had kind of faded, and so watching it all come to light. You know, going through the bid process and looking at some of the artist's creations, this was, this is a perfect fit, and it speaks volumes when it says Waco forever," Millerd said.
The plaza originally closed to vehicle traffic in the summer of 2021 for a "trial run" to explore potential uses for the area, but eventually became run-down.
"We want to bring it back to life," Millerd said.
Creative Waco is currently working on an interactive mural in the plaza to replace the faded original artwork. The city is also adding lighting and upcycled furniture before opening the space to the public.
City Center Waco will manage future programming for the plaza in partnership with Creative Waco.
The revitalization project is costing the city $102,000 this year, with future annual costs estimated at $15,000 for maintenance and $10,000 for programming.
While the project is currently underway, the city reports some delays due to weather and other circumstances.
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