Thursday night is the first step in the city of Bryan’s development of new land use regulations in the newly created midtown district…which is generally defined as from downtown to the south city limits and between Finfeather and South College.
Staff planner Lindsay Hackett invites everyone to a public meeting to provide opinions to the city’s consultants.
Hackett says the timing of new regulations comes as developers are already making changes in the midtown area.
Thursday’s gathering starts at 6 p.m. at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church…in the gym located on the Williamson Street side of the campus off South College.
Click HERE for more information from the city of Bryan.
Click below for comments from Lindsay Hackett, visiting with WTAW’s Bill Oliver.
Additional information from the city of Bryan:
The City of Bryan has embarked on a proactive planning process to unlock opportunities for sustainable development and redevelopment of Midtown. Boundaries include South College Avenue and Finfeather Road from the Bryan/College Station City limit line to the revitalized historic Downtown, a Texas Cultural District. The Midtown area is a premiere landscape that can accommodate growing demand for quality housing, commercial services, restaurants and entertainment offerings while enhancing the existing neighborhood fabric along this important corridor.
WHAT: Bryan Midtown Development Public Workshop
WHEN: Thursday, November 29th – 6 PM
WHERE: St. Michael’s Episcopal Church Gym – 107 Williamson Drive, Bryan, TX
We invite you to be a part of this master planning process to share your ideas and ask questions. This inaugural meeting will outline the project and planning methodologies while providing opportunities to discuss the challenges, uncover ideas, and identify important community assets in the planning area.
The plan will be the principle guide in helping strengthen the future of the Midtown area by promoting orderly growth, development and redevelopment of the Midtown area. Recommendations may include changes to standard zoning districts and the creation of new districts to help maximize the areas potential while enhancing the quality of life for the surrounding neighborhoods.
The study area includes approximately two-square miles of area surrounding the Travis B. Bryan Municipal Park from Downtown Bryan to the city limits shared with the City of College Station, generally bounded by Finfeather Road to the west and South College Avenue to the east.
“We want to encourage sustainable growth within our community, including this important corridor connecting our historic Downtown to Texas A&M University,” said Martin Zimmermann, Assistant Director of Development Services for the City of Bryan. “Midtown has the potential to be a premiere destination that enhances our quality of life and protects neighborhood integrity in Bryan.”
To assist with the planning process, Bryan City Council appointed members of the community to serve on the Midtown Plan Advisory Committee (MPAC) to provide insight and feedback. Made up of local business and real estate developers, representatives from the Bryan Business Council, Planning and Zoning Commission, Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, City Council, City staff, neighborhood organizations and representatives of local trade, tourism and economic development groups, the committee will be meeting regularly to help craft the master plan.
A cross disciplinary team of consultants has also been engaged, including architects, urban designers, City officials, mixed-use development experts, economic developers, LEED Accredited Professionals, and partners with experience in zoning/ordinance writing. All will be conducting community interviews and facilitating a wide variety of meetings from November 28th through December 1st as part of the project launch and will continue working with city staff, the MPAC, and the community at-large throughout the process.
“Bryan’s Midtown is uniquely positioned to bring together all the wonderful things that make a city like Bryan thrive. From an emerging downtown, to a new park, to academic services, and beautiful, established neighborhoods, Midtown has the capacity to both connect and host regionally significant amenities,” said Matthew Hoffman, the project consultant team lead from Miller Boskus Lack Architects, P.A.