At a Nov. 3 McKinney City Council work session, Planning Manager Cassie Bumgarner detailed a comprehensive downtown revitalization effort that includes nine multi‑million‑dollar projects spanning streets, pedestrian crossings, parking, and public facilities. The plan, funded by the city, is intended to address aging infrastructure, enhance safety for walkers and drivers, and lay the groundwork for future office and hotel development, directly impacting daily life for McKinney residents.
Road and infrastructure upgrades
Two major street‑reconstruction programs were outlined. The Tennessee, Lamar and Hunt streets corridor will receive full pavement reconstruction, upgraded water, wastewater and storm‑drainage systems, new ADA‑compliant sidewalks, street lighting, landscaping and hardscaping. Phase 1, which began with utility work on Hunt, Tennessee and Lamar streets, will involve wastewater work on all three streets and water work on Hunt and Lamar. The project is slated for November 2026 through December 2028 and carries an estimated cost of about $19.5 million, according to Community Impact.
A second program will improve Church, Henry, Wood, College, Hunt, Davis and Valley streets with the same scope of reconstruction and utility upgrades. This effort is scheduled for summer 2027 to summer 2029 and is budgeted at roughly $25.2 million, also reported by Community Impact.
Pedestrian crossing enhancements
The city is coordinating with TxDOT on an at‑grade crossing for State Highway 5 between East Virginia Street and East Louisiana Street. While the right‑of‑way improvements are tied to TxDOT’s Phase 2 reconstruction, McKinney staff are also exploring independent upgrades such as vertical monuments and streetscape elements to improve safety and aesthetics.
Parking improvements
A downtown parking management project will install cameras in February to capture real‑time space availability, followed by digital signage at the South Kentucky Lot, Cloyd Lot and Chestnut Garage in March or April. The city’s semi‑regular parking study, which collected data in July and August, is being finalized and is expected to be published in December.
Facility renovations and redevelopment
The historic Chestnut elevated storage tank is being rehabilitated and decommissioned, with new lighting installed and a T‑Mobile antenna relocation in progress. Two city‑owned properties—the former City Hall and former Development Services building—are being demolished to clear sites for potential office and hotel projects, with developer submissions slated for review in December.
The Roy & Helen Hall Memorial Library will reopen on Dec. 1 after a redesign that adds youth and teen spaces and a 55‑seat planetarium; a grand opening celebration is scheduled for Dec. 5, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Meanwhile, the McKinney Performing Arts Center is undergoing interior renovations, including restroom upgrades, theater seating, infrastructure repairs and exterior painting that restores its historic green accents. Public access to the building and restrooms remains restricted, and some parking on Tennessee Street is impacted.
What’s next
Residents can expect camera installation for the parking system in February, digital signage rollout by April, the downtown parking study release in December, and the library’s reopening on Dec. 1. City officials also plan to evaluate developer proposals for the former City Hall and Development Services sites in December, setting the stage for future downtown growth.
Sources: communityimpact.com, communityimpact.com
