Amy Cochran and her husband, Steve, live right near what could soon be Cedar Park’s next big thing. Looking at their future backyard, they’re optimistic.
“It looks much better than what it is now,” Amy Cochran said of the city’s plan.
On Wednesday, the city unveiled the final concept for what is now just a busy highway of strip malls and auto shops.
“We’ve heard from the public for years now that they really want kind of this gathering place, kind of this central hub to the community,” Cedar Park Assistant City Manager Katherine Caffrey said. “We believe that this redevelopment can provide that.”
The proposed plan will move Bell Boulevard, also known as 183, further east. That opens up a 40-acre oval of retail, office and residential development, which will also include an additional 12-acre park.
“It’s a place where people can live, work, play and do all sorts of other activities,” Caffrey said.
Some shop owners along the current Bell Boulevard have concerns about what construction—and rerouting traffic—might do to their business. But the city says by building a new roadway east of the project, they hope to minimize disruption.
“It lessens the burden of major construction on commuters,” Caffrey said. “Plus additional access to businesses will be maintained the entire time.”
It could take years to see these renderings come to life, but Amy Cochran says she’s OK with the wait.
“Progress takes time,” she said.
The first phase of the plan could be funded partly by the city. Cedar Park's City Council is considering the item as part of a larger bond package for November. The city hopes private investors will jump in for the larger retail and residential projects.