The city of Frisco is known for being one of the fastest-growing cities in the country.
Modern buildings and new development have been the norm in recent years but at the same time, city leaders have their sights set on the past.
On Friday morning, they plan to break ground on a new redevelopment project in Frisco's historic downtown.
"There's a lot of things that are new and shiny in Frisco, from the PGA to The Star and Toyota Stadium – you name it. But what this project is about is kind of remembering the history and making sure that that is preserved. And that we're paying attention to the things that aren't new,” said Frisco mayor Jeff Cheney. “That's why I'm really excited about this project.”
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HONORING HISTORY
Frisco is one of the oldest cities in the metroplex.
According to Visit Frisco, the city got its start from hardy pioneers who helped settle one of America’s newest states at the time: Texas, which was admitted to the Union in 1845.
Most families who came to North Texas prairie followed the Preston Trail, which is today’s Preston Road. It was a trail that began as an Indian footpath from the Red River south to Austin.
With all the new activity, a community was founded along the trail, which led to a U.S. post office in 1860. Then in 1902, the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway was being built through the area, and periodic watering holes were needed along the rails for the steam engines. The new growth from the railroad marked the beginnings of Frisco, named in honor of the railway company.
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The Rail District in historic downtown Frisco bore witness to the changing landscape over the decades.
“We were a farming community where the railroad came through our town and that's kind of what spurred the development here at the start of the community. It's grown over the last 20 years. People who haven't seen Frisco in that period, it's very different,” said Mayor Cheney.
According to Frisco historians, the population remained below 2,000 residents until a growth spurt in the 1980s foreshadowed what was to come. By 2011, the population grew to 120,000. Today, Frisco’s population is well over 200,000.
With the newcomers to North Texas, city leaders said they wanted to find a way to not only complement to Frisco’s growth but to honor their history. Plans to redevelop the historic downtown have been two decades in the making, but it wasn’t until 2017 that a downtown master plan was developed and later approved to help move the $70 million project forward.
City leaders also traveled to other historic downtowns as far as Colorado and North Carolina to draw inspiration for the project.
“A tremendous amount of investment is going in from the city and people are just really excited,” said Cheney.
WHAT TO EXPECT
The district already boasts murals, historically preserved buildings that now house locally-owned businesses, and historic homes.
The project will beautify the existing landmarks while also creating some additions. Click here for full details.
Elm and Main Streets are getting makeovers, including:
- Widening of the sidewalks to make it more walkable
- Added on-street parallel parking on Elm
- Improved street lighting
- New street signage and additional traffic light at 5th and Elm
- Construct wider sidewalks to include benches and trees on Main
- Add a rail-type barrier separating the east and west-bound lanes, continuing the rail theme throughout Main Street
Work has already been completed on Elm Street, with Main Street expected to start soon.
Additionally, 4th Street will be closed and transformed into a permanent plaza to serve as a pedestrian connection between Elm and Main Streets. Features include:
- Rail-themed covered path will guide visitors across Main Street and into the Plaza
- Amphitheater
- Large green space with open seating
- Restroom facility
- Parking garage
Click here to see more pictures of what the completed district will look like.
Mayor Cheney said he hopes the historic district can be a place where residents can slow down and get back to their roots.
"You want to be able to tell your story and have a sense of identity. And just always remember where you came from, what your roots are, and how the community started,” he said. “That's preserving those family stories and the family farms that helped build Frisco and grow into us today, to the recent stories that are being developed.”
Frisco will celebrate its 125th birthday in two years. That’s the target date for the project to be completed, not so much for the birthday but also for a big event happening around that time.
The downtown district is located just half a mile away from Toyota Stadium, which is the home of FC Dallas. Mayor Cheney said the city hopes to finish construction just in time for the FIFA World Cup in 2026.
