BY SHELBIE HAMILTON & HANNAH JOHNSON CONTRIBUTIONS BY DUSTIN BUTLER & COLBY FARR
Who it affects
Looking ahead
John Arellano, manager for Cricket Wireless, a business in one of the properties set to be demol- ished, said he and his area managers have not received communication from the city about the project. Everything he has learned about the project came from social media. Businesses next door, such as The Comedy Arena and Thomason Tire, are not slated for demolition. Thomason Tire owner Jeri Thomason Laney said her concern is the widening of McDonald Street, which will make turning into her business difficult. Laney also said because the area is commercial, she does not think it needs to be beautified. The Comedy Arena owner Von Daniel compared the expected construction to the impact seen by businesses when the COVID-19 pandemic started. “Construction is not shutting down the entire world, just a couple of streets,” Daniel said. “After all that’s said and done, … it’ll be fine.” Fuller said the roadway has historically acted as a barrier to “nonautomotive means of transportation.”
"This park might bring business into the whole community. People are going to want to come … to see the new park, … which might bring dollars that wouldn’t have been coming this way without it." VON DANIEL, OWNER OF THE COMEDY ARENA He said he expects the project will turn “divisive infrastructure” into a public space that also offers increased connectivity. The project also has the potential to drive eco- nomic growth, he said, noting that amenities often follow the development of green space. “There’s always going to be parcels or property that are impacted greater than others, and it is unfortunate, but I believe that [there is a] holistic benefit to the community, including those busi- nesses,” Fuller said.
2024: Environmental review and public engagement phase
Q1 2025-Q4 2026: Right-of-way acquisition and building demolition
Q4 2024-Q2 2029: Construction of SH 5 project by TxDOT
Q3 2025-Q4 2026: Final park and infrastructure design by the city
Q4 2026-Q1 2030: Construction of the bridge, infrastructure and park
SOURCE: CITY OF MCKINNEY/COMMUNITY IMPACT
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