Downtown dreams
City officials have publicly discussed ideas in open meetings for additional improvements and amenities in addition to those underway, although no actions have been taken to approve any of them yet. They include:
THE LAWNAT BRUSHY CREEK The project would expand and tie in to the existing Brushy Creek hike and bike trail. The expansion would bring additional parkland to downtown Round Rock and solve stormwater issues. Officials said The Lawn would serve as an added community amenity. The area is also the site for the city’s Heritage Trail East project along the south bank of Brushy Creek. 4
WATER TOWER-ADJACENT PARCELS
While it is still unclear where the Palm House will be relocated, Morgan said one option for the cham- ber’s new home could be the old library building at 216 E. Main St. Officials are also discussing park projects in the area, including The Lawn at Brushy Creek, which would extend an existing trail down Sheppard Street toward central downtown as an expansion to the Brushy Creek hike and bike trail. City staff stated the project would bring addi- tional parkland to downtown Round Rock and solve stormwater issues by providing options for water detention and water-quality management, and turn the area into a community amenity. In recent months, city staff stated develop- ers have expressed interest in creating a housing option similar to The Depot, but located on land near the city’s water tower along Mays Street and Liberty Avenue. Nancy Yawn, Round Rock Convention and Visi- tors Bureau director, said a thriving and dynamic downtown filled with varied local businesses and entertainment options enhances the visitor experi- ence, contributing to the local economy. “When you have your locals so proud, and [they have a] sense of place and community, tourists come down here like, ‘Wow, this is full of energy and just a great place to be,’” Yawn said. THE PALMHOUSE &ROUND ROCK PUBLIC LIBRARY Round Rock Chamber leaders announced in August they would seek new headquarters, and the city will relocate the Palm House to a yet-to-be determined location. A future location of the Palm House is left uncertain, but plans to relocate the structure are under discussion. The Round Rock Chamber intends to relocate to the old library building on East Main Street. 6
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The city of Round Rock owns parcels of land around its water tower, some of which are parkland. Developers have expressed interest in residential and hotel projects there or leasing the land. Officials are also weighing the benefits of expanding the area by adding to its green space. The city has not sold any of the parcels as of press time.
SOURCE: CITY OF ROUND ROCK/COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
shops—have resulted in a more bustling downtown area. Since she first opened The Rock, Ly, who is also a Round Rock City Council member, has opened two more venues downtown—The Alcove Cantina and The Flats. Others have recently opened businesses down- town, including the Villarreal family, who opened the Long Branch Saloon in 2015 followed by the La Esquina Cantina. Jaime Villarreal said the city’s rapid growth—U.S. Census data shows the population grew nearly 20% from 2010-20—makes Round Rock a great place to open a newbusiness, especially in the downtown area. “You’re going to bring more people down here,” Jaime said. “More people down here is better for everybody.” Beyond new businesses, other projects under- way include the city’s new library, road and utility improvements, and additional residential areas along McNeil Road at the southern edge of the city’s downtown district. Expected to open in January, the new Round Rock Public Library will bring a three-story parking garage with a capacity for 300 vehicles. The city broke ground on the project in June, and Bradley Dushkin, Round Rock’s assistant director of planning and development, said it will bring numer- ous benefits to the community, especially with its parking garage. The area is also receiving road and utilities improvements in keeping with the city’s downtown master plan.
Known to the city as the Northeast Downtown Improvements, the one-block stretch encompassed by North Lampasas Street, Burnet Street, East Austin Avenue and East Liberty Avenue is under construc- tion. Crews are updating the area with new urban asphalt streets, parking, sidewalks and lighting. Along McNeil Road, two residential developments will bring the city closer to its goal of building 1,000 new housing units within one-quarter mile of Main Street. Furthermore, The Depot, a condominium proj- ect adjacent to the city’s administrative buildings, began work in late 2021. Dushkin said those moves will help establish a much-needed balance to the downtown area. “By increasing the range of land uses, particularly the residential land uses, getting more rooftops here can create that daytime activity,” he said. Coming down the pipeline As the City Council eyes a 2023 bond election, officials are discussing several more potential down- town projects. One potential project centers on a new use for the current library building on East Main that involves the Round Rock Chamber, which now operates out of the Palm House, a historically significant home that was relocated next to the Round Rock Public Library in the 1970s. In August, chamber leaders announced they would seek a new headquarters, leaving the Palm House’s future location uncertain.
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