Beaumont huge downtown plans

[centexguy]

Here's a drawing of the hotel they are building in Beaumont (except it's going to be 4 stories, not 5):

It's not being built downtown but on IH-10 near Washington Blvd and Cardinal Drive. Here's a link to the website: Red Roof Inn Prototype Design

I think I read somewhere that the owner of this company originally from Beaumont.

[UNLV]

Here's a drawing of the hotel they are building in Beaumont (except it's going to be 4 stories, not 5):

It's not being built downtown but on IH-10 near Washington Blvd and Cardinal Drive. Here's a link to the website: Red Roof Inn Prototype Design

I think I read somewhere that the owner of this company originally from Beaumont.

No, you might be thinking of the Downtown project. Not the same. The downtown projects are waiting for the Port of Beaumont

rail yard to be relocated. This will begin mid-summer.

Edited May 13, 2008 by UNLV

[UNLV]

Construction on phase I, the lake and event center began this week.

http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/local/city_has_started_lake_project.html

Other plans for the area include building a new $2 million downtown library, relocating the Best Year's Senior Center from Fourth Street and a children's museum in the Oil City and Brass building, which is owned by the city.

[centexguy]

The city of Beaumont is also trying to relocate the Amtrak stop from the middle of nowhere to the downtown area. And the Port of Beaumont has started work on the project to move the railroad switch yard from behind city hall to land inside the port which will greatly increase the size of the Riverfront Park.

The city council has decided to put the River Walk on ice for a while. It would have connected the lake to the Neches River but there was a lot of opposition to it because of the cost. Maybe after these other downtown projects are finished and more businesses move downtown and a new downtown hotel then maybe a river walk would make sense.

[UNLV]

The city of Beaumont is also trying to relocate the Amtrak stop from the middle of nowhere to the downtown area. And the Port of Beaumont has started work on the project to move the railroad switch yard from behind city hall to land inside the port which will greatly increase the size of the Riverfront Park.

The city council has decided to put the River Walk on ice for a while. It would have connected the lake to the Neches River but there was a lot of opposition to it because of the cost. Maybe after these other downtown projects are finished and more businesses move downtown and a new downtown hotel then maybe a river walk would make sense.

Opposition was not cost, opposition was because they wanted it to be voted on. These idiots want everything put to a vote.

[ChannelTwoNews]

Actually saw the Event Centre when I was down there a few months ago. Didn't realize it hadn't opened, but it looked like a nice enough structure in the area. This was before the 'lake' was filled with water, and they were still putting the final touches on it.

Apparently it only made it's formal debut in late August.

http://setxhomepage....t?nxd_id=198452

I like the idea of redeveloping this part of town, though the 'great lawn' & building's relationship seems out of whack. I also like the fact they're making an effort to introduce people to the area by doing their "Lunch at the Lake" events over the final weeks of November, and first week of December. Was happy see some of the older, heavily neglected warehouses surrounding the space demolished. Having been inside of one of them while it was still standing, those were structures that really did have no hope of rehab.

Nearby, it looks like they're making progress on developing a Skate Park & Playground

http://www.beaumonte...own-4056989.php

Actually saw that they were pretty far along rehabbing one of the older buildings in the area for the new Children's Museum as well.

One of the best things about the downtown area as of late is one of the most basic elements - The streets and sidewalks. Was impressed to see how all of the work over the past few years turned out, and was pleasantly surprised at what I found.

Edited November 25, 2012 by ChannelTwoNews

[ChannelTwoNews]

Believe it or not, there is still a plan to redevelop part of the downtown riverfront - though it's not as grand in scale as the one that the op mentioned over a decade ago.

The current proposal, called "Tevis Landing" seems to be a bit more realistic and focuses on a block adjacent to Riverfront Park, which was damaged by and has yet to be repaired after Harvey. The new development proposal sits on a site currently occupied by a 4-story former AT&T facility. The city just voted to purchase that structure on Tuesday, though there's no word on when it would be demolished. It appears that the greenspace would extend the park a bit toward Main Street.

The park is in an odd spot from the start, though access is better since the train tracks have been taken out. I remember a couple of visits not too long after 9/11 when access was blocked because military equipment was being moved to the Port which is immediately south of the park. 

The city's plan is linked below - it is kind of neat to see that for all of the areas that it could draw inspiration from, all of those featured in that plan are from the Houston area.

PowerPoint Presentation (beaumonttexas.gov)

[ChannelTwoNews]

Related to this - the City of Beaumont issued a Request for Proposals back in October of last year for the old AT&T Building on Main Street

https://beaumonttexas.gov/press-release-rfp-issued-for-purchase-and-development-of-555-main-building/

Proposals had to be in to the city by last Friday. Haven't seen anything in local media about those plans so far other than the previous general overview for that area.

The City also uploaded a video a few months back showing an overview of the building 

 

Edited February 9, 2023 by ChannelTwoNews
video link

[Houston19514]

My goodness that was a long video with very little content.

[ChannelTwoNews]

AT&T Building

https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/business/article/beaumont-council-back-beginning-former-at-t-17825714.php

"City staff recommended the proposal be rejected, as the proposed purchase price of $827,000 was less than half of the more than $2.7 million paid by the city to purchase the property; the developer did not include a level of investment, detailed budget, construction budget and proof of financial viability and capacity as required; financing for the project relies on "unnamed and unsecured public grants" and other city-related participation; the four-year timeline to complete the project didn't meet the city's maximum timeline of three years."

Riverfront Park Restoration

https://www.12newsnow.com/article/news/local/17-million-dollar-restoration-project-coming-to-riverfront-park/502-bc203876-73c5-49fb-88d6-01a2d7f2dafc

"The city plans to add a new boat dock, lighting, and more. Officials believe once the project is completed, residents can expect to see families tubing down the Neches River, couples taking long walks along the river’s edge and people sitting on park benches to enjoy the view.

“Park benches will be put back,” Bartkowiak said. “The sidewalks will be restored. There will be a sidewalk the entire length of the river. There will be a railing along the river, and then you'll have some stations with water fountains.".

 

[ChannelTwoNews]

Hotel Beaumont renovations

"Mack Patel purchased the 26,700-square-foot building in 2019 and hoped to complete the renovations to the 138-room hotel by January 2022.

But in 2021, he told the Enterprise that the pandemic, combined with rising material costs and lack of available materials, slowed the project.

Today, planning and design work continues, and he expects to have that complete by the end of the year."

 

https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/business/article/hotel-beaumont-owner-mack-patel-says-still-plans-18157328.php#photo-18273319

 

[editor]

I saw that building from the Amtrak the last time we went through Beaumont.  My wife was disappointed that was not open at the time.  We're fans of historic hotels.

[ChannelTwoNews]

https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/article/garfield-public-private-conduct-study-beaumont-18213378.php

"The Beaumont City Council on July 11 approved some $64,000 for the second phase of a study to create a plan for a downtown hotel on city property. The first phase included a market study and was necessary before this step, during which Garfield Public/Private will determine variables including the mix of guest rooms and suites, parking and recommended amenities and proposals for where the hotel/convention district area actually would be located, along with site drawings, said Beaumont Assistant City Manager of Development Services Chris Boone."

[ChannelTwoNews]

https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/business/article/beaumont-downtown-plan-draft-includes-crockett-18382502.php

"Those potential improvements include a new city hall, Civic Center parking deck with 200 spaces, a bandstand/river theatre, Neches pedestrian bridge and a riverwalk parking deck, also with 200 spaces. Other projects include a riverwalk/waterway, hotel and convention center upgrades and two projects associated with private developers."

The canal idea appears to be back - this time on Crockett Street. It would follow the street from the expanded Riverfront Park (or, Beaumont Green, as the document appears to call it) to the Event Centre. More from a proposal from SWA that was presented last month.

 

 

 

 

Edited October 20, 2023 by ChannelTwoNews
link

[wilcal]

I mean... who is going to pay for all of that? The city probably has very limited funds and private developer ROI can't be there. 

[Houston19514]

14 hours ago, wilcal said:

I mean... who is going to pay for all of that? The city probably has very limited funds and private developer ROI can't be there. 

"Boone said the city plans to use as many economic development tools as possible to complete the project, with a large percentage of the funding made available by a Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone, commonly known as TIRZ, which the city expects to designate by the end of the year."

[wilcal]

On 10/21/2023 at 12:43 PM, Houston19514 said:

"Boone said the city plans to use as many economic development tools as possible to complete the project, with a large percentage of the funding made available by a Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone, commonly known as TIRZ, which the city expects to designate by the end of the year."

So you'll tax the existing downtown businesses? 

If the O&G businesses next to downtown are fine with effectively paying for the project, then by all means, but there isn't exactly a lot of commerce happening in downtown Beaumont. 

[Houston19514]

38 minutes ago, wilcal said:

So you'll tax the existing downtown businesses? 

If the O&G businesses next to downtown are fine with effectively paying for the project, then by all means, but there isn't exactly a lot of commerce happening in downtown Beaumont. 

Well, it's not me.  I have nothing to do with it.  I just read the linked article and posted the quote. With TIRZ financing, they establish a TIRZ district; the taxes paid to the city general fund are frozen and any increase in taxes (due to higher valuations) are dedicated to the TIRZ District projects.  No tax rate increase for existing downtown businesses.

Edited October 22, 2023 by Houston19514