Historic Downtown Cedar Hill Getting a Facelift

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Historic Downtown Cedar Hill getting a facelift
City of Cedar Hill

Historic Downtown Cedar Hill is scheduled for a number of improvements to their infrastructure. The City Council approved the Downtown Complete Streets Master Plan and funding for Phase I constructions in 2020. The complete streets initiative is a collaboration between community, neighbors, business, elected officials, advocates, professionals, volunteers, and the public.

salon on the square exterior
Downtown Cedar Hill today
Photo City of Cedar Hill

Mayor Stephen Mason said, “Downtown Cedar Hill is a special place full of history and character. Our planning staff has done a great job of creating a plan for updated infrastructure and walkable, vibrant streets that maintains the area’s distinctive character.”

Cedar Hill Planning Director

LaShondra Stringfellow is Planning Director for the City. The Master Plan calls for ensuring safe access for all Historic Downtown District users. Wider sidewalks, programmed parking, street furniture, more trees, and tree lighting are planned for Old Town Square. Aging infrastructure will be replaced, and ground electric utility lines moved underground.

We asked Cedar Hill’s Assistant City Manager Alison Reams to help us provide the following Phase I update for our readers.

rendering of Cedar and Houston street
Downtown Cedar Hill streets after Phase I
Courtesy City of Cedar Hill

Downtown revitalization and infrastructure have been key objectives of the City’s comprehensive plans (and all the associated public input) since the 1980s. The planning department began creating a plan for downtown infrastructure in 2019, in collaboration with the Historic Downtown Advisory Board, the Planning and Zoning Commission, the Economic Development Corporation, and the city council. In May 2019, the staff hosted a design charrette with downtown stakeholders including businesses, churches, and residents.

Downtown Cedar Hill

The preliminary design was also shared and open for feedback on the City’s engagement website: LetsTalkCedarHill.com. Community needs that were expressed during the planning process included the following priorities:

map of Cedar Hill improvements
City of Cedar Hill

(1) Maintain distinctive character of historic downtown. (2) Walkability and pedestrian safety. (3) Entertainment, dining, and public gathering spaces. (4) Updated drainage and street infrastructure.

The downtown streets plan is for public infrastructure in the area, including streets, drainage, utilities, landscaping, parking, and street furniture. It does not include any construction or improvements to private buildings.

Country Day on the Hill

“We expect to award the construction contract for Phase I this fall. We’ll have a better idea of the construction schedule once we select a contractor,” ACM Reams said. “The 83rd Annual Country Day on the Hill will take place on October 9. Country Day is an important celebration of our community, and we are very excited to be able to continue the tradition this year. The construction schedule recognizes this importance, and will begin after Country Day in October.”