MIDLOTHIAN – The Downtown Master Plan of Midlothian was approved by the City Council in 2020. Since then, Midlothian has made remarkable progress in turning this vision into reality.
Midlothian Communications and Marketing Director Laurie Lundberg said, “As envisioned in the plan, Midlothian’s historic downtown will ultimately transform into a walkable, vibrant, and safe destination with a variety of opportunities for entertainment, socializing, employment, residential living, and culture. Downtown will be enjoyed by locals and visitors alike and will function as the heart of the community.”
The first step was completing Midlothian’s new City Hall and Public Library.
Currently under construction, the opening will mark the completion of the first of seven catalyst projects to create the new town square.
“Catalyst projects are ones that encourage further investment in the area and include both public and private development projects,” Clyde Melick, Midlothian assistant city manager said.
Voters approved the City Hall/Public Library project in the city’s 2021 bond election. This, in turn, spurred the reinvention of downtown, and from that growth spurt, private investors joined the reinvention, too. Perhaps the most significant is the Lawson District Development.
Lundberg said, “The Lawson District Development is a project that will reactivate a vacant commercial building at the corner of Main Street and North 7th Street.”
Bearded Ax Brewery will be the anchor tenant in Midlothian’s downtown revitalization Lawson Development District planned development. It is a mission- and community-driven full brewery and restaurant where community, craft, and compassion come together. Construction is underway now, and the brewery plans to open by the end of 2024. You can catch them on Facebook and Instagram: @BeardedAxBrewery. They’ll serve craft beer brewed on-site along with comfort food.
The city also expects the new town square will bring additional new business activity and the Midlothian Economic Development (MED) has contributed $3 million towards the new City Hall/Library with that in mind.
MED is one of the city’s two arms of government administering a ½-cent sales tax. Lundberg noted the MED has made it a priority to support the city’s efforts to reinvent downtown by helping to fund downtown redevelopment.
Midlothian Community Development Corporation (MCDC) is the other arm of the city that administers a ½-cent sales tax. MCDC has also made it a priority to support the city’s downtown revitalization efforts. These efforts can include funding infrastructure projects such as fire safety systems, parking, downtown beautification, lighting, or developing green space and pedestrian-friendly amenities.
Both the MED and MCDC encourage the development of restaurants, entertainment venues, and other creative uses that will increase participation and enjoyment.
El Primo’s Midlothian Update
One example is the incoming El Primo’s in Midlothian.
Owner Todd Tonore, who is also Mayor Pro Tem in Mansfield, said, “We opened El Primo’s 10 years ago [in Mansfield] and have grown to be the largest privately held restaurant in the area.”
Tonore said, “We give back to our community in many ways. We are excited about our new location in Downtown Midlothian. We are finishing up our plans to meet city requirements, so we can hopefully file for a permit in the next couple of weeks.”
Tonore explained that the Midlothian El Primos will take a year to build as he is building a new building in an old shell.
“We believe it’s important that our building blend into the historic buildings that surround us,” he said. “We were ready to go, and the city changed some parking requirements, which forced us to redo our architectural plans.”
El Primo’s Midlothian property will include a 17,000-square-foot restaurant that can seat up to 700 people. Four one-bedroom lofts will also be available at the back of the building.
“Fast forward 10 to 15 years, we believe Midlothian will be bigger than Mansfield due to the fact Midlothian has twice the land mass as Mansfield,” he added.
Revitalizing Downtown Midlothian
Looking forward, too, MED president and CEO Kyle Kinateder said, “The MED, in partnership with the city, seeks to revive downtown, helping it to create a stronger community identity, vibrancy, opportunity for employment, and community interaction.”
“MCDC has a track record of supporting projects that contribute to community quality of life, including Methodist Midlothian Medical Center, new Lake Grove Park, and Founders Row, to name a few examples,” Jan Davis, president of the MCDC board, said.
Founders Row Continues To Grow
Stephen Hidlebaugh and his partner Logan Gaddis have developed Founders Row in Midlothian and are involved in other downtown property developments. They most recently moved the legendary Anderson House to Founders Row, which they will restore to its former glory.
Heather Stuart, responding on behalf of Hidlebaugh, said, “The Anderson house was just moved this past week, and it will be a large event space with a coffee shop inside. We still have one location available at 323 E Ave G. This was the original structure on the Founder’s Row lot, and we’re hoping to welcome a small retail or bakery/café into the space.”
She also said Tequilas will soon open at the old Campuzano’s location, Oscar at Mi Casa will open its second location in the old Jimmy’s space, and Penn to Paper is under new ownership with new life breathed into it. (*We’re working to confirm official names of restaurants, i.e. Tequilas and Mi Casa)
“Once the City is done building, it’s going to be an amazing location,” Stuart said.
Downtown revitalization is also one of Mayor Justin Coffman’s main areas of interest.
The City Council recently approved funds to design the expansion of downtown Heritage Park.
Coffman is passionate about the impact a revived downtown will have on the community and added, “Downtown is the heart of our community. It is where the town began and has been the social, economic, and government center for its entire history.”
Coffman believes that by continuing the city’s history, downtown will not only return to its former glory but also become a key economic driver for the community while preserving Midlothian’s small-town charm.
