McAllen, Texas - Relocation Information

Site Sponsors

Archives

Read past editions of McAllen, Texas magazine.

Local Advertisers

Local Advertisers for the McAllen Area

Site Sponsors

Contact Us

Feedback
Let us know your thoughts...

Advertising Info
Need more info? Looking for ad specifications?

Local Advertisers

Local Advertisers for the McAllen Area

Business

Web Page Tools Digg! This Article

Heart of the City Organization Spearheads Downtown McAllen Revitalization Efforts

South 17th Street

A banner hangs on South 17th Street, where McAllen’s Heart of the City organization has made many recent beautification improvements.

If you haven’t visited downtown McAllen lately‚ you’re in for a treat.

“Downtown is packed on Sunday afternoons. It used to be empty‚” says Alida Hernandez‚ chairman of the board for McAllen’s Heart of the City Improvement Corp. “Now it’s where people are taking their families.”

The newfound energy downtown is in part thanks to the Heart of the City organization‚ a nonprofit group that was formed in 2004 to revitalize McAllen’s urban core.

“The core downtown needed rede­velopment to make it more attractive instead of leaving it behind and resorting to urban sprawl‚” Hernandez says. “McAllen’s downtown has been a thriving business area for a lot of people and still is one of the greatest downtowns around.”

Heart of the City set several goals in 2006‚ one of which was the construction of a new five-story parking garage that opened downtown in fall 2007. The organization also is working with property owners to redevelop their downtown properties‚ and it helped revitalize the historic El Rey Theatre.

“We’ve taken down old signage and redone eight buildings‚” Hernandez says. “They’re breathtaking.”

The focus area is three blocks of South 17th Street‚ which was designated by the city’s master plan to be a cultural and entertainment destination district.

“It is the oldest street in McAllen and where the majority of McAllen’s merchants developed‚” Hernandez says.

Seven restaurants dot the historic district‚ including a new martini bar and a popular Mediterranean restaurant called The Buddha Bar.

“People are talking about bringing in more venues‚ and the building next to The Buddha Bar is being refurbished‚” Hernandez says. “We’re really seeing the fruits of our labor.”

Five years from now‚ Hernandez envisions downtown McAllen to be a lively place with lights‚ lots of people‚ parades and outdoor music.

“We want it to be like no other city‚” she says. “I’m a firm believer we’re sent here to make things better for those who come after us.”

Story by Jessica Mozo
Photo by Wes Aldridge

Back to top