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Council approves base Heritage Park GMP, approves food‑truck plaza and defers decorative pavers
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Summary
The Midlothian City Council on April 14 approved the base guaranteed‑maximum price (GMP) for Heritage Park and Back Alley Plaza, and approved an east‑of‑rail food‑truck plaza with parking; council deferred a decision on decorative pavers along 8th Street pending staff review of safety and utility impacts.
The Midlothian City Council on April 14 voted to approve the base guaranteed‑maximum price (GMP) for a downtown Heritage Park and related plaza work and later approved a separate food‑truck/plaza alternate while asking staff to return with additional safety analysis on a decorative paver treatment for 8th Street.
The council approved the base GMP, which covers the west side of the rail and core park elements, by a 6–0 vote. Council packet materials list the base at $17,212,009.73; staff said the bid process produced several alternates to allow the council to mix and match elements rather than approving a single omnibus package.
The decision follows a lengthy presentation by parks staff and the project design and construction teams outlining amenities that include a splash pad, a restroom building, synthetic turf event lawns, a small stage, an icon sign and a pedestrian plaza that ties City Hall to Heritage Park. Public speakers including downtown business owners and residents favored the project as a downtown revitalization effort that could help attract visitors and sales tax revenue.
Council members focused much of the debate on trade‑offs between aesthetics, construction timing and public safety. Several members urged caution about approving a $4.5 million alternate to raise 8th Street and install pavers that would make the roadway flush with the pedestrian plaza — concerns centered on vehicle‑pedestrian interactions and the technical work needed for utilities and drainage. Council also discussed railroad and TxDOT constraints for on‑street parking and access.
Rather than reject or approve the paver alternate, council asked staff to return with additional plans that respond to safety questions and offer clearer pedestrian‑vehicle delineation. The paver motion failed to reach council consensus and the item will return for more detail.
The council did approve the food‑truck plaza alternate (the east‑of‑rail package), which includes parking, a small restroom building and a flexible open space intended for programmed events. That alternate passed 5–1 after members weighed the potential for incremental programming and the parking value it would bring to downtown.
Staff said the project will be built in phases if the council so directs; construction for the approved base package is expected to take roughly 18 months once contracts are executed. Funding discussed at the meeting includes Type A and Type B sales‑tax support that earlier board actions allocated toward downtown redevelopment.
Council members stipulated that any further alternates or changes tied to railroad right‑of‑way, TxDOT permissions or utility relocations would be returned to council for separate approvals. The council also asked staff to present options to keep the project within the budgetary parameters already established by the city and its development corporations.
The council adjourned at 9 p.m.
