by Nicole Bradford
A Revitalization Plan for Pearland’s Old Town is now in the works.
Pearland City Council on Monday approved a $350,000 contract along with a reimbursement agreement from the Pearland Economic Development Corp. for planning and engineering services for the Old Town plan, which is expected to take just under a year to complete.
The plan would include customized rules for the Old Town area, which is considered the heart of Pearland, and once home to a hardware store, general store, printing office, hotel, and small school.
“Obviously the plan will touch on Old Town’s historic beginnings back in 1894, the original 464 acres platted,” said Vance Wyly, the city’s director of community development.
The plan will evaluate the existing conditions of structures and uses.
“There will be a historic designation piece of this done,” he said, “and similar to evaluating existing conditions is infrastructure evaluation and cost estimates. While this document will not create any budgetary obligations, we do want it to make strategic recommendations on how we can make improvements in a way that would encourage private dollars to come to the area.”
The contract was awarded to Olsson Studio, selected from five applicants ater a February request for qualifications.
The study will involve a stakeholder group of approximately 50 people in addition to a public input component, said Brennan Kane of Olsson Studio.
“We make sure at the end of the day that it’s going to be the community’s voice that is directing this plan.”
Councilman Rushi Patel emphasized that residents in Old Town have input on the plan.
“My concern is how do you get so many homeowners to buy into this plan you’ve made for them? That’s the challenge I see that we face,” Patel told the contractor.
