Tyler’s revitalization efforts pay off as Warren shares successes, plans for future

Published 5:45 am Friday, January 26, 2024

Editor’s Note: This is one of a series of stories on local governments entities’ successes in 2023 and goals for 2024.

In 2023, the City of Tyler completed several long-overdue projects, which helped revitalize the area and set the stage for further improvements in the new year.

As part of its efforts to enhance Tyler, the city has achieved goals to boost tourism, improve economic development and living conditions, and beautify the area.

“It was an exciting year from beginning to the end,” Mayor Don Warren said.

Warren sat down with the Tyler Morning Telegraph to share last year’s highlights and what’s next in store in 2024, including quality of life, preservation and projects to transform downtown into a destination.

Rose Complex

The Rose Complex, a historical landmark and tourist attraction in Tyler, underwent significant renovations in 2023 to preserve its history and maintain its status as a popular destination for locals and visitors.

The opening of the 60,000-square-foot W.T. Brookshire Conference Center, which was made possible through creative financing, was the biggest highlight of 2023, according to Warren.

“It’s something that had been in the works for years,” Warren said. “We saw it on paper. We saw the dream and the vision, but to see it actually be constructed and be open was a milestone.”

Hundreds of residents gathered to celebrate the grand opening, showing community ownership of the meeting place and pride in the efforts of the architects, construction crews, and city staff.

In addition to the conference center, the Rose Complex will see renovations to the Mayfair building completed in 2024, re-energizing the historic dancehall. The building, constructed in 1927, has hosted musicians like Elvis, Dolly Parton and Johnny Cash.

The project aims to rehabilitate and restore Mayfair to its historic grandeur.

“You’re starting to really see through construction,” Warren said. “The whole thing is coming back together and it’s coming alive.”

The building can seat 500 dinner-style with a sizable dance floor, or auditorium seats up to 800. When complete, it will be available for public and private events. The hall will also be used as a breakout room for the conference center.

The Rose Complex, combined with the conference center, the museum, and the dance hall, will double as a large outdoor event venue with a food truck court, gardens and a park area.

Parks

Warren has spearheaded a revamp of all city parks.

“I’m the parks guy, and I’ve always loved our parks since the opening of Bergfeld Park on April 5, 2015,” Warren said. “That was the beginning of a whole new era of park improvements.”

In 2023, the city reopened P.T. Cole, Pollard Park, and Noble E. Young Park with new playground equipment, landscaping, restrooms, art murals, and more.

With 28 parks within walking distance of every Tyler resident, the city’s parks and recreation team made it a goal to rehabilitate and improve each one. This includes adding benches and landscaping to complete overhauls and redesigns.

Tyler has revitalized almost all its parks, with plans to complete the final few in 2024.

“Since 2015, the city has spent over $15 million on our park system whereas before 2015 we spent very little,” Warren said. “That’s been a fun project to be involved in and to promote. I love quality of life projects.”

Downtown

As the average age in Tyler gets younger, university students and working professionals create vitality and promote a thriving arts and cultural center downtown.

“When you see the city as a whole, you see life and excitement,” Warren said. “I don’t think Tyler’s gray anymore.”

Part of Tyler’s transformation involves slowing traffic and creating pedestrian-friendly streets. In partnership with Smith County, a cohesive plan was created for the future layout of public areas in downtown around the new courthouse.

The plan is to reroute traffic from downtown to neighboring streets by reducing Broadway Avenue from four lanes at Front Street to three lanes and then to two lanes when drivers reach Erwin Street. Roundabouts at Erwin and Ferguson would create a sense of place and slow traffic.

A shared green space will replace the current downtown square and feature a multi-use structure with storage, restrooms, and an amphitheater. Visitors will have shade structures, additional sidewalk space and patio areas.

According to Warren, the latest and greatest project to accomplish will be the downtown transformation. In 2024, the city will finalize the design plans and go out for bids on the project.

“The city owns the streets. The county owns the square. So we’re having to work very closely with the county not only with who’s going to do what but when is each party going to do their part where we’re not working on top of each other,” Warren said. “It’s gonna be tough for a while and people don’t like change, but when it’s all said and done it’s going to be phenomenal.”

When discussing connectivity in Tyler, it’s not just referring to connecting one side of the square to the other or simply slowing traffic with roundabouts, but achieving a way to link downtown and the courthouse to the new medical school, hospitals and colleges in a walkable manner.

“We want things to be safe. We want things to be slower, we want things to be kinder,” Warren said. “We want downtown to be a destination.”

As progress continues, critical infrastructure improvements become necessary. Stay tuned for Part 2 to learn about traffic, road projects and water and wastewater upgrades.