San Marcos to see Downtown Changes

The city of San Marcos and the Mainstreet Program are working to improve the downtown district.

San Marcos city engineer Jennifer Shell said the current downtown construction project started as a drainage project about six years ago. After the city finished their master plan, a larger plan was created.

Crews are now working to put in new infrastructure for water and sewer lines, as well as moving phone and electric lines underground. The plan then calls for widening sidewalks and redoing the streets of the square, making some of them two-way.

Shell says new businesses are interested in the end result.

“We have had a lot of interest in people developing and bringing in new businesses to the area already. We really think that making these changes is going to help downtown start booming as a new economic development center for us.”
– Jennifer Shell

Shell said the construction has affected local businesses, and that most stores are 40-50% down in sales.

Main Street coordinator Kayli Head said their Love Downtown program seeks to revitalize the downtown district and focuses on historic preservation of the square. They’ve created events such as the Cash Mob to help support the businesses affected by the construction.

“The Cash Mob idea started as part of a bigger shop local campaign. We really want our community members to show support for our downtown businesses, especially during construction.”
– Kayli Head

Head says the city’s main goal is to make downtown a clean and beautiful place for everyone to enjoy. The project is set to be completed in November or December.

Tara Pohlmeyer, KTSW News