City of Taylor looks at future of downtown

TAYLOR, Texas (KXAN) — As the city of Taylor prepares for the opening of the huge Samsung chip factory, it’s putting the future of downtown in the hands of those who call it home.

The city is asking for residents’ input to help people come back to or even visit Taylor for the first time.

“(The city is) in a transition,” said Lexi Little. “We’re coming a little bit out with the old and in with the new.”

For Little, deciding where to open her business was an easy choice.

“There really wasn’t anywhere to work,” Little said. “If I wanted to have somewhere to work that was productive and very much the vibe that I wanted, I would have to drive into downtown Austin.”

That’s where her idea for the The Little Collective — a co-working and event space — was born.

Elsewhere in downtown Taylor, there are plenty of storefronts that have “for lease” signs in the windows. That’s something the city hopes to change.

“We want to welcome people. To let them know there’s lots of places to shop, there are places to eat and there are places to play,” said Jan Harris, who oversees Main Street for the city.

The is the first time in almost a decade Taylor has revisited its downtown plan. City officials said they’re hoping the public will give input at multiple listening sessions on how that future could look, all while hoping to maintain what Taylor is known for.

“(Residents) want us to keep the small town feel, even with the growth,” Harris added.

Little said it’s a place to check out, whether you’ve never been there or been a hundred times.

“I think for someone who has never been to Taylor, it’s worth exploring. Taylor is something new. We have new things coming all the time,” Little said.

City leaders added they’re hoping to bring something fresh and new back to where it once was.

“Your first place is your home, your second place is your work. Your third place is where you choose to go. And we want downtown Taylor to be that third place for people,” Harris said.

The city is hosting listening sessions over the next few months to get public feedback about plans and to see what residents might like things to look like.

You can visit the city’s Facebook page to learn more about downtown planning.

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