Downtown Waco has always held deep meaning for our community. It’s where history, culture, and opportunity intersect, yet for years, parts of downtown have reflected untapped potential.
The Downtown Redevelopment Project is our once-in-a-generation opportunity to change that, not through piecemeal fixes, but through a coordinated, community-driven plan that strengthens Waco for the next 20 years.
This work is about people first. It’s about creating places that feel welcoming, walkable, and well-loved by the people who call Waco home, while laying the groundwork for responsible growth that benefits all of Waco.
The City’s Downtown Master Plan is a 12–to 20–year initiative designed to reconnect people to the Brazos River, honor Waco’s history, and build a vibrant, human-scaled downtown. The plan is organized into four main districts across more than 100 acres along the riverfront.
Explore the Districts
For a deeper look at the full vision, read the Strategic Roadmap.
Meet the Master Developer
To bring this vision to life with the quality that Waco deserves, the City of Waco has partnered with Hunt Real Estate. Hunt is a nationally recognized leader in real estate development and public-private partnerships. They were selected in March 2024 as the Master Plan Developer for the redevelopment of Waco's downtown.
Meet Hunt Real Estate
Strategic Roadmap
With guidance from our community, the City of Waco and Hunt have developed the Strategic Roadmap. This is the guiding document that establishes a sequence of specific recommendations for transforming and revitalizing Downtown Waco to achieve the community’s vision for its vibrant future.
Download the Waco Strategic Roadmap(PDF, 79MB)
We first shared the Downtown Redevelopment Project roadmap in June 2024. Since then, we’ve continued refining the plan, so some details and phase timelines have evolved to make it the best it can be for Wacoans.
The Barron’s Branch District is the foundational first phase of the Downtown Redevelopment Project. Located between Jefferson and Washington Avenues along the Brazos River, the Barron’s Branch corridor has long been constrained by floodplain conditions and aging infrastructure. This phase addresses those historic challenges while creating a new world-class public space designed to serve the entire community.
At the heart of the project is a major floodplain remediation effort that will make approximately 19 acres within the district developable for future mixed-use growth. Civil and architectural park improvements will transform the creek corridor into an urban park environment that extends the natural character of Cameron Park into downtown.
The vision blends native Texas landscape, limestone edges, springs, shaded trails, water features, and walkable connections directly to the riverfront. The district is being designed as a destination that feels distinctly Waco — rooted in the natural environment while creating new opportunities for community gathering and economic growth.
The district will feature inviting spaces where people can enjoy downtown year-round:
- Creekside walking trails
- Outdoor plazas
- Natural splash pads
- Limestone fountains
- Expanded water features
- Flexible event lawns
- An entertainment pavilion
- A sculptural pedestrian bridge
The redevelopment also includes major water and sewer infrastructure upgrades that will replace aging systems while providing the capacity needed to support future downtown density and development. Street improvements throughout the area will create safer, more connected, pedestrian-friendly corridors.
One of the defining features of the Barron’s Branch District will be its signature public spaces. Plans include a new public plaza extending from St. Francis Catholic Church to La Pila Fountain and the riverfront, intersected by a grand east-west Calle Dos plaza anchored by an entertainment pavilion. These spaces are intended to become year-round destinations for residents and visitors alike.
City leaders envision Barron’s Branch becoming one of Waco’s signature civic spaces — a place where residents from across the city can gather while also creating momentum for new restaurants, retail, attractions, and businesses around the district.
Community engagement has played a major role in shaping the project. Feedback from the community influenced everything from the landscape character and cultural storytelling to the amenities and experiences residents wanted reflected in downtown Waco.
Design work for the Barron’s Branch phase is now complete, and the project is entering the bidding phase ahead of anticipated construction beginning later in 2026. The public improvements and park development are anticipated to open by the end of 2028.
The Ballpark District phase is designed to create a new sports and entertainment destination along the Brazos River while expanding recreational and economic opportunities for the community.
Centered around a new multi-purpose stadium near the intersection of Waco Drive and the river, the district is envisioned as an active entertainment hub capable of hosting a minor league baseball team as well as concerts, festivals, civic events, and community gatherings. Surrounding development could include restaurants, retail, entertainment venues, mid-rise residential development, public gathering spaces, and a boutique hotel integrated into the district.
A significant part of the Ballpark District conversation has centered on the former school site at 500 N. University Parks Drive. Throughout the planning process, the City has hosted alumni meetings and community conversations focused on honoring the legacy and history of the building and the generations connected to it.
To help preserve and share those stories, a video history series was launched featuring alumni reflections and memories tied to the historic campus. Those efforts are intended to ensure the legacy of the site remains an important part of the district’s future identity.
The Mary Avenue District phase will transform downtown Waco into a major cultural, entertainment, and convention destination centered around the Brazos River. This phase includes development of a new convention center complex, a performing arts center, and a headquarters hotel.
The project also includes conversion of Mary Avenue into a vibrant pedestrian-oriented festival street with ground-floor retail and gathering spaces designed to support festivals, entertainment, and public events.
Completion of the historic Cotton Belt Bridge as a pedestrian connection between East and West Waco will further strengthen connectivity and create new public plazas and signature spaces on both ends of the bridge.
The Waco Square District — also referred to as the Town Center phase — is focused on creating a vibrant civic and mixed-use heart for downtown Waco.
Following completion of the new convention center, redevelopment of the existing convention center footprint will create approximately 520,000 square feet of new ground-floor retail, residential, and office development centered around a new town green. The town green is envisioned as Waco’s central gathering space and will connect directly to Indian Spring Park and the Brazos Riverwalk. Landscaped pedestrian pathways, water features, and improved public spaces will create a walkable urban environment designed to support daily activity as well as major civic events.
The phase also includes updates to City Hall, improvements to surrounding streets and plazas, and refurbishment of the Washington and Franklin bridges to improve pedestrian and bicycle connectivity across the river.