Kingsville hoping to breathe new life into old downtown

​​KINGSVILLE – This South Texas city’s downtown district could be getting a makeover.

The Kingsville Downtown Vision Plan, which was revealed by the city during a public forum last month, calls for a civic events center, the rehabilitation of the old Texas Theater, and improving downtown’s connectivity to Texas A&M University-Kingsville through bike paths.

It also establishes a "museum cluster" that would tie together the Train Depot, the King Ranch Museum, and the Mother Julia Museum with a tree-lined walkway within reach of downtown.

The plan was developed through a partnership with the University of Texas-San Antonio Center for Urban and Regional Planning Research and the Rural Business Program.

"Every vibrant community has a vibrant downtown," said Manny Salazar, executive director of the Greater Kingsville Economic Development Council. "This (project) is going to modernize and improve things in downtown, make downtown more navigable for people."

Phase one of the project would be paid for from a previously allocated $1 million certificate of obligation. City officials have been working several months trying to leverage those funds to get grants for additional improvements. City Manager Jesus Garza said they hope to eventually complete as much as $2.4 million in renovations if the city is awarded grant money.