BEAUMONT, Texas — City leaders are creating a new group to help promote growth and revitalize the heart of Beaumont.
The new group is an an ad-hoc committee. The committee will work alongside Beaumont Main Street, a group that has been working to revamp the city's downtown for years.
For years, Beaumont residents have longed to see the downtown area revamped. This is where Chris Boone, who is the director of planning and development in Beaumont, said the two groups come into play.
“You go to other cities and you see restaurants on the river hotels downtown,” Boone said. “You see a lot more residential downtown we think those are the things that we're kind of missing."
Boone said there will be points where the two groups overlap as they work to transform downtown Beaumont.
"Both kind of have the same goal in mind, which is basically promoting the redevelopment of downtown," Boone said.
However, while the two groups have similar roles, they will operate differently. There is one key difference between the groups.
"The ad hoc is a temporary committee, so the idea is really working with Main Street," Boone said.
Beaumont Main Street was established in the 1970s and is a part of the Texas Historical Commission. The non-profit organization works to get old buildings restored including the Beaumont Jefferson Theatre.
Currently, Beaumont Main Street has 10 members. One of them is Tom Bell.
Bell will also be part of the nine-member ad hoc committee.
“We're very excited about it,” Bell said. “We're a part of the equation of what happens in downtown Beaumont. It will give us some promise for the future."
Members of the two groups are property owners, some work downtown, and some just want to see places like Crocket Street and the old AT&T building come alive again.
“We're going to have public meetings for people to give their input and ideas their criticism," Boone said. "So, the point of the plan is to come up with that vision and begin the steps to get us there."
City leaders they hope to have the first ad hoc committee meeting soon. Members will work with others from Beaumont Main Street for the next six months.
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