Downtown – Plano, Texas
In what was once a bedroom community and is now a bustling city, the Downtown Plano area is a not-so-secret gem in Plano, Texas, that locals know offers much more than you’d expect.
Named one of the top 10 best downtowns in America by Livability.com, downtown Plano offers a charming setting for a simple stroll, an afternoon of shopping, or an evening’s entertainment.
Or that in 2017, downtown Plano was added to the National Register of Historic Places? Thanks to revitalization projects and lots of love from the local community, Plano has experienced growth while maintaining its small-town charms.
History
Initially settled in the 1840s, Plano was incorporated on June 2, 1873, six months after the Houston and Central Railroad opened and made the city the trading center of the farming community of southwest Collin County. Today, the city of Plano occupies approximately 72 square miles with a population greater than 272,000.
Not long ago, Downtown Plano was a sleepy, nearly forgotten commercial center of a farming community swept away by Dallas’ suburban expansion. Today, Downtown Plano is experiencing a renaissance and is reemerging as an urban center stimulated, in part, by the coming of the light rail transit service.
So far, over 50,000 square feet of private development have occurred, over 1100 urban apartments have been built or approved framing the live-around footprint, and historic commercial and civic buildings have been restored in the compact 80-acre downtown area.
Discover Downtown Plano
Walk along authentic brick streets to discover an eclectic collection of antique shops and boutiques selling everything from handmade jewelry to home décor to pottery. Or catch a show at McCall Plaza, the Courtyard Theater, or the Cox Building Playhouse, and see the artists in residence! Visit more than a dozen restored historic homes, and the Interurban Railway Museum, a railroad car turned urban museum offering a microcosm of North Texas railroad history right in Haggard Park.
If you’re looking for unique shops, there are plenty of perfect places to walk around before or after your lunch.
Outstanding cuisine ranging from German, Italian, and BBQ, nestled between cozy bars and historic buildings, make up the largest part of the downtown streets. With a convenient parking garage and a stop for the DART Train, visitors are able to get into the downtown area easily and conveniently. The square also offers numerous art studios, galleries, a relaxing outdoor park, and a bustling farmers market.