Project Overview

Vibrant. Downtown. Destination.

Cedar Park residents have long expressed the desire to have a special place where they can live, work, shop, dine and be entertained – a place that is uniquely Cedar Park.  The City has made a significant investment and partnered with master developer RedLeaf to implement the community’s vision to revitalize the Heart of Cedar Park – Bell Boulevard – and transform this area into the Bell District.  A few shining examples of what mixed use can be include the Domain and the Triangle in Austin, the Pearl District in San Antonio and  Legacy Town Center in Plano.  Now, Cedar Park is well on its way of having a vibrant mixed use district of its own.

Did you know that the area bordering the Bell District is Cedar Park’s original “Downtown”? It’s true that Cedar Park is named for an actual nearby park and rail stop that was here during the late 1800s.  It’s where tourists would come to visit for the day, strolling landscaped paths and enjoying a picnic.  Bell Boulevard is also named for Cedar Park’s first mayor when the city was incorporated in 1973, Kenneth Bell.

The legacy continues with the Bell District, where you’ll be able to enjoy the perfect day – from morning coffee and a visit to the public library nestled among the trees and bordering the park.  Then stroll to shopping, dinner and an event under the stars.   And like the original Cedar Park, the core of the Bell District will be designed especially for pedestrians.  Bell truly is the heart and soul of Cedar Park, and it’s being deservedly paired with the energizing pulse of our unique community. 

What’s distinct about the Bell District is its unique and beautiful natural landscape.  Visitors will enjoy 16 acres of greenspace with a meandering creek and dozens of large, 100 year-old-plus heritage trees.  It will be a destination for “all things Cedar Park”, and a place to get away from everyday life.

This beautiful setting creates unique development opportunities for restaurants and retailers to create a scenic, destination-dining and shopping experience unlike any other in the region.  The first priorities are the creation of public amenities, including developing the multiple acres of greenspace featuring the new library, park, restaurants and a social hub – a special place that allows for a variety of community events such as farmers markets, performances and small festivals that allow residents to interact with one another and actively engage in their community.  The second phase also includes two blocks of high-density residential buildings with ground floor retail and two parking garages.  It also consists of additional commercial, professional office and residential development including urban brownstones – which bring the opportunity for home ownership to the District. 

Together, these opportunities will make the Bell District a special gathering place for families, friends, visitors and locals.  It’s your destination … for living life to the fullest.

Vision

The vision of this project is to create a gathering place and sense of identity for the Cedar Park community.

We want to create a sense of community for our residents and businesses, as well as an attraction that can draw from the larger metropolitan area.

Goals

Economic Vitality

Create an economically vibrant corridor and energize the greater Cedar Park region.

Generate ROI

Generate return on investment for the City of Cedar Park and private business.

Work with Natural Assets

Work with natural and historical assets to define a more pleasant human experience.

Maintain Mobility

Maintain mobility and accommodate traffic levels.

Gain Support

Gain support from affected stakeholders including land owners, developers and business owners.

Community Identity

Solidify what the identity of Cedar Park is through the master planning process.

Where is the Bell District?

The Bell Boulevard Redevelopment Project will replace the existing buildings and structures in an area along Bell Boulevard from Buttercup Creek Boulevard/Brushy Creek Road to just north of Park Street and transform it into a vibrant pedestrian-oriented mixed-use district with a mix of commercial, residential and civic uses.

  • Corridor of Bell Boulevard (US 183) between Buttercup Creek Boulevard/Brushy Creek Road to just north of Park Street
  • 50 acres total with 16 acres of greenspace (about 1/3 of project area), and mixed use development that includes the new library, park, restaurants and a social hub, and eventually, two blocks of high-density residential buildings with ground floor retail and two parking garages.  It also consists of additional commercial, professional office and residential development including urban brownstones – which bring the opportunity for home ownership to the District.
  • Multi-phase project.  Term of master developer agreement is 20 years. It is anticipated that development will be completed within 10-15 years
  • Phase One:  Public amenities – develop multiple acres of greenspace featuring the new library, park, restaurants and a social hub – a special place that allows for a variety of community events such as farmers markets, performances and small festivals that allow residents to interact with one another and actively engage in their community.
  • Phase Two: Two blocks of high-density residential buildings with ground floor retail and two parking garages.  It also consists of additional commercial, professional office and residential development including urban brownstones – which bring the opportunity for home ownership to the District.

The realignment of a portion of Bell Boulevard is the critical path for the Bell Boulevard Redevelopment Project.  Funded with voter-approved General Obligation Bonds (Streets and Roads).   The realignment sets the stage for the redevelopment to begin. Here is how it will work:

Project Phases

Road Realignment

The realignment of Bell Boulevard  is the critical path forward for the project.  Before construction of the Bell District can begin in early 2022, the City must finish realigning a section of Bell Boulevard/US 183 from Buttercup Creek Boulevard/Brushy Creek Road to just north of Park Street.  The realignment of this section will open a large swath of land for development of the Bell District.  Utility relocation work began along the section of road in January 2020, enabling the road construction to start in summer 2020.  Road realignment construction is underway and is expected to last through 2021.

Upon completion of the road realignment, the project master developer, RedLeaf, will begin demolition of existing structures to make way for the start of development of streets and utility infrastructure in preparation for vertical construction (buildings) to begin.

Phase I

Phase I’s top priorities are the creation of public amenities.  They include multiple acres of greenspace featuring the new library, park, restaurants and a social hub – a special place that allows for a variety of community events such as farmers markets, performances and small festivals that allow residents to interact with one another and actively engage in their community.  Phase I also includes two blocks of high-density residential buildings with ground floor retail and two parking garages.

Phase II

Phase II will consist of additional commercial, professional office and residential development including urban brownstones – which bring the opportunity for home ownership to the District.  The term of the agreement is 20 years. It is anticipated that development will be completed within 10-15 years.

*Subject to change

Land Use Breakdown

Residential

Retail

Office

Library

Park & Social Hub

Project History

Use left and right arrows to navigate timeline.

  • Comprehensive Plan Adopted

    The City of Cedar Park conducts an in-depth study to update the Future Land Use Plan and identify community priorities. Through the process, the community expresses interest in improving the Bell Boulevard corridor.

  • Master Planning Process

    Three public workshops are held with over 1,000 in combined attendance. Input conducted through the master plan development process identifies community priorities and helps refine the vision for the project. Input and feedback is analyzed and incorporated into a master plan adopted in late 2015.

  • 2015 Bond Election

    75% of voters approve transportation-related bond which includes $20M in funding for the road realignment portion of the project.

  • Roadway Plan Amended

    City amends Roadway Master Plan to include Bell Boulevard Redevelopment District.

  • Market Analysis

    Additional market analysis is conducted. Market assumptions and financial forecasting are refined.

  • Design of Roadway

    Design of the roadway realignment begins. The design, permitting and right-of-way acquisition process for the road realignment is expected to last until the end of 2018, with construction beginning during 2019.

  • Partner Selection Process Begins

    The process of forming a public-private partnership with a master development partner begins. Partner selection planned for late 2018 or early 2019.  

  • Partner Selection Continued

    Multiple developers respond to Request for Qualifications (RFQ) issued in May for a Master Developer for the Bell Boulevard District. Two developers are selected to submit responses to an invitation-only Request for Proposal (RFP) to be issued in September 2018.

  • Council approves Master Developer finalist

    Cedar Park City Council voted to approve City staff’s recommendation of RedLeaf Properties as the City’s Master Developer finalist. The City and RedLeaf will now enter exclusive negotiations for the Bell Boulevard Redevelopment project.

  • Road Realignment Prep Work Begins

    In January, relocation of utilities in preparation for the road realignment began.  It is planned to be complete in spring 2020. Road construction is slated to begin in summer 2020 and last through the end of 2021.  The completion of the realignment of Bell Boulevard is the critical path for the Bell Boulevard Redevelopment Project to begin.

  • Council Approves Master Developer Agreement with RedLeaf

    In February, following an extensive procurement process and a full year of exclusive negotiations, the City of Cedar Park and RedLeaf entered into a Master Developer Agreement (MDA) – a comprehensive, long-term  agreement that details the development, design and use of the property, financial plan, property takedown terms and obligations and responsibilities of both parties.  The term is 20 years.

  • Road Realignment Prep Work Completed, Road Construction Begins

    Relocation of utilities in preparation for road construction was completed in summer 2020.  Road realignment construction immediately began and is expected to last through 2021.

  • City Council approves new Cedar Park Public Library designers

    In December 2020, Council chose the renowned, internationally-recognized Lake | Flato Architects, Inc. to design the Cedar Park Public Library.  Their projects include the Pearl District and Witte Museum in San Antonio. The hallmark of their work is “distilling what a community wants to be, into a building”: creating “a great front porch” for the city, and a “civic living..Read More

  • Design Process Kicks Off, Construction Contractor Selected

    In February the Community engagement survey garnered 2,000 responses! In March, City Council approved J.E. Dunn Construction Group, Inc. to build the new Library.  Construction is slated to begin in fall 2022.