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 to help implement the community’s vision to revitalize the Heart of Cedar Park, Bell Boulevard.  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 close to the Bell Boulevard 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 Boulevard District, where you’ll be able to enjoy the perfect day – from morning coffee and a stroll to shopping, dinner and an event under the stars.   And like the original Cedar Park, the core of the Bell Boulevard District will be designed especially for pedestrian traffic.  Bell truly is the heart and soul of Cedar Park, and it’s being deservedly paired with the energizing pulse of our unique community.

The Bell Boulevard District will be the destination for “all things Cedar Park”, and a place to get away from everyday life.  Here, visitors will enjoy a blend of shops and restaurants that are local to Cedar Park as well as unique shopping and new dining hubs.  It will be a gathering place for families, friends, visitors and locals.  Plus, it will feature unique living opportunities and office space next door to or above your favorite lunch and coffee spots – making the Bell Boulevard District 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

Economic Vitality

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

ROI

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?

  • Corridor of Bell Boulevard (US 183) between Park Street and Buttercup Creek Boulevard/Brushy Creek Road
  • 52 acres total – 40 acres for mixed-use development and 12 acres for developing the Buttercup Creek Natural Area into a park
  • Multi-phase project, with improvements to span a 20-year period
  • Home to the City’s new Library
  • Phase One: Voter-approved street bond-funded realignment of the highway east that open initial 28 acres (approx.) for mixed-use development, development of Buttercup Creek Natural Area into a park.
  • Phase Two: Development of the remaining acres of mixed-use development

One major component of the Bell Boulevard redevelopment is the realignment of Bell Boulevard itself. The roadwork sets the stage for the redevelopment to begin. Here is how it will work:

Phase One Timeline*

*Subject to change

Land Use Breakdown*

Residential

Up to five multi-story mixed-use buildings.
1,500 – 1,600 units total

Retail

175,000 – 200,000 sq. ft.

Office

Wide range depending on employment type

Civic

Home to new Library

Parkland

12 acres

*Subject to change based on market conditions

How we got here.

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.

Other Resources

Master Plan Document Archive
Maps & Renderings
FAQs

The conceptual imagery shown here is what the Bell Boulevard redevelopment could look like. Visuals such as these are referred to as “potentials”—they are not intended to be literal interpretations of what the project will look like.