Mckinney Texas has a beautiful and bustling downtown area that has been a staple in the town since its beginning. Over the past some odd years the city has been doing a lot of renovations. For my whole childhood, I knew of the height limit on buildings in the historic area. No apartments, no parking garages, and no high rises.

Well, some people got the city to change that. Businesses started disappearing and construction sites replaced them. Overnight, buildings were flattened and history was gone. I left for college, and when I came back the city had built not just a parking garage and not just one but two high rises. More buildings were built on the corners of the downtown square. In addition, another corporate entity joined the list of big brands moving to the north Dallas suburbs. Tupps brewery. There's a huge argument I would have made in the past that it needed the facelift. However, this change to the intersection of Old Highway 5 and Virginia/Louisiana, is not what it looks like.

This intersection is well known as an old "on the other side of the tracks" saying. Just a little down the road over some old railroad tracks past an old grain silo is a school and a population of people that are well... known to be poorer than some of the areas just on the other side of the tracks. People who have been here for decades, like my old neighbor Ms. Rose. Ms. Rose has now passed away but her legacy to her community of friends and family will live forever. She lived well over 90 years old and lived in McKinney, from what I remember, her whole life. If she was able to see this, I just don't know what she would have to say. Well, I do, but I can't put those things here.

There is an amazing story map that I will link below that tells the story of McKinney's black history. It's important because the city asked 2 questions in their survey. Both questions ask you to choose the best-proposed option for the following solutions:

Q2. Strengthens the connection between historic downtown and the redeveloping areas east of Old Highway 5?

Q3. Enhances the Cultural District of Historic Downtown McKinney?

This project will affect the residents of the "redeveloping" area and only residents in the redeveloping area. It's outlined throughout the process that the area east of Highway 5 is their issue. In fact, Old Settlers Park, the park across the street from Webb elementary (a school where 68% of its students are considered economically disadvantaged) is named as the dump location for the new park.

This project also aims at taking down more 'historic' companies with 2 of its proposed options. Roughly 35 companies will be affected if not completely closed with the proposed options. The majority, if not all of the companies are operated and run by the residents of the "redeveloping" areas.

If this project was about making a green space it would put its efforts into expanding the beautiful parks that surround the city already. If this project was about safety and easier crossing of the highway, it wouldn't be want to put a park where children would be playing above or below the highway. Mckinney is very well known for 1 thing to the Dallas community, and that's its large annual holiday events. This project does 1 thing, and that allows Downtown Mckinney to have a new "green space" for its large money-making events. A stage, A sports area, large pavilions, and walking areas to reach the new parking lot they plan on building after this project.

This project is another step in wiping away the history of this town and the things it will do to keep the rich wealthy and the poor dead.

Keep McKinney Historic.

 

The Facebook Post by McKinney Tx, announcing the next phase:

https://www.facebook.com/100064927622501/posts/pfbid02CGvqzhGMKA9QWSa7cWxj8VwyCUyzoeR2xNKidavtxHKN2wUcPnx7Ad3Vr6rTdqxDl/

 

Black History of Mckinney Tx. https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/39887863693643b3ab758fc0172fa2b7