Community stakeholders and members of the public are invited to give their input on what they would like to see in a new master-planned development spanning McAllen and Mission.
The project, announced in December 2019 by Killam Development, includes 3,400 acres stretching through farmland around Anzalduas International Bridge and south of Interstate 2. Construction could begin early this year with home sales likely by this fall.
“This is this is a large project and so there’s a lot of different components to it,” said Cliffe Killam, a partner at Killam Development.
Those components entail single-family homes, multi-family units, retail and industrial spaces, walking trails and green space, and entertainment options.
Perhaps most importantly, the development aims to include whatever the community itself wants to see.
“We really just want to listen to folks and help create a place where they want to live,” Killam said. “I think we’re just excited to be a part of the community and hear what everyone wants.”
Killam Development has partnered with Able City and Dover Kohl, a group of professional architects, designers, land planners, and artists, to help interpret public input into a plan for the development. They look to achieve this through public workshops at the Mission Economic Development-managed CEED building, 801 Bryan Road in Mission.
Workshops are scheduled each day during the week of Monday, Jan. 13 and address such topics as housing options, arts and culture, health and wellness, child-friendly design, design for all stages of life, young professionals, mobility, border relations and improvements, and environment and green space. Throughout the week, there are times set aside for open studio, which is a chance for community members to stop by and share ideas for what their perfect city looks like. The final session at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 17 will include a presentation based on the week’s feedback — and a roadmap for what the space may look like in the future.
This feedback aims to deliver what community members want to see in the Rio Grande Valley, which could potentially combat “brain drain” — individuals earning their degree and leaving the region in favor of living elsewhere, Killam said.
“We can create those spaces here and help bring in the different lifestyle things that people want to see in the Rio Grande Valley,” he added.
Local residents and stakeholders have already welcomed the development with open arms, Killam said, adding that this represents a long-term commitment for his company to make a positive impact on the RGV.
“I think that’s been a part of the motivation aside from all the great things happening there, like international trade and the type of growth that’s going on — just the business community and the community at large has been really great and we really appreciate that,” he said.
What does your ideal city look like? #JoinTheConversation at facebook.com/rgvisionmagazine.
