City of Linden issues mainstreet update

The cultural, economic and governmental heart of Linden is our downtown. In 2017, the City of Linden joined the Texas Main Street Program which assisted with the development of a downtown master plan. Several components have been implemented, special decorative Main Street signage, murals, events, providing flowers/ plants on the sidewalks in planters and a TDA downtown grant (which Main Street cities receive preferential treatment for grant award) to improve sidewalks and Rush Street.

Recently, there have been weekend events once per quarter.

The annual Wildflower Trail festival will be taking place soon. For every season, we have new banners. Preservation Texas is refurbishing the 1930s Old Fire Station. The Cass County Courthouse received a new Texas Historical Marker.

Ironwood Café has opened to compliment Venice Pizza and Uncle Juans with eating choices downtown. Several buildings continue to receive investment in their structural refurbishment. There is a lot of current positive momentum in the Linden Main Street program.

Recently, the City of Linden and the Linden Economic Development Corporation have partnered together to hire SWCA to assist in pursuing National Register of Historic Places Downtown Commercial Historic District Nomination approval. Once our nomination is approved, owners of historic buildings will be open to state and federal tax credits for renovation!

There is consensus from Mayor Reynolds, City Council, EDC, Main Street Committee, Chamber of Commerce, Linden Heritage Foundation and the city administration is to implement the 2017 Main Street Plan to make the downtown a truly destination-oriented draw. Having a “glowing” downtown provides community pride while bringing in tourist spending strengthens our local economy providing tax dollars to provide high quality services.

The following are some more current of near future items occurring downtown: Linden Heritage Foundation is working towards a Cass County historical area around the Senior Center discussing Cass County history, the slave labor and brick building kiln which was located close by.

Park Plan- the city will be moving forward with a park plan, which will include how we can extend the downtown and connect it to the Linden Park using trails or sidewalks. At the Linden Park, there is a possibility of using portions of the historical Onion Shed (salvaged for historical displays) and replicated as an entertainment/event area in the Linden vicinity where the former RV park was located.

Implementing items from our historical musical culture. The Linden area is home to several well-known musical artist, to name a few, Scott Joplin, T-Bone Walker, Don Henley, Richard Bowden, the Cass County Boys amongst several others, which tourists would be interested in seeing. Decorations of musical items, or a museum are some items to be explored (These were recommended in the 2017 Main Street Plan).

An ad-hoc Main Street Committee will be appointed to assist in developing ideas for the downtown. One of the most important items this committee will provide are recommendations for what we want our downtown to look like, what time period and what type of architectural rendering do we want to work towards.

Code Compliance: the City will begin to work on proactive code compliance. Code compliance is needed throughout our community, and there are several structures downtown which need to be cleaned up or stabilized.

To view the 2017 Main Street Plan, please go to www. lindentx.gov.