Gunter adopted a plan for its downtown in 2022. City officials say it is finally starting to show up in land deals.
City Manager Hayden Brodowsky told KTEN this week that the first years of the plan were largely on paper. "2020-2022 was more hypothetical; now actual real dollars being spent by purchasing property, we're kind of nudging things forward," he said.
The plan was built from residents' feedback on what could lift the town without losing its character, the station reported. Brodowsky said keeping growth centered downtown helps the town "remain Gunter-specific," and he pointed to the toll road expected through the area.
"Once the toll road gets put in, you want them to have a home base they want to be a part of," he said.
What comes next
According to KTEN, the next steps are more detailed master planning, buying land with Gunter Municipal Development District money and finding investors willing to back the project. No specific projects have been confirmed.
Eric Wilhite, the city's director of planning and development, said residents have offered many ideas for what downtown should hold, covering "a multitude of different uses." He described the effort as long term and said the timeline could shorten depending on how things go. "We're excited to be able to do it, this has been sitting here for almost four years," Wilhite said.
