Arlington City Council members and people interested in the International Corridor project on the east side of town say they’re beyond ready to get started with projects to acknowledge the area’s cultural diversity.
Rebecca Boxall, District 5 council member, said she will speak with UT Arlington staff about launching a design competition for a sign or marker that welcomes people to the international corridor.
Both Boxall and Nikkie Hunter, District 3 council member, said they’d like to meet more regularly with business owners and those interested in the corridor and would follow-up with attendees in the next few months. The representatives would also like as many people as possible to weigh in on next steps for the area.
“We want to move forward with the International Corridor,” Hunter said. “Anything we get, let’s move, let’s go, let’s get this started.”
Business owners and organizers have long discussed a way to celebrate and acknowledge the racial and ethnic diversity in the area and mix of small businesses and shopping centers. The city installed banners that say “welcome” in 10 different languages last fall.
The city also implemented a Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ), a special designation that sets aside tax dollars as property values increase to finance public improvements and economic development projects.
The TIRZ is projected to accrue over $5 million by Fiscal 2025 and over $99 million by Fiscal 2043, according to projections in the meeting presentation. The city and business owners can request funding for projects including sidewalk and street improvement, economic development and public spaces.
However, some in attendance said they’d like to see some action and a larger investment from the city than TIRZ funding.
Dan Dipert said he doubts that projects in downtown or the entertainment district were limited to TIRZ dollars. And instead of continued meetings and polling, the city should get started on realizing some of the projects lined out in the International Corridor Visioning plan council approved in 2023.
“This group can talk until hell freezes over, but we need the council women to play … This can be one of the greatest tourism destinations in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, but we’ve got to play, we’ve got to get something done,” Dipert said.
Boxall said she and other council members want the same – but they need community input about where to start.
“One way is (Hunter) and I can sit down together and say, ‘This is what we think the corridor needs’ and we go to you guys and we say, ‘This is what we think you need to do’ … I don’t think that’s the right way to do that.”
Community members suggested making better use of social media, visiting businesses, exploring artificial intelligence and surveys to better poll people in the area.
Lauren Paige said the city should concentrate on reaching out – and aim to create spaces that reflect the community surrounding the project.
“A majority of this room is white. That does not encompass what east Arlington is at all,” Paige said.
Jo Anna Cardoza said the city should provide versions of future presentations in different languages.
“That way, if people come to the meeting, they can understand what’s going on, too,” she said.
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