Council authorizes funding for final Heritage Plaza renovations with St. Patrick’s Day, Katy Market Day festivities upcoming

By George Slaughter, News Editor
Posted 3/15/23

The Katy City Council, at a March 8 special meeting, approved a $3.4 million contract to complete the work on its historic town square project.

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Council authorizes funding for final Heritage Plaza renovations with St. Patrick’s Day, Katy Market Day festivities upcoming

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The Katy City Council, at a March 8 special meeting, approved a $3.4 million contract to complete the work on its historic town square project.

The work will incorporate feedback the city has received the Downtown Advisory Committee, the city’s Convention and Tourism Bureau, and from local elected officials. The city solicited bids, but received only one, from Millis Development and Construction. Nonetheless, City Administrator said the city felt comfortable with the arrangements.

“We’re all very pleased with what we’re going to get,” Hebert told the council.

Hebert said the city needed to have the work finished by the annual Katy Rice Festival, set for Oct. 13. The annual event, a major attraction for the city, draws thousands of visitors to the downtown area.

A shade structure, work on the Katy Corner, and mural walls that will surround the iconic water tower are among the projects to be completed. The mural walls will depict familiar Katy landmarks and symbols, according to the agreement with the artist, Tyler Kay Designs.

The money will come from three sources.

  • About $892,139 will come from hotel and occupancy taxes.
  • About $926,722 will come from a 2016 bond, already approved by Katy voters, for downtown improvements.
  • About $1.58 million will come from the city’s general fund reserves.

While city officials look forward to having the renovations finished by the Katy Rice Festival, downtown enthusiasts are looking at opportunities to bring people downtown to enjoy local attractions this weekend.

The Fulshear-Katy Area Chamber of Commerce is hosting its first annual O’Katy St. Patrick’s Day Shamrock Shindig, 5-8 pm. Friday in downtown. The free event features vendor booths, music, food trucks and drinks. A portion of Avenue C, between 1st and 2nd streets, will be closed for the event.

Don McCoy, chamber president, said this first event will be small, with about 24 businesses represented, but the hope is that there will be more such events in these future.

“With the opening of the Katy Icehouse (5733 2nd St.), it seemed to make the sense to highlight the opening of a new business downtown,” McCoy said. “It’s just another event we wanted to bring to the Katy area. People can come and go as they please.”

Wearing green is optional. McCoy said one does not have to be Irish to be Irish on St. Patrick’s Day.

“We look to have a lot of fun and just enjoy the day,” McCoy said. “The weather should be cooperative. It will be nice and cool and crisp.”

One group that will be at Friday’s event, McCoy said, is the Katy Rotary Club, which will be selling tickets to the Wild West Brew Fest, set for March 25. But Friday’s event will also give people a chance to preview the Katy Market Day, which is set for Saturday in downtown Katy.

Katy Market Day, a local tradition for two decades, resumes Saturday. Katy Market Day is held on the third Saturday, from March-December, each month in downtown Katy. It features arts, crafts, direct sales from selected vendors, plants and produce. The event also has food trucks and has in the past had a beer garden.

City of Katy, Heritage Plaza, Katy City Council