During the annual State of the City Address Jan. 30, Mayor Paul Voelker talked about Richardson’s “value proposition” and how the City strives to be the location for those looking to create a home or build a business, with the goal of creating points of differentiation that enable Richardson to remain a top choice in the DFW Metroplex.
“Our value proposition is our promise of what we as a city government will deliver to you,” Mayor Voelker said. “How we do it more economically, with a greater consideration for leveraging resources and with a focus on service. It is the difference you hear in the way we answer the phone and the speed at which we respond to your needs. Our success is the result of a history of good planning and City Councils have gone through a process to chart a course for the future. Over the decades this long-term planning process has resulted in the development of the Telecom Corridor® area and helped shape our strong commercial office development while also envisioning the neighborhood amenities that make Richardson a place we love to call home.”
During his Address, Mayor Voelker stressed that the City’s value proposition is only enhanced by the many strong local and regional partnerships that have been established. He recognized educational partners UT Dallas, RISD, PISD, Richland and Collin colleges; health care partner Methodist Richardson Medical Center; the Richardson Chamber of Commerce; Dallas and Collin county commissioners courts; state and national legislative representatives; and board members and officials from the North Texas Municipal Water District and Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART).
“Our partnerships have led to signature projects in our city,” he said. “Fossil’s new headquarters, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas headquarters and the development of CityLine, home to State Farm and Raytheon facilities are just a few. And this past year, commercial leasing activity in Richardson was so active it led to our Telecom Corridor® area ranking as one of the hottest office markets in North Texas.”
Mayor Voelker highlighted recent news concerning Richardson’s longtime partner DART, and the announcement in December that the Cotton Belt Commuter Rail Line has been fully funded. The project includes a 26-mile commuter rail corridor from Plano through Richardson to the DFW International Airport. It will connect with Fort Worth’s TEX Rail line, providing a direct route from a new second station at CityLine to downtown Fort Worth. The new rail line will run through the northern part of Richardson with a stop on the UT Dallas campus. It will also include an adjacent hike-and-bike trail and noise wall structures near residential areas. The City is working closely with DART on the design and construction of an enhanced bridge feature over US 75
“Our partnership with DART has brought lasting benefits to our community and provided economic mobility for the people who depend on transit services every day,” he said. “We are excited to see this vision become a reality and look forward to riding the train to DFW Airport when the project is completed in late 2022.”
Mayor Voelker closed the address by highlighting some future and long-term projects that are underway including the Collins/Arapaho TOD and Innovation District vision and improving and revitalizing the City’s downtown district.
For more information, visit www.cor.net/stateofthecity.
