Celina to break ground on new downtown center as population surges
CELINA — In the past 15 years, the population of Celina, a city in Collin County, has tripled to more than 30,000 people. The growth is not expected to slow down, with the city's maximum projected buildout at approximately 378,000 people.
To better accommodate the growing population, a new downtown center will be built. It will address key needs such as city operations, community gathering places, and expanded parking.
A groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday will mark the commencement of the first phase of construction, a 25,202-square-foot, four-story parking garage.
Cleve Rasor remembers when Celina was just open land.
"There were a lot of farmers and ranchers, and quite frankly, we got here just for that very reason," he said. "Our family came to Plano, Texas, in 1883, and in 1983 we sold out and relocated here."
He said growing up, there was always that small-town feel. Everybody knew everybody.
"I graduated with 50 kids in my graduating class," he said. "There were about 1,200 people living here at the time. There were no red lights and pretty much no neighborhoods."
It's a much different setting than what's seen today.
The U.S. Census Bureau considers Celina the fastest-growing city in the U.S. among cities with a population of 20,000 or more. Other Collin County cities like Princeton and Anna are close behind.
"One of the most important things that people talk about is how can we remain a small town while we grow so fast?" City Manager Robert Ranc said.
Ranc said one way to do this is with the creation of a new Downtown Center.
Tuesday's official groundbreaking will take place for the expansive 115,245-square-foot facility.
One of the biggest draws will be a state-of-the-art 26,209-square-foot library. There will also be a rooftop community space for public events and a revitalized garden-like alley for gatherings.
"We funded it through Certificate of Obligation bonds, and $94 million is the budget," Ranc said. "I think that people are excited. I mean, it's a transformational project!"
The project is estimated to be complete in about two years.
"Believe it or not, we've been talking about this kind of thing since I opened up here, about what the downtown is going to look like," Rasor said.
He owns a nearby insurance agency and welcomes the growth.
