Aggie urban planners create new ideas for Sealy's downtown area

City officials in Sealy, Texas are proceeding with steps to revitalize its historic downtown area, part of a comprehensive strategy aided by recommendations made during the fall 2009 semester by Master of Urban Planning students at Texas A&M.

“From the beginning, with the Texas A&M Sealy downtown study, it has been part of the plan and part of our city comprehensive plan to revitalize downtown Sealy,” Kim Meloneck, executive director of the Sealy Economic Development Corporation, told Ashley Tompkins of the Sealy News.

Students led by Elise Bright, professor of urban planning, worked with the SEDC to produce plans that included new sidewalks, signage, landscaping and vehicle, pedestrian and parking solutions.

The town, 50 miles west of Houston, recently received a $25,000 matching grant for a downtown clock tower and water fountain and was designated a 2011 [Scenic City] (http://www.sceniccitycertification.org/) for its implementation of high-quality scenic standards for public roadways and public spaces.

Tompkins’ story about Sealy’s downtown development, and its contributions from Aggie planners, is posted on the [Sealy News] (http://www.sealynews.com/news/article_d18111e8-9d5b-11e0-be6b-001cc4c002e0.html#user-comment-area) website.