Public and private investment reshapes East Waco

East Waco is seeing new sidewalks, housing, and cultural projects as Waco officials, developers, and nonprofits coordinate to revive the historic neighborhood. The effort is meant to spur growth without displacing longtime residents.

Why it matters: - East Waco’s revival is being framed as a test case for neighborhood reinvestment that protects existing residents while attracting new activity. - The work spans infrastructure, housing, small business, and cultural preservation, so the impact reaches both daily life and long-term economic development. - City leaders and community groups are trying to make sure growth in East Waco does not repeat displacement patterns seen in other redeveloping neighborhoods.

What happened: - Waco officials, private developers, and local nonprofits have aligned efforts to revitalize East Waco, a historically African American neighborhood across the Brazos River from downtown Waco. - Saturday mornings on Elm Avenue now feature sidewalks, a farmers market, vendors, and live music as visible signs of change. - City Councilmember Andrea Jackson Barefield said Waco has made intentional infrastructure investments across East Waco, including sidewalks, streetscapes, bike connectivity, and public gathering spaces. - The city transformed the Elm Avenue corridor with widened sidewalks, new lighting, and a resurfaced roadway through a city-led, TIRZ-funded project. - The Waco Downtown Farmers Market relocated to Elm Avenue after the corridor work, bringing hundreds of weekly visitors, including Baylor University students.

The details: - Waco has streamlined the development process in East Waco to encourage infill housing and historic renovations. - Clint Peters, the city’s Director of Development Services, said the goal is to help committed developers navigate older-neighborhood complexity while preserving the area’s character. - Placemaker Pro is renovating long-neglected homes and building new residential units on vacant lots in East Waco. - Daeja Roman, a Placemaker Pro partner and Waco resident, said the firm aims to bring neglected properties back into use rather than replace the neighborhood with something generic. - Placemaker Pro keeps its office local and hires local workers. - Aerodyne Pro, Placemaker Pro’s affiliate, provides residential construction services, and demand for those services is rising as East Waco development scales up. - Irvin Becerra, Aerodyne Pro’s project manager, said the projects support local jobs and put money back into the neighborhood. - Placemaker Pro and Aerodyne Pro support Cultural Arts of Waco, a nonprofit focused on cultural preservation and community engagement. - The companies have donated labor, materials, and funds for projects including a stage for the annual Día de los Muertos celebration. - In January 2026, the partnership launched its largest project so far: a phase 1 property-improvement plan for Cultural Arts of Waco’s building at 418 Elm Avenue. - The work repaired the roof and façade, added insulation, and restored power to the former drug store and theater. - The building is slated to become ArtPlace Waco, a future community arts hub. - Doreen Ravenscroft, who leads Cultural Arts of Waco, said the donated work clears a path for Art on Elm expansion and a return of a Youth Art Exhibition. - Ravenscroft said the stabilization work was completed a month ago.

Between the lines: - East Waco’s redevelopment is being shaped as a neighborhood-centered model, with public investment doing the early groundwork and private capital following a community-defined lead. - The focus on vendor access, local hiring, and cultural projects suggests an effort to keep new spending circulating inside the neighborhood. - The nonprofit and arts component matters because cultural anchors can help preserve identity even as property values and activity rise.

What’s next: - The stabilized building at 418 Elm Avenue sets up the next phase of work for ArtPlace Waco. - Cultural Arts of Waco plans to expand Art on Elm and bring back a Youth Art Exhibition in the building. - City leaders say continued coordination among public agencies, private investors, and community organizations will remain central as East Waco changes. - The broader goal is steady improvement that strengthens the neighborhood without erasing its history.

The bottom line: - East Waco’s momentum is coming from alignment, not a single project: infrastructure, housing, and cultural investment are moving together to shape the neighborhood’s next chapter.