Галвестон планирует оживить исторический центр за счет увеличения жилой плотности и модернизации инфраструктуры

GALVESTON Joshua Owens, executive director of the Galveston Economic Development Partnership, argues the city’s historic downtown, with its attractive architecture and proximity to one of the nation’s largest cruise ports, is an absolute jewel. But like any gem, it can still be polished. For downtown to reach its potential and become a model for other waterfront communities, civic leaders must address residential density, vacancies, public safety and access to public parking and restrooms, Owens said. “There’s no one else really that has walkable port infrastructure next to the cruise terminals on the Gulf Coast like we do,” Owens said. “There are vast opportunities to really connect downtown with the city’s water features. Galveston needs to leverage those opportunities to maximize its economic potential.” CITIES FOR LIVING For Owens, the top priority for city leaders is encouraging more people to live downtown. “From my perspective, the most important thing for increasing the vitality of a downtown is increasing the number of residents,” Owens said. “Houston’s downtown in the 1990s was asleep after 6 p.m. They created a lot of initiatives in order to get residents to move into the core so that it felt alive after the office buildings closed.” U.S. Census statistics released in 2024 found that about 2,000 people live downtown, roughly 3% of Galveston’s population. Citywide, Galveston has about 1,300 residents per square mile, compared with about 2,000 in Corpus Christi, 2,250 in Newport and 1,350 in Savannah. The loss of jobs from downtown’s only skyscraper housing American National Insurance Co. and the sale of One Moody Plaza for a fraction of its assessed value also present a problem, Owens said. Another vacancy that has concerned residents is the former American Indemnity Building at 2115 Winnie St., which the Galveston Police Department reported has become a hotspot for crime after several unhoused people moved into the property. The building is subject to a federal foreclosure case involving 216 Real Estate Portfolio LLC and Sifat LLC, according to federal court records. “We’re always going to have an indigent population because we’re the county seat and we’re located next to the largest public hospital in Texas.” Owens said. “That’s just the facts. People end up there and then they’re released and they don’t have the resources to get what they need.” Tackling this problem will require working with philanthropic organizations and public sector resources to provide treatment for mental illness and substance abuse and get homeless people off the streets, Owens said. Expanding middle-class job opportunities is also part of the solution, Owens said. Davie Defense’s $1 billion investment into a Galveston shipyard could bring nearly 2,000 jobs and more residents, creating more customers for downtown shops. “Street life is incredibly important for creating safety and being a place that’s interesting to folks,” Owens said. “I would really like to see downtown have nightlife throughout the year and have a significant locus of population living down there, walking their dogs and being out on the street.” Parking and access to public restrooms are other areas where downtown needs improvement, Owens said. Shopping malls, with clean bathrooms and plentiful parking, compete for the same visitors. “Those are the retail environments that we’re competing with and it’s very challenging,” Owens said. POLISHING THE JEWEL City Manager Brian Maxwell said administrators are taking a two-pronged approach to downtown. The first is a $24 million federal grant approved in October to improve pedestrian safety, widen and repair sidewalks, improve accessibility and incorporate green infrastructure such as rain gardens. The second involves studying traffic and transportation as the cruise industry continues to grow. Galveston Wharves Port Director and CEO Rodger Rees also views downtown as an asset and an opportunity for growth. “Galveston is fortunate to be one of the few port cities in the U.S. with port commercial and cruise areas adjacent to downtown,” Rees said. “Businesses, residents and visitors all benefit.” An estimated 1.8 million cruise passengers spent more than $145 million locally in 2025, according to Park Board of Trustees data. Cruise visitors made up nearly 20% of the city’s 9.1 million visitors. The port is also studying traffic patterns and transportation options ahead of the opening of a fifth terminal. “I’m especially excited about the progress we’re making on a plan to improve and reopen the elevated walkover at 25th Street and Harborside Drive to safely connect downtown to the port,” Rees said. Maxwell sees Galveston as following a national trend in which downtowns are evolving into mixed-use communities. “Parking is a constraint to just about every downtown area in the country, especially the older historic areas,” Maxwell said. “We are hoping with new ownership of parking areas downtown that increased parking opportunities can be had once the properties close.” The city is also working to expand public restroom access on the east end of The Strand, he said. Despite the loss of the American National tower, Owens sees opportunities for growth, including plans to convert the former Medical Arts Building into the 11-story Quay Hotel, expand El Tiempo Cantina into the Thomas Jefferson League Building and convert the American National tower into apartments and hotel units. “We’re blessed with that historic architecture that people want to come and see that you couldn’t recreate today with a billion dollars,” Owens said. “So we have a huge opportunity to take what we have and leverage it to generate economic growth.”