Staff: bonus program can be paired with other tools to protect Red River cultural uses

Commissioners pressed staff on protections for the Red River Cultural District and how the downtown density bonus program might support legacy businesses.

Warner Cook said staff has been directed to consider legacy business protections in Phase 2 and is meeting with the stakeholder group tied to Red River. Cook said the bonus program is most useful when redevelopment occurs and that it does not by itself assist operators who remain in existing spaces. “The bonus program is really only useful 1, if people are using it and 2, if they're redeveloping the site at all,” Cook said. He said staff is exploring a suite of tools, including tenant relocation assistance, rights of first refusal and coordination with the economic development and historic preservation offices.

Commissioners sought mandatory preservation strategies and asked why nearby overlays (Pecan Street) are treated differently. Cook explained that Capitol View corridors and other constraints reduce uptake in some overlays and pledged to explore additional regulatory and non‑regulatory tools to protect cultural uses in Red River.

Staff emphasized that Phase 2 will consider a mix of strategies and coordinate with appropriate departments to help preserve cultural businesses when redevelopment occurs.