Old Seabrook Livable Center Approved by Council
Council unanimously approved Resolution 2021-22 on Tuesday, November 16, 2021 to adopt the Old Town Seabrook District – Main Street Houston Galveston Area Council (HGAC) Livable Center Study, which focuses on the 2035 Comprehensive Master Plan and other planning efforts to evaluate market realities and make recommendations to improve connectivity, encourage economic development and enhance quality of life in the Old Seabrook District. The Board of Directors of the Seabrook Economic Development Corporation voted to adopt the Study during the earlier joint meeting.
What is a Livable Center Study?
improving the old seabrook district
We have partnered with the Houston-Galveston Area Council for a Livable Center Study that focuses on the Old Seabrook District. This historic and charming area of Seabrook encourages a complementary mix of land uses perfect for small businesses and residents alike.
Study Focus Area
Seabrook’s jurisdictional area is 9 square miles. The Old Seabrook encompasses about 55 acres, a footprint well scaled for a walkable, mixed‐use area. Main Street has a length of three‐quarters of a mile, which provides a scale that further reinforces walkability and civic gathering. The Old Town Seabrook District – Main Street H‐GAC Livable Center Study Application study area is the traditional small-town center and local destination for goods and services, civic functions, and entertainment. It’s preeminence as a commercial center has diminished as businesses have relocated to SH146 and NASA Parkway over the past several decades. The area’s emphasis as a historical district and traditional center of the town is recent. With its mixed‐uses and traditional street grid surrounded by a modestly resurgent residential neighborhood, the area lends itself to a holistic approach to create a plan for this special area. This plan will reassert Main Street’s connectivity and value to the whole of Seabrook as its historical “Main Street” and the “heart” of the community.
Our Partners
Houston-Galveston Area Council
The Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) is the regional organization through which local governments consider issues and cooperate in solving area wide problems. The H-GAC Livable Study program awarded the Seabrook Economic Development Corporation $153,950.64 for the Livable Center Study. The H-GAC Livable Center program was established in 2008 to reimagine auto-focused infrastructure, policies, and programs to be more multi-modal friendly.
Economic Development Corp.
The Seabrook Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) is appointed by the Seabrook City Council to help enhance and expand the local tax base with quality, sustainable businesses and amenities consistent with the community's vision. The SEDC has provided a funding match for the Livable Center Study of $40,049.36 for a total project fund of $194,000. The SEDC believes the study will breathe new live into the Old Seabrook District and open up the area to new business prospects.
Freese & Nichols
Freese and Nichols has been selected as the professional planning, consulting and engineering firm to develop the plan. Freese and Nichols instrumental in development of the City of Seabrook Master Comprehensive Plan and is very familiar with the community and vision for Seabrook. Their team will also include economic development consultants from MarshDarcy Partners, market analysis input from Community Development Strategies and image and branding assistance from Clark Condon.
News & Reports
COUNCIL APPROVES STUDY
Shad Comeaux and Alexis Garcia presented a final report on the Old Seabrook Livable Centers Study to a joint meeting of the City Council, the Seabrook Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors, and the Seabrook Planning & Zoning Commission. Read More…
Public Input
Jenuine Treasures Boutique, located at 902 Hardesty Ave. in Old Seabrook, will be hosting their monthly Market Days on Saturday, October 2nd. Stop by between 9am to 2pm to shop local craft vendors and get an update from the Old Seabrook Livable Center Study!
Stakeholder's advisory meeting
On Tuesday, September 28, 2021 the Old Seabrook District Livable Center Study Team held a rescheduled SAC meeting to received an update on the study from the Old Seabrook District Livable Center Team. The meeting allowed the committee to review the Draft Master Plan and discuss additional items that may need to be changed or included. The SAC will meet again on Tuesday, October 26, 2021 to finalize the plan.
PUBLIC INPUT MEETING
On Tuesday, April 13 the Old Seabrook District Livable Center Study Team held a virtual public meeting to gain input from the public on the Livable Center Study. The meeting allowed the team to gain insight on how often people visit the Old Seabrook District and what type of development they would like to see in the area.
STAKEHOLDER'S ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING
On Tuesday, January 26 the Old Seabrook Livable Center Study Team met with the Stakeholder’s Advisory Committee. The primary role of the Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC) is to provide input to assist the planning team in the preparation of the Livable Center Study relevant to; Providing knowledge of the study area, Identification of issues / opportunities, Community vision and goals, Guide Plan recommendations and priorities, Ambassadors of the Plan.
KICK OFF MEETING
The Livable Center Study team which includes City of Seabrook staff, representatives from H-GAC and several representatives from Freese and Nichols held the Livable Center Study Kick-off Meeting on Wednesday, November 18, 2020. The meeting agenda discussed introduced key contacts for the planning team, gave an overview of the project, discussed the project discovery process and consider the projects next steps. Shad Comeaux, the Freese and Nichols Project Manager for the Study will present the project to the Seabrook City Council on Tuesday, December 1, 2020.
REPORT TO SEABROOK CITY COUNCIL
On Tuesday, December 1, 2020 Shad Comeaux, the Seabrook Livable Center Study Project Manager with Freese and Nichols, gave a detailed presentation to Seabrook City Council. Project expectations were discussed with Council in addition with a review of the project’s schedule and discussion on how public input with be generated throughout the process. Councilmember Buddy Hammann was selected by his fellow Councilmembers to serve as the Council liaison on the Livable Center Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC. The primary role of the SAC is to provide input which will assist the planning team with the core development of the plan.