KEEPING DOWNTOWN VIBRANT.


It takes fundraising, projects and visionary plans to keep Tyler’s downtown moving forward.

While the downtown district is the historic core of the community, it is a prominent employment center and a reflection of our community image, pride, prosperity and level of investment. It is either an asset or a liability in the effort to recruit new residents, new businesses and industries, retirees, tourists and others to your community and to keep those you already have.

Quality of life is what separates successful cities and towns from declining communities in the new millennium. It is the visual representation for your community’s heritage. The Main Street approach encourages forward-thinking economic development in an historic preservation context so this community asset and legacy can be passed on to future generations.

Heart of Tyler is stronger than ever. Volunteers contribute thousands of hours of professional and support services to the downtown revitalization effort each year. In addition to the many honors received for program performance and downtown projects, downtown reinvestment now tops well over $200 million since 2007.

PROJECTS MAKE THE HEART OF TYLER


  • 2020 Black Tie Bingo: Boogie Woogie

    An evening of fun and games (literally!) to raise money specifically used toward the improvement and revitalization of downtown. This event raises about $20,000-plus each year for Heart of Tyler. This year, 2020, will mark the 13th Annual Black Tie Bingo – a true staple downtown!

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    2019 Black Tie Bingo: Where Dreams Come True

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    2018 Black Tie Bingo: Casablanca

  • Street Lamp Renovation

    We continue work with the City of Tyler and Oncor to update downtown street lamps. The project kicked off in 2019 and will continue into 2021, improving aesthetics and, ultimately, saving funds the city can reinvest in our local economy.

    Fire Hydrant Repainting

    Updates included fresh coats of paint for the district’s 34 fire hydrants and refreshing paint on all the handicapped railings within the district.

    Other Projects

    Across three decades, we’ve spearheaded scores of service projects alongside our members, residents, visitors and partners, including 28 initiatives that have earned state-level awards recognizing everyone’s hands-on investment in downtown.

  • The Downtown Revitalization Program is part of the City of Tyler’s goal to encourage economic development. Toward that end, the program aims to increase the overall occupancy of the city’s downtown district while also addressing existing safety issues and improving downtown aesthetics and building facades. Notably, these efforts will extend the lifecycle of existing historic buildings by implementing appropriate design standards for the rehabilitation.

  • The City of Tyler’s Main Street Board administers the community’s Downtown Revitalization Grant Program, a matching grant which covers as much as $10,000 of downtown property owners’ upgrades to their buildings’ façades in addition to safety improvements.

    The current seven-member Main Street Board, which includes two representatives from Heart of Tyler, was established in Summer 2019 under the city’s existing Main Street designation from the Texas.

    “Historical Commission. The board's first year saw tangible improvements to portions of Downtown Tyler (such as the revitalization of the first floor of the Plaza Tower) and more work is ahead.

    For the 2019-2020 Fiscal Year, city leaders allocated about $50,000 to the grant fund. The monies are aimed at projects that not only preserve historic buildings but also improve them.

    As reported by CBS19.tv, eligible projects include:

    • Life safety code compliance
    • Commercial site exterior/façade improvements
    • American disabilities act (ADA) improvements
    • Historic reconstruction
    • Installation
    • Repair or replacement of exterior signage and/or lighting”

Looking for upcoming events?

Downtown Tyler is humming with activity, day and night and in-between. There’s something for everyone in the Heart of Tyler – join us!

HAVE AN EVENT COMING UP OR WANT TO ASK US A QUESTION?

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