Sugar Land, TX – The Texas Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA) designated the Sugar Land Town Square plaza as a Great Public Space as part of the 2022 Great Places in Texas program. With this recognition, Sugar Land Town Square plaza joins a list of other local iconic public spaces such as Discovery Green and Buffalo Bayou that were recognized in the past.
The APA’s competitive selection process evaluated destinations based on a variety of planning factors including design, functionality, sustainability, character, quality and community participation. The Sugar Land Town Square plaza was ultimately recognized as an example of planning excellence, hailing the city’s leadership and community partnerships.
“We’re honored to receive this designation from the Texas Chapter of the American Planning Association and proud to see Sugar Land acknowledged as a leader within our state," said City Planner – Long Range Ruth Lohmer. “Sugar Land Town Square plaza is at the center of one of our community’s great assets, Town Square, one of the many amenities that makes our city a great place to live, work and play. Having this robust, enjoyable space in Sugar Land furthers its diverse economy, enhancing the quality of life for residents.”
Recent improvements to Sugar Land Town Square by Lionstone with visioning support by Rebees included an increase in shade and canopy coverage as well as casual outdoor seating space coupled with additional green area for guests to enjoy year round. These first wave of upgrades to Sugar Land Town Square include revamped landscaping, fresh branding and signage, re-faced tenant storefronts, innovative event programming, and an array of exciting new food and beverage, retail and entertainment concepts—including the Department of Wonder.
“The designation as a Great Public Space in Texas truly signifies the decades-long diligence and partnership with city officials in creating a space that builds community, supports local businesses and has become iconic in the region,” said Wende Buckley, a principal with Planned Community Developers (PCD). PCD were the original developers of Sugar Land Town Square and continue today as the lead for the project in property management and office leasing and programming for activities in the plaza.
The city is continuously working with local and regional business partners to create mixed-use, walkable spaces like Sugar Land Town Square where businesses, residents and tourists can enjoy unique civic, corporate, residential and retail offerings. Higher-density developments like Town Square provide high value per acre that contributes to keeping Sugar Land’s tax rate one of the lowest in the state. These mixed-use, dense developments like Town Square are opportunities to provide housing diversity needed for workforce attraction and population growth, therefore creating demand for new retail and entertainment venues. Importantly, public spaces within these types of developments, like the Sugar Land Town Square plaza, provide opportunities for people to gather and build a sense of community.
“Our community is very proud to receive this designation as a Great Public Space,” said Mayor Joe R. Zimmerman. “This recognition confirms that Sugar Land is THE place to live, work, play and shop because we work every day to build a better community for all."