lifestyles and professional positions to the businesses in our communities,” says Mayor Robert Crawley. The timing juxtaposes broader shifts reshaping the American economy.As semiconductor manufacturing returns to domestic soil and companies seek alternatives to coastal markets, mid-sized cities like Denison are becoming unexpected winners. The city’s proximity to Lake Texoma, an 89,000-acre recreational destination that draws nearly six million visitors annually, further accentuates its appeal.“We are a lakeside community to Lake Texoma,” notes Tony Kaai, President of the Denison Development Alliance, highlighting how the city balances industrial growth with quality-of-life amenities. Recent recognition validates the city’s strategic approach. Denison won the 2025 Great American Main Street Award after three decades of downtown revitalization efforts, while regional semiconductor investments totaling $34 billion over the next decade promise to transform the entire ShermanDenison metropolitan area into a major technology hub. For business leaders evaluating expansion opportunities, Denison represents a convergence of established infrastructure, emerging industry clusters, and small-town accessibility that larger metropolitan areas struggle to match. DOWNTOWN REVIVAL OF THE GREAT AMERICAN MAIN STREET Denison’s downtown transformation began with a simple observation about decay.“A lot of our buildings were still covered in metal facades and coverings, and we wanted to get those off and get those buildings restored back to their historic look,” explains Kaai. The city launched its Main Street program over thirty years ago, implementing matching facade grants that leveraged public investment with private capital.“As of about thirty days ago, the very last two buildings on Main Street that had metal coverings on it were completed.” The program’s scope was more than just cosmetic improvements.“We’ve invested millions of matching public monies to private money to get all those buildings redeveloped and taken back to historic look,” Kaai notes. The city simultaneously established a historic preservation board to ensure developments 105 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 09 DENISON, TX
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