Business View Magazine | April 2019

175 is that there’ll be a lot more to come with our Downtown Plan.” “The biggest story is that the city has invested about $7 million redoing all of the under- ground infrastructure in the historic, eight- block downtown,” Dixon continues. “We needed to replace all of the old water and sewer and stormwater pipes that were undersized or decrepit. And, we’ve done that – all of the underground work is now complete and it will be topped with a brand new, beautiful, pedes- trian-centric streetscape with mature trees and turn-of-the-century type lampposts. It will be a beautiful, finished product.” In addition, Dixon reports that the City recently created a new, unified development ordinance that will allow more housing options, such as loft apartments, to be created and leased in the downtown district. Another part of Ennis’ downtown revitalization is the planned con- struction of a new east/west connector with an underpass that will go beneath the railroad line. “The railroad is the reason Ennis is what, and where, it is, today,” Dixon notes. “However, now, it’s kind of a barrier for shoppers and oth- ers to connect from I-45 to downtown Ennis. So, we’re going to invest, collectively, with our North Central Texas Council of Governments and the state. Once we finish all three phases, it will be, roughly, a hundred- million- dollar project.” Another planned project for Ennis concerns the replacement of all the town’s water me- TEXAS’ PREMIER PUBLIC SERVICE LAW FIRM SINCE 1895 214-965-9900 www. NJDHS .com 1800 Ross Tower, 500 N. Akard St., Dallas, TX 75201 Municipal Legal Services • Economic Development Appraisal District • Transportation Authority Consultation & Training Providing waterworks supply for over 25 years. 107 Eagle Dr, Red Oak, TX 75154 Ph: 972-617-5255 | Cell # 972-921-1840 Email: Brittonmetersupply@att.net Britton Meter Supply, Inc.