Downtown Celina businesses are keeping an open mind and voicing support of the city's plan to redevelop the square with its downtown redevelopment project.
"We have to have people in the square to have a business," said Traci Miller, owner of Terramania.
Miller said the downtown redevelopment comes with the "growing pains" of Celina, as it has seen rapid growth the last few years. She added this isn't the first time the square has been redeveloped, and she appreciates the city attempting to keep Celina fresh, while also paying tribute to its historic roots.
Celina broke ground of the first phase of the project on Oct. 15, paving the way for a parking garage, new downtown center and a reimagined square.
Phase 1 of the project includes a 25,202-square-foot, four-story parking garage offering nearly 400 parking spaces.
Once completed, the downtown center will be an expansive 115,245-square-foot facility featuring administrative offices and a state-of-the-art 26,209-square-foot library, providing vital resources and community programming.
Celina Mayor Ryan Tubbs said during the ceremony that the new library will be 10-times the size of the current facility.
Additionally, the project will include a rooftop community space for public events and a revitalized garden-like alley for gatherings.
The city previously reported that construction will begin Nov. 1. The projected completion date for the garage is October 2025.
Miller said the change will be good for the downtown area and hopes fellow businesses "embrace it."
Also voicing support for the project is Maggie Evans, manager at Hey Sugar. Evans said everything the city has done has been done well and efficiently, pointing out the recent roadwork project in downtown.
She said the city has been able to do projects quickly and efficiently and she hopes it brings more people into the store.
Evans said while sales are down a bit year-over-year, she is optimistic of the future, saying the city is "working for our best benefit."