Midtown Houston Affiliate Organizations Explained

02.21.2017 . Uncategorized

 

Midtown Houston is served by three separate organizations that work seamlessly together to ensure the community is safe, beautiful, and vibrant neighborhood: Midtown Management District, Midtown Redevelopment Authority, and Midtown Park Conservancy. Learn more about each organization, and how we can assist you!

 

Midtown Redevelopment Authority (MRA)

The Midtown Redevelopment Authority (MRA)/Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone No. 2 (TIRZ) are parallel organizations; the Boards of Directors for MRA and TIRZ consist of the same nine members. The TIRZ was created on December 14, 1994 by Ordinance No. 94-1345 and enlarged by Ordinance No. 95-1322. The MRA was created by City Resolution No. 95-96 in January 1995. They were created to redevelop the area; aid, assist, and act on behalf of the City in governmental functions; and to provide an operating and financing vehicle for implementing the TIRZ Project and Financing Plan. Efforts to create the TIRZ/MRA started from the community; individual property owners and neighborhood institutions petitioned for its existence in order to foster economic development and revitalize Midtown Houston with new construction and the preservation and restoration of existing structures. The current TIRZ includes approximately 771 acres of land including all annexations within its boundaries, and are all within the City. The MRA/TIRZ have been responsible for physical and capital improvements in Midtown Houston. From the baseline appraised value of $211 million, every increase in value and the taxes it generated is committed to Midtown Houston for 30 years. Today, the appraised value of property in the district is over $1.6 billion. This gives the MRA/TIRZ the ability to issue bonds based on the current and anticipated increase in value.

MRA uses incremental taxes generated in Midtown Houston to provide basic infrastructure improvements and public right of way enhancements as well as financing and management necessary to alleviate deteriorated site conditions and obsolete platting, and encourage growth of residential, commercial/industrial, retail, and institutional uses. The multi-use nature of the MRA/TIRZ is intended to provide new housing choices as well as employment, education, entertainment, and retail opportunities to residents in Midtown Houston.

The MRA solicits new developments and coordinates with City departments and private developers to implement Midtown Houston’s Redevelopment Master Plan. The TIRZ funds are used for public projects such as public parks, improved street lighting, capital improvements and landscaping enhancements. Since its inception, the Board of Directors of the MRA/TIRZ and its staff have continued to pursue the goal of a rejuvenated Midtown Houston by:

  • Assisting property owners in negotiations with potential financiers/developers for the creation of new development projects.
  • Providing new capital for necessary infrastructure, funding for attractive security enhancing streetscapes, new capital for building schools, parks, recreation spaces and hike and bike trails, the ability to adopt land use controls similar to those available to suburban developers, and significant new tax revenues for the City of Houston, HISD, and Harris County.
  • Working with the city of Houston, HISD, Houston Community College, Harris County, the Houston Housing Finance Corporation, the Metropolitan Transit Authority, Texas Department of Transportation, numerous local, state, and federal organizations and institutions, property owners, realtors, builders and developers to provide a responsible, responsive, comprehensive planning environment in Midtown Houston.
  • Maintaining an office with a full-time Executive Director and staff to answer inquiries, solicit new businesses and homes, and coordinate activities in the area.
  • Retaining professional consultants in the fields of finance and accounting, planning, engineering, law, and landscape architecture to assist with the daily business of running the district and attracting new development.
  • Initiating a program to clean up the area and demolish dangerous buildings, rid the area of illegal businesses.
  • Annexing additional property into the district to come closer to covering the entire area considered to be Midtown Houston.

 

Midtown Management District (MMD)

The Midtown Management District (MMD) was created in 1999 by the 76th Texas Legislature in House Bill 2894, and began providing services under the Service Plan October 1, 2000. The land included within the District was a mixed-use urban area in need of revitalization and redevelopment. Revitalization efforts for the area were begun by the City and the Midtown Redevelopment Authority (MRA). In order to take advantage of the momentum created and to expand revitalization efforts, representatives of businesses and residents in the area joined together to initiate the creation of MMD as a special financing District.

MMD has 17 Directors who are recommended by the Board of Directors and then appointed by the Mayor and City Council. Board members must be Midtown residents, property owners, or agents of property owners. The Board is responsible for approving and monitoring the programs undertaken by MMD.

MMD provides several valuable services to the neighborhood, which enhance the efforts of the MRA. The main function of the MMD is to create a safer environment by providing additional contracted law enforcement; serve as an advocate for constituents to ensure their concerns are made known and addressed; develop community based events and projects to assist in attracting more residents, businesses, and investments; and work diligently to encourage interaction between residents and businesses to continuously enhance Midtown Houston.

Some of MMD’s projects include:

  • Providing additional law enforcement presence through the use of Harris County Contract Deputy Constables, S.E.A.L. Security Solutions, LLC, and off-duty Houston Police Officers to provide increased patrolling services, including periodic bicycle patrols
  • Providing graffiti abatement services in the public rights of way
  • Purchasing new playground equipment for use in Elizabeth Baldwin Park
  • Increasing walkability by clearly marking pedestrian zones
  • Providing post-Hurricane Ike emergency disaster cleanup
  • Providing care and maintenance of existing trees and planting of new trees
  • Working with the Authority to incorporate art into the design of pedestrian enhancements
  • Securing a State of Texas Cultural Arts and Entertainment District designation for Midtown
  • Developing and hosting community based arts events such as festivals and park programming
  • Developing various media assets to inform the Midtown community and promote Midtown businesses
  • Maintaining certain infrastructure enhancements in parks and other public spaces
  • Informing the general public of the positive aspects of living and doing business in Midtown

 

Midtown Parks Conservancy (MPC)

Midtown Improvement and Development Corporation is a non-profit corporation formed on December 30, 2013 d/b/a Midtown Parks Conservancy (MPC).

MPC aids and assists the Midtown Redevelopment Authority (MRA) and the Midtown Management District (MMD) with the promotion, development, encouragement and maintenance of employment, commerce, transportation, housing, tourism, recreation, the arts, entertainment, economic development, safety and the public welfare in Midtown Houston. In addition, MPC maintains and operates of all MRA-owned facilities, including Midtown Park, Midtown Park Parking Garage, and Bagby Park.

MPC is also responsible for ongoing park events. To learn more, please click here.

To learn more about Midtown Houston and our affiliated organizations click here.