Major Milestone Completed in Revitalization of Shaw Avenue District

Pasadena, Texas – The Pasadena Economic Development Corporation (PEDC) is pleased to announce that Pasadena’s Historic Shaw Avenue District revitalization is well underway with the first major milestone completed. The revitalization strategy for the central business district includes infrastructure upgrades, pedestrian improvements, and green infrastructure.

“The Pasadena community is thrilled to see the progress we’ve made in the Shaw Avenue District,” said Pasadena Mayor, Jeff Wagner. “Breathing new life into the entire Historic Pasadena District is a priority for this administration and the area’s businesses and residents. We look forward to continuing our strategic transformational redevelopment efforts in the area through ongoing and future projects. This major milestone is only the beginning.”

The completed work in the Shaw Avenue District to date includes a mural installation, and infrastructure and pedestrian improvements. Following the completion of the of $2.8 million infrastructure upgrade that included roadway repaving, widening of sidewalks, and upgraded utilities, PEDC’s Board of Directors invested an additional $1.5 million in 2021 for a pedestrian improvement project for the area that included the paving of sidewalks, crosswalks, pedestrian lighting, and installation of trees/plantings and pedestrian furniture. In 2021, PEDC also embarked in a partnership between seven Texas-based artists on design and installation of murals intertwined throughout the Shaw Avenue District. These murals create vibrancy, attract visitors, and build community identity in the area.

“The PEDC Economic Development Plan highlights and prioritizes major corridors in Historic Pasadena in need of redevelopment with Shaw Avenue among those identified,” said Steve Cote, PEDC Chairman. “When the City and PEDC have an opportunity to work together to achieve aligned goals - everyone wins.”

The Shaw Avenue District has significant adaptive reuse potential, which offers a way to breathe new life into empty historic structures by repurposing the existing structure for new use. One example of adaptive reuse is the original Pasadena Post Office, which was purchased and redeveloped into architectural offices by a private investor in 2019.

The Shaw Avenue Project is a piece of a major undertaking to comprehensively revitalize Pasadena’s Historic District, that serves as the City’s original downtown area, to realize a new future for the area making it a prime business, tourism and entertainment sector in the City.

“While our work is far from over, the Shaw Avenue District is primed for new private investment and I am excited to see how Pasadena’s historic downtown evolves,” said Sheena Salvino, PEDC Redevelopment Manager.

For more information and for the latest updates on this project, visit www.PasadenaEDC.com/current-projects.

About the Pasadena Economic Development Corporation (PEDC)

PEDC was created in 1998 as a nonprofit, type B corporation under the Texas Development Corporation Act. It is financed by a half-cent sales tax collected in the City of Pasadena. State law allows the city to collect this sales tax to pursue specifically authorized economic development activities in the city.

The seven members of PEDC’s Board of Directors are appointed and serve at the discretion of the City of Pasadena Mayor and City Council. The Corporation’s annual budget is also approved by City Council.

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