The Texas Chapter of the American Planning Association announced last week that Oak Street in Downtown Roanoke has been designated a Great Texas Street by the state chapter’s Great Places in Texas program.
Great Places in Texas exemplify exceptional character and highlight the role planners and planning play in creating communities of lasting value, according to a news release from the city. This year marks the fourth year of the Great Places in Texas program, which is modeled from the American Planning Association’s ongoing Great Places in America program.
“A Great Street takes more than just a nice streetscape—it takes long-term, consistent dedication to a vision,” said Chance Sparks, president on the APA-Texas Chapter. “Roanoke’s Oak Street embodies this, employing a focus on the downtown corridor as a smart investment in the city’s future not just economically, but culturally … Now home to a thriving foodie scene, Oak Street has become not just a cultural destination for the immediate community, but a destination within the region for its authenticity.”
Through Great Places in Texas, the Texas Chapter of APA recognizes unique and authentic characteristics found in three essential components of all communities — streets, neighborhoods, and public spaces. APA Great Places offer better choices for where and how people work and live every day, places that are enjoyable, safe, and desirable. Such places are defined by many characteristics, including architectural features, accessibility, functionality, and community involvement.
For more information about the 2020 Great Places in Texas, as well as a list of the Great Places in America designees located in the state, click here.
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