Community Engagement: Building relationships, and redevelopment in small town Texas
By Keith C. Rinehart, Director of Community and Economic Development, City of Saginaw
Excerpt from full article:
In October 2022, the Saginaw mayor and city council unanimously approved the Local Favorite Restaurant Development Project that will now be known as “The
Station @ Saginaw.” “The Station” will feature three branded restaurants, outdoor seating, and a venue for live entertainment.
Guests at “The Station” will have the option to dine at “Twisted Root Burger Co.,” serving delicious gourmet-style burgers, or “Taqueria La Ventana,” a funky
taqueria offering authentic Mexico City street food. The people of Saginaw can also enjoy “Del Toro BBQ,” a concept created by Chef Nico Sanchez known for its traditional
barbeque with a Mexican flair, unofficially dubbed Mexi-Que. Additionally, the Local Favorite Restaurant Group plans to repurpose as much of the existing fire station
and senior center buildings as possible thus preserving some of the community’s history. This project is exactly the type of thing Saginaw residents have been asking for…and then
some. After over two years of hard work, “The Station @ Saginaw” will forever change the vibe, atmosphere, and landscape of Saginaw.
“We are honored to be a part of the historic community of Saginaw and are looking forward to being the best food destination in the city for years to come,” said Mike Karns, founder and CEO of Local Favorite Restaurants. “At Local Favorite Restaurants, we are passionate about providing genuine hospitality, where we aim to grow our people, restaurants and communities, and we believe thispartnership embodies just that.”
This type of development is a first for the City of Saginaw and is a result of cherished relationships between citizens, a municipal government, retail recruiters, and commercial
developers. The work of redevelopment is taxing and timeconsuming, but it is worth the price of admission because you are respecting your history and what got you to this point.
Read the full article on pages 27-29 of the May 2023 edition of Texas Town & City.