The Northgate Small Area Plan kickoff event brought together an eager crowd of Aggies and community members to discuss the future of the area on Tuesday afternoon.

Hosted at College Station City Hall, the event provided a platform for residents to ask questions, voice concerns and offer feedback on potential developments in Northgate, the city’s historic bar district that spans approximately 150 acres from University Drive to the entrance of Bryan. 

Northgate is an influential part of College Station’s culture, being the main source of entertainment the city has to offer. As such, the purpose of this meeting was not to erase Northgate, but to find a balanced solution to the challenges the area faces, such as congestion and pedestrian safety. The city has yet to finalize any concrete plans, but the meeting marked the first step in gathering public input to guide future decisions.

Anthony Armstrong ‘15, the city’s director of planning and developing services, outlined the broad scope of the discussion and clarified that this was just the beginning of a much larger conversation. Future meetings will be taking place bi-weekly to focus on issues such as micromobility, land use, the entertainment district and housing.

“This meeting today is about Northgate as a whole — Polo Road, Texas Avenue, University Drive and even the City of Bryan,” Armstrong said. “ … The purpose of this agenda is to go through the process and narrow in on different areas of Northgate through a series of individual meetings.”

During the meeting, the City Council presented several potential plans for the area, including proposals to improve pedestrian crossings and address congestion caused by the dense infrastructure of high-rise buildings. A key focus was the possibility of adding underpass walkways and an overhead bridge to enhance pedestrian safety in high-traffic areas.

“The cost of the improvement will be the greatest challenge,” Aaron Collins ‘96 said. “If the development of these areas is executed successfully, then it wouldn’t be a bad idea.” 

While the area is widely known for its entertainment venues, it also includes Hensel Park, student apartments and Century Square — places many attendees were passionate about protecting. The addition of an underpass or overhead bridge would likely limit accessibility to these areas and divert the resources away from maintaining the Northgate area.

“I am also worried about the quality of some of the older buildings. What would all the construction do to them?” Sue Owens ‘94 asked. 

While some questions about Northgate’s future remain unanswered, many attendees expressed a shared concern about how to modernize the area without losing its identity. They stressed the need to preserve Northgate’s character and history, as it remains a vital part of College Station. 

“It’s an attraction in a city that doesn’t have many attractions,” Owens said. 

Others agreed with this sentiment. Both Collins and Owens agreed, “ Businesses that have been established for decades like Dixie Chicken bring the old folks and the new folks together.”

To better understand community concerns, the city council organized an interactive activity in which attendees marked the parts of Northgate they liked, disliked and felt should be changed or improved. The overwhelming sentiment among participants was a desire to keep the area’s unique character intact.

Owens emphasized the importance of Northgate’s identity. 

“College Station is a city without a downtown,” Owens said. “The Northgate area is what gives it that atmosphere.”

Other residents of Brazos County expressed their connection to the area’s history. Bob Brick, a College Station resident of 49 years and former city council member said, “It is important for both old Aggies to return and new Aggies to experience it.” 

In his final remarks, Armstrong acknowledged Northgate’s importance from the City’s perspective and emphasized the need for thoughtful planning. Armstrong said that as the city grows, we have to figure out how we should manage that growth, capitalize on it and ensure it’s handled in the best way possible.