What's Coming to Downtown Waco: A Student's Guide to the Redevelopment
If you've driven through downtown Waco in the past year, you've probably noticed things are about to change. A lot. The city approved the first $167 million phase of a 20-year downtown Waco redevelopment plan that will reshape nearly a mile of the Brazos River with a new ballpark, a performing arts district, a transformed Waco Riverwalk, and hundreds of new apartments. If you're a Baylor student — or about to be one — this is the kind of local shift that actually matters for how you'll spend your weekends, where you'll eat, and what Waco will look like by the time you graduate.
Here's a practical breakdown of what's happening, when, and what it means for students living off campus near Baylor.
The $167M First Phase: What's Actually Breaking Ground
Waco greenlit the first $167 million phase of the downtown Waco redevelopment project in 2025, with groundbreaking scheduled for 2026. Of that budget, roughly $75 million goes toward resurfacing downtown roads (bounded by 4th Street, University Parks, Washington Avenue, and Jefferson Avenue) and constructing a new central park — Barron's Branch Park.
Barron's Branch is the signature project of Phase 1. The park will "daylight" a creek that was buried under concrete decades ago, turning a floodplain into a live-work-play district with a creek, plaza, and public space between Jefferson and Washington avenues. Phase 1 runs 2026 through 2028.
Three more phases follow:
- Phase 2 (Years 4-8): Performing arts district — convention center, hotel, a performance venue, and a festival street on the east end near Mary Avenue/University Parks
- Phase 3 (Years 8-10): Town square district with a consolidated new city hall
- Phase 4 (final): Sports entertainment district with a new ballpark on the west end near Waco Avenue
The full build-out covers about 100 acres along the Brazos River, led by Hunt Development Group with landscape architecture from MVVA and infrastructure work from Waco-based Walker Partners. City estimates put total investment across all phases at roughly $700 million, with some real estate outlets pegging the full 20-year figure at closer to $1.4 billion.
The Waco Riverwalk Facelift: Two New Restaurants Coming Mid-2026
If you haven't walked the Waco Riverwalk yet, it's a 7-mile multi-use trail looping both banks of the Brazos from Baylor University up to Cameron Park. It's already one of the best free outdoor spots in town, and it's about to get a $27 million upgrade.
Construction started mid-2025 and is wrapping up by mid-2026. Here's what's being added:
- Two new riverfront restaurants, each 4,000+ square feet, with outdoor decks facing the Brazos
- A family-style restaurant near Foster Pavilion with an outdoor beverage area
- New water features along the trail
- Improved lighting and walkways for the full Riverwalk loop
Restaurant names haven't been publicly announced yet, but the timing matters: by the time the 2026 fall semester kicks off, students will have brand-new sit-down options with river views that didn't exist the year before. If you're the kind of person who'd rather grab dinner and watch the sunset over the Brazos than sit in a food hall, your options are about to expand.
500 New Apartments and a 600-Space Parking Garage
Here's the part of the downtown Waco redevelopment story that gets less attention but directly affects the apartment market: about 500 new apartment units are planned along University Parks Drive, alongside a 600-space parking garage. This is on top of the 372-unit Commons at Cottonwood Creek project delivering separately, and the already-under-construction $25 million Alice Martinez Rodriguez Park.
What does all that new supply mean for you if you're looking for an apartment near Baylor?
- New builds typically price at a premium to cover construction costs. Expect higher rents than established properties, especially for the first lease cycle.
- Amenity arms races drive up fees. New complexes often tack on "technology packages," valet trash, premium parking, and amenity fees that can add $100-200/month beyond advertised rent.
- Established properties hold their value. Communities with a track record of maintenance, stable leasing, and loft-style character — the kind new builds can't replicate on day one — are often the better long-term deal.
This is where 19Eleven fits into the picture. Loft-style units at 1911 S 8th Street offer something the cookie-cutter new builds on University Parks can't: exposed beams, polished concrete floors, a gated community, and a flat $40/month fee that covers trash, pest, internet, and facilities — no surprise charges. Lock-in pricing on an established property looks pretty good once you run the math against a new lease at a place that's still figuring out its operations.
What This Means for Baylor Students
Zoom out, and here's the honest read: downtown Waco is about to be a very different place by the time you graduate. That cuts both ways.
The upside is huge. New restaurants along the Riverwalk, a ballpark within walking or short-drive distance, a performing arts venue with actual touring acts, a festival street for seasonal events, and more green space downtown. For a student, that's a city that's genuinely fun to live in year-round — not just on game day.
The catch is timing. Most of this rolls out over 5-10 years. The Riverwalk restaurants open mid-2026. Barron's Branch wraps in 2028. The ballpark is Phase 4 — final phase — so we're talking the better part of a decade. If you're a sophomore signing a lease now, you'll see the Riverwalk transformation before graduation. If you're a freshman, you'll probably make it to a ballgame at the new stadium eventually. If you're a grad student in a short program, most of this happens after you leave.
The other catch: new supply usually means higher prices at the new properties and more competition for the best-located, established apartments. If you want loft character, a gated community, and walking distance to campus — the combination that's hardest to replicate — lock it in before the wave of new residents arrives looking for the same thing.
19Eleven's Spot on the Map
19Eleven sits on S 8th Street, about 10 minutes from Baylor's campus on foot and a short drive from everything happening downtown. Here's what that looks like once the redevelopment rolls out:
- Foster Pavilion and the new family-style Riverwalk restaurant — ~5-minute drive
- Future Barron's Branch Park and Phase 1 district — ~7-minute drive
- Cameron Park and the northern Riverwalk loop — ~10-minute drive
- Future ballpark (Phase 4 west end) — ~8-minute drive
- Future performing arts district (east end) — ~6-minute drive
- McLane Stadium — walkable via the pedestrian bridge
You're close enough to be in the middle of the action on game day or after a show, and far enough from the nightly construction and crane operations to actually sleep. Loft-style living on the established south side, front-row seats to a city-scale transformation on the north side.
Timeline at a Glance
Here's the rough schedule, based on current city and developer estimates:
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 2025 | $167M Phase 1 approved. $27M Riverwalk facelift construction begins. $25M Alice Martinez Rodriguez Park breaks ground. |
| 2026 | Barron's Branch and Phase 1 groundbreaking. Riverwalk facelift + 2 new restaurants complete mid-year. Commons at Cottonwood Creek delivers 372 units Q4. |
| 2028 | Phase 1 completion — Barron's Branch Park open, roads resurfaced. |
| Years 4-8 | Phase 2 — convention center, hotel, performing arts venue, festival street. |
| Years 8-10 | Phase 3 — town square, new city hall. |
| Final phase | Sports entertainment district with new ballpark. |
Plans can slip. They usually do. But the ink is on the first phase, money is committed, and shovels go in the ground this year.
Ready to Be Part of It?
If you're thinking about next year's lease, the math isn't complicated. Established loft-style apartments with transparent pricing hold their value as new, higher-priced supply enters the market. Walking distance to campus plus a short drive to a transforming downtown is the kind of location that only gets more valuable over time.
Take a look at 19Eleven's floor plans, schedule a tour, or start your application if you're ready. You'll be settled in before the Riverwalk restaurants open — with a front-row seat to the next 20 years of downtown Waco.
