Fantastic meeting tonite on Northgate. I commend the city manager and his team for their 2.0 approach to this.

Going back 35 years, we've been trying to define something that cannot be defined in the traditional urban planning sense…

Organic Entertainment Zones: Powerful and Perplexing Urban Fixtures

Organic entertainment zones are informal clusters of bars, live music venues, restaurants, and nightlife that emerge bottom-up in older or marginal urban areas- representing some of the most vibrant and resilient features of cities. Unlike top-down planned districts, these zones grow incrementally through private initiative, creating authentic charm in often dilapidated buildings, that are self-sustaining over long periods of time.

Northgate is a prime example: a vibrant hub with character-filled older structures that have become a romantic fixture in our Aggie culture.

These zones are powerful economic and cultural engines. They drive jobs, tax revenue, and spillover spending while the most powerful feature is fostering social connections and nostalgia. Their incremental development revitalizes spaces effectively, turning "dead" areas into memorable places that locals cherish as rites of passage and shared identity- but with slow, incremental development and often, not much change at all.

Yet they confound planners, leading to externalities like noise, crowds, and safety issues that require retroactive fixes. Regulating them risks killing the organic magic that makes them special, creating tension between preservation and management.

Notable Comparables
Rainey Street, Austin, TX: Historic bungalows converted into backyard barsorganic transformation with similar charm.
Dickson Street, Fayetteville, AR: University of Arkansas hub with historic venues in older structures.
Sixth Street, Austin: Iconic old-building bar chaos with strong college energy.
Golden Gai, Tokyo: Tiny postwar wooden bars in narrow alleys with intimate, romanticized hideaways.

These examples show how "dilapidated" structures and unplanned growth create outsized appeal. For Northgate and similar zones, the key is thoughtful balance: light-touch tools to address issues while honoring the soul that makes them irreplaceable.

I love Northgate. To keep it, we have to protect it and secure it from a public safety perspective. We have to maintain it, and program some different entertainment approaches. We have to see what works and what doesn't.

Staff get Northgate now. The Northgate Small Area Plan did its job well. The comparison between Northgate and Century Square- as nice as that development is, isn't even close from a magnetic allure perspective, a total number of patrons perspective, and unfortunately, from a public safety challenge perspective.

The real challenge will be getting Northgate right, and keeping this powerful piece of Aggie lore recognizable and safe, and not developed over with high rises.

My $.02 and respectfully

Gig 'em

Yancy '95'

"Fix it"

Uh huh. All in the name of safety.

That's a lot of words to say "we will do what we want and blame it on safety".

maroon barchetta said:

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"Fix it"

Uh huh. All in the name of safety.

That's a lot of words to say "we will do what we want and blame it on safety".

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No sir. That's a lot of words to say… what I said.

Leave it alone. If people don't like the noise/crowds, then live somewhere else in town.

You are dead on the money. The CS Lewis quote about robber barons vs. moral busybodies also seems applicable here.

doubledog said:

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Bob, my suggestion

• 10 foot wall between NG promenade and University, with plexiglass viewing windows.
• Remove surface parking behind NG, replace with food trucks and benches
• water cannons strategically placed on the roof tops.
• Loudspeakers to blare annoying music if needed.

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You want to turn Northgate into a zoo for onlookers to be able to view the party animals?

Wow apparently I really miscommunicated with you guys last night.

The direction we gave staff was to fix what's there and do not much else, basically.

Fix the broken planters. Fix the rusty promenade shade structures. Fix the unsightly beds in front of the parking garage. Resurface the city surface lot. Spruce up the city parking garage. Try some fun events on the surface lot, like live music on a temporary stage and maybe a giant screen watch party for away games.

Sorry in my original post I was trying to convey a concept I've discovered through research that I'm personally excited to have learned. I clouded the air with it.

We're going to take care of what we've got.

Respectfully and gig 'em

Yancy '95

Thanks for adding details that explain your position.

Question for Mr. Yancy:

Obviously the city has extra police presence at Northgate. Does the city fund these extra security costs entirely, or do the Northgate merchants contribute to this cost?

Great CaesarsGhost said:

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Question for Mr. Yancy:

Obviously the city has extra police presence at Northgate. Does the city fund these extra security costs entirely, or do the Northgate merchants contribute to this cost?

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We discussed public safety a lot. We did have some discussion on funding assistance from the business association in Northgate. Of course, they pay their taxes like everyone else, and they generate significant revenue for the city.

We also discussed a potential police substation in Northgate and I do think that will happen eventually.

What happened at Rush is unacceptable. Episodes like that are a threat to public safety and cannot go unaddressed. It's just a matter of time until something unthinkable happens if we don't.

Lawless behavior like that threatens our officers and the citizens. It threatens the viability of the district itself for everyone.

As one member of council, it won't be tolerated.

Public safety is #1

Respectfully

Yancy '95

Personally, I think there is a lot of fear mongering from CSPD when it comes to Northgate. The city built the promenade specifically for the public to use the space, and when the public did- Sunday nights on the back porch for example- they claimed it was out of hand and shut it down. Dating myself, but I was part of that scene back then a quarter century ago, and know it was not out of hand. Rowdy? Sure, sometimes. And there are always bad actors that need to be dealt with- that's law enforcements job.

There were fights 25 years ago, there were fights 40 years ago I bet- they just weren't on camera. Now everything is on camera and shared, and people cluck their tongues, stroke their beards and wonder "What's to be done with this Northgate?"

Mr. Yancy, I appreciate your message, your understanding about the unique character of Northgate, and your expressed concerns for public safety. With the increasing population density in the immediate area, a police substation in Northgate sounds sensible. Any chance one of the developers would be inclined to include such space in the ground floor of their highrise, like residential developers set aside space for elementary schools in their subdivisions?

milner79 said:

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Any chance one of the developers would be inclined to include such space in the ground floor of their highrise, like residential developers set aside space for elementary schools in their subdivisions?

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That was actually brought up during the council meeting discussion.

milner79 said:

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Mr. Yancy, I appreciate your message, your understanding about the unique character of Northgate, and your expressed concerns for public safety. With the increasing population density in the immediate area, a police substation in Northgate sounds sensible. Any chance one of the developers would be inclined to include such space in the ground floor of their highrise, like residential developers set aside space for elementary schools in their subdivisions?

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I met with the owner of the new tower coming up immediately across Boyett from the surface lot. He is willing and eager to speak to the city about a substation there. We talked about the city parking garage housing one, too. I'm afraid the parking garage would be too "out of sight out of mind." I like storefront looking into the barrel of Northgate, like the Las Vegas PD Freemont street substation.

I want to keep Northgate Northgate- but enhance public safety for patrons and our officers. I think it can be done in a classy but comforting way that sends a message about who we are. This is College Station, Texas. Aggies don't tolerate what happened last week.

As one member of council (AOMOC)

Respectfully

Yancy '95

https://www.ojp.gov/library/publications/crime-control-effects-police-substation-within-business-improvement-district

When used right, police substations work wonders. When not visible, or when they are visible but dark and/or unoccupied, they do not.

Oversimplification but that's the gist of it.

Respectfully

Yancy '95

As a Northgate merchant and attendee/speaker at last night's meeting, I was beyond enthused by the tone of the meeting and I expressed at the podium my gratitude for the unprecedented engagement we have had over the last year.

In my view, and I expressed this, City staff has been top notch. I concur with objectivity. Credit must be given where credit is due.

Also, undoubtedly there will be disagreements from time to time. However, when civility prevails, everyone wins in my view.

I've been sideways with the City before to be sure, but that makes the recent engagement all the more welcome and appreciated.

It was a long discussion, but worthy of a listen for those of us that care about the future of such an important part of the city.

I do think capping the height at five stories for the core part of Northgate will accomplish much of the goal of preserving the area. There will need to be some concessions made to the property owners to address the increasing property value of these properties and being limited or capped on what can be done with it. I worry the city staff and Council may over complicate things with talk of the historic preservation or buying up certain properties (hard no from me).

I also think the city needs to exempt the old gas station property that was bought by Oldham Goodwin from whatever decisions they make in height restrictions. They purchased that lot for over $5 million a few years ago thinking they would do housing, hotel, or other high density project. Things went into flux when the city lot was put in discussion and they responded to the RFP with a combined plan for their property and the parking lot. After development at the parking lot was put on hold, OG likely had to rethink what they were going to do. I'd hate to see the city pull the rug out from under them. They've contributed too much to our community to do that to them. Perhaps as a concession for exempting them, they can incorporate the police station into whatever they build.

Oh, and the planned REK and Lyle Lovett statues will be nice additions.

Northgate needs to be 21 & up. Everyone underage is drinking. Protect them, do not give them MIPs. There is a responsibility the City has for having bars directly across from Campus where most of the students cannot even legally drink.

phillytex24 said:

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Northgate needs to be 21 & up. Everyone underage is drinking. Protect them, do not give them MIPs. There is a responsibility the City has for having bars directly across from Campus where most of the students cannot even legally drink.

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Northgate being 21+ would kill the existing businesses there. Maybe not Dixie Chicken since it's nostalgic and older people go there, but it would be fastest way to kill it off.

It's only a good idea if your end goal was to turn Northgate into a neighborhood rather than an entertainment district. I believe that making Northgate an entertainment district is increasingly untenable but that's not how I would do it.

PS3D said:

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phillytex24 said:

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Northgate needs to be 21 & up. Everyone underage is drinking. Protect them, do not give them MIPs. There is a responsibility the City has for having bars directly across from Campus where most of the students cannot even legally drink.

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Northgate being 21+ would kill the existing businesses there. Maybe not Dixie Chicken since it's nostalgic and older people go there, but it would be fastest way to kill it off.

It's only a good idea if your end goal was to turn Northgate into a neighborhood rather than an entertainment district. I believe that making Northgate an entertainment district is increasingly untenable but that's not how I would do it.

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Congrats.

Someone in the city leadership or management just read your comment and started drafting up an ordinance.

Respectfully, I'm confident that could only be decided at the state level in the alcoholic beverage code or by the individual business.

Another "it's the fault of the cops" when people get in trouble for breaking the law by phillytex.

Personal responsibility just isn't that difficult.

Bob Yancy said:

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Wow apparently I really miscommunicated with you guys last night.

The direction we gave staff was to fix what's there and do not much else, basically.

Fix the broken planters. Fix the rusty promenade shade structures. Fix the unsightly beds in front of the parking garage. Resurface the city surface lot. Spruce up the city parking garage. Try some fun events on the surface lot, like live music on a temporary stage and maybe a giant screen watch party for away games.

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True Bob, However father used to say : "you can give it a new coat of paint, but that ain't gonnin' to hide the termites"

Untrue.

There are large groups of friends that are a blend of over and under 21 as they are friends. They come together. It's simply not sensible to disallow them as neither party would come.

To boot, they play washers, video games, cornhole, watch sports, dance etc.

Then, let's not discount days where our synergy with The Chicken rings true and families go back and forth. Kids play in our yard etc.

Sorry, but that's the realityS

Well, at least for now thank goodness the sales remain great and either the same or track upwards for most bars. No market pressure to change the business model yet at all. Rest assured, I'll be tracking the metrics at a good clip as always!

Surely you, the prominent bar and restaurant guy in town, don't know more about the bar business than random internet guy.