The project originated with the 2008 Irving Boulevard Enhancement Study, which established the vision for redevelopment of this significant corridor from Loop 12 on the east to its terminus at State Highway 183. Recommendations included a more diversified, pedestrian-friendly, mixed-use neighborhood in the area and improvement to the urban fabric and connections along the Irving Boulevard Corridor. The study identified needed infrastructure improvements, recommended streetscape enhancements, and introduced both short- and long-range land parcel redevelopment strategies all geared toward stimulating and sustaining the revitalization effort. This effort was continued with the Gateway Planning Heritage Crossing initiative, and included refinements to the plan, rezoning, and public land dispositions.
On Dec. 10, 2010, the Irving City Council designated Tax Increment Financing Reinvestment Zone Number Two (“Irving Boulevard TIF” or “TIF 2”), by City Ordinance 2010-9229. The TIF was created to develop an attractive, sustainable urban core, and it identified the main public improvement project as the reconstruction of the section of Irving Boulevard running though the Heritage Crossing district into a multimodal urban corridor to help promote downtown revitalization
This will transform the highway into a roadway to accommodate vehicular, pedestrian, and bicycle traffic by reducing the number of vehicle lanes to two and using the remaining right-of-way for parallel parking, wider sidewalks, a bike lane, and streetscape amenities.