When the governor’s wife shows up to reveal a rendering of downtown Buda, you know it’s big.
And on Tuesday morning, the city of Buda was inducted into the Texas Main Street Program by the First Lady of Texas Cecilia Abbott at a special ceremony with Abbott unveiling a rendering of her vision of the future look of downtown Buda.
A section of Main Street was closed off from San Antonio Street to RM 967 for the event with a stage for the honored guests and a few dozen seats for the audience members, which numbered close to 100 people.
The Buda Main Street Manager Maggie Gillespie thanked the sponsors and other supporters of the event.
“Today, Buda takes its place as an official Main Street City,” Gillespie said.
Abbott was joined by the Vice Chairman of the Texas Historical Commission John Crane and the State Coordinator for the Texas Main Street Program Debra Drescher.
Abbott, the first Hispanic First Lady of Texas, was welcomed by Buda City Manager Kenneth Williams who expressed his pride on Buda being named a Texas Main Street City.
Buda was one of only two cities to receive the Main Street Program designation in 2017.
“It is such a pleasure to be here today to celebrate Buda as a Texas Main Street Community,” Abbott said, praising Buda for preserving its historical past while dealing with growth in the city.
“Buda knows the importance of a historic and vibrant downtown,” Abbott said. “Main Street communities represent the best of what our state has to offer.”
Abbott noted that the city could have additional resources at its disposal for further improvements to its downtown.
“I congratulate you on all you have already done to make Buda shine even brighter through historic preservation and economic development,” Abbott said.
Buda Mayor Todd Ruge later said, “Being a Texas Main Street City is just another tool in our city toolbox that will help us get grants in order to fund Main Street improvements.”
Ruge said that funding for the improvements to Main Street will depend on contributions from stakeholders and investors and possibly the city of Buda.
“This is a major success for the city,” Ruge said. “I think residents will see these improvements happening very soon.”
Other officials and groups participating in the event included the Hays High Marine Corp Jr. ROTC, the Buda Police Department and four students from Buda Elementary School, Buda Main Street Advisory Board Chair Matthew Wright, Carlin Ellis from the Buda Downtown Merchants Group, Nancy Brinkley from the Historical Preservation Commission and Linda Kocher from the Hays County Historical Commission.
