Project Profile

Beaumont River Market

Beaumont, Texas

Project Summary: The City of Beaumont, along with Entergy Corporation (Beaumont’s largest employer), the Port of Beaumont, private developers, and Jefferson County, selected TGC to plan the development of the city’s waterfront along the Nueces River.

Project Highlights

Early studies by the Port indicated that rail assembly facilities of higher quality and capacity are available elsewhere. Although downtown’s Main Street is located one block from the river, access is cut off from the river by a rail freight car assembly yard. Relocation of the assembly yard created the opportunity to create a “signature” downtown waterfront development.

TGC identified, documented, and illustrated 45 successful waterfront developments from around the world. These examples were used to define a land use program and vision for Downtown Beaumont’s waterfront. Extensive public participation resulted in a solid consensus and related support for the redevelopment of the soon-to-be relocated assembly yard.

Land uses include specialty retail, dining, entertainment, and a “kid park” with a carousel, Ferris wheel, interactive fountains, and train ride. The land-use program and vision for the waterfront are unique to the region. The privately-funded infrastructure investment was estimated to be $5,000,000 for the construction of an entertainment, restaurant riverfront park. A $500,000 investment for landscaping, pedestrian access, the construction of small lake and boardwalk.