Manvel Plans a Downtown While Trying to Keep Its Small Town Feel

Manvel Plans a Downtown While Trying to Keep Its Small Town FeelManvel is growing fast, and a new study shows the city does not yet have many of the services its residents need. The findings were shared with City Council on Oct. 5 as part of planning for the Manvel City Center, a project on 160 acres of land the city bought in 2017. The city once planned to use more than 60% of that land for tournament ballfields, but it dropped the idea after residents complained that they had little say and worried about the cost to taxpayers. In August, the council chose two Houston-based real estate firms, KHJR Collaborate and Midway, to lead the first phase. The team then spent 12 weeks studying costs, funding options, business opportunities and what residents want.The study found that Manvel's population doubled in just five years, from about 10,000 people in 2020 to 20,700 in 2025. By 2035, the city could have 42,000 residents. The median household income is $118,000, which is higher than the state average, and the number of working residents grew by nearly 19% in a single year. Even so, the city is missing key services, including healthcare and senior care, child care, restaurants, entertainment, hotels and a city-owned library. Because of these gaps, Manvel residents spend an estimated $250 million each year in nearby cities on shopping, dining, lodging and sports.A survey by the development team showed that residents want growth, but not at the cost of the city's character and history. People asked for more places to gather, play and eat, along with a real downtown that gives Manvel a stronger identity. At the same time, many said they do not want the city to become a "concrete jungle" or grow out of control. The developer plans to hold a town hall to hear more from the community, but a date has not been set yet.