The community gathered Tuesday to celebrate a new chapter in Abilene’s history with the Cypress Plaza ribbon cutting.
The Improvement Project began in early 2024, bringing wider sidewalks, new lighting, landscaping, and a two-lane traffic design to a key downtown corridor.
Downtown Coordinator, Kate Alvarez marked the project's completion by comparing the process to a pregnancy — long, challenging, and ultimately rewarding.
“The first trimester was really rough and I had no idea what we were getting into. By the third, this last little bit of getting this completed we’ve made a person. Certainly blood sweat and tears in this project for me but it is my greatest honor.”
Business owner’s lining Cypress Street have been anxiously awaiting the end of the work. Amanda O’Connor, owner of Cypress Street Station directly across from the plaza, served celebratory drinks to the visitors of the ceremony.
“We’re so excited to have this open and see what happens across the street, coming from the Abilene Reporter News across the street where not much was going on to bright sunshine and just a vibrant park where we can celebrate what all we have going on downtown."
The completion of the improvement project comes just before Cypress Street is overtaken by the annual CALF festival. Last year at this time attendees had to navigate construction barriers to get to various events and venues, and creating a challenge for business owners on the wrong side of the detours.
This year, families will have the new features of plaza to enhance their enjoyment of downtown Abilene.