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The board of directors for Center City of Amarillo has approved significant funding to support the development of the Texas Panhandle First Responders Memorial, marking an important step forward in honoring the region’s police, fire, and emergency personnel.
At a recent board meeting, officials voted to grant $20,000 through the Center City Façade Grant program to the memorial project. In addition, the board approved $50,000 in funding from the Center City Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ) to further assist with construction and streetscaping around the memorial site.
Beth Duke, executive director of Center City, emphasized the organization’s commitment to first responders. “The Center City board is fully supportive of all of our first responders. We have great partnerships with the Amarillo Police Department, the Potter County Sheriff’s Department, the Amarillo Fire Department and other first responders,” Duke said. “In addition, Center City is excited that the memorial will be on the grounds adjacent to our offices in the historic Mary E. Bivins Library at 1000 S. Polk St. The memorial will be a place of reverence and honor for our First Responders.”
According to Center City officials, both the Façade Grant and the TIRZ funding are part of reimbursement-based programs. Projects approved through these programs are reimbursed once construction is completed, ensuring that downtown investments are aligned with long-term planning goals. Center City administers these programs in partnership with the City of Amarillo and the TIRZ, supporting revitalization and historic preservation throughout the downtown area.
Wendi Swope, a board member involved with the memorial project, said the funding will have a direct impact on the surrounding streetscape. “This investment from Center City is an exciting piece of the Memorial project,” Swope said. “The façade grant and additional funds from the Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone will allow us to complete streetscaping in front of the Memorial, which will largely complete streetscaping along Polk from 3rd Avenue all the way to 15th Avenue.”
The Polk Street Streetscaping Project, which previously extended from 2nd Avenue to 10th Avenue, has already enhanced the look and safety of the street. Improvements include upgraded lighting, better accessibility, and a more modern aesthetic that reflects Amarillo’s ongoing downtown revitalization efforts. The additional work funded by the memorial grants will further unify the corridor and provide a dignified setting for the memorial.
Swope expressed gratitude for the partnership between Center City and the memorial project. “We are so very appreciative to have the full support of Center City, which diligently works to preserve and revitalize Amarillo’s historic downtown,” she said. “Their mission and our goal for this project align perfectly and we couldn’t be happier to have them as a Major partner of the Texas Panhandle First Responders Memorial.”
Duke also highlighted the community effort behind the memorial. “We are proud to partner with this great project and all the volunteers who have worked so hard to make the memorial a reality,” she said.
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