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History

Richardson's history can be traced back to the 1840's Peters Colony. Chartered in 1873, Richardson was generally centered between present-day Greer and Phillips streets on the north and south, and between Central Expressway and Greenville Avenue on the west and east. By 1881 Richardson was a thriving community with several stores, including general stores, groceries, drugstores, four doctors, several cotton gins and churches. 

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During the 20th Century, the city limits of Richardson expanded and population increased. In 1952 Richardson had a population of 1,288 and forty-five businesses, and by 1961 the population was 16,810. During this time, technological industries such as Collins Radio and Texas Instruments brought tremendous residential and business growth to the City. To respond to the rapid growth, the City developed its first Comprehensive Plan in 1962, which acknowledged the importance of Richardson's Central Business District and suggested this area may need to be expanded as the City grows. 

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In 2009, the City Council adopted a new Comprehensive Plan, which identified the Main Street area as one of the six “Enhancement/Redevelopment” zones to address the challenges many first-tier suburbs were facing due to aging development and infrastructure. In 2012, the City began a community vision and market study for Main Street and Central Expressway corridors. This study included numerous public meetings with residents and stakeholders and resulted in two rezoning initiatives that were adopted by City Council in 2015 and 2016.

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