CNNMoney.com Lists McKinney In Top 5 Best Places To Live!

     

Lots of towns near Dallas have low crime, affordable homes, and good jobs; McKinney is no exception. What makes it stand out is its gem of a downtown. Lovingly restored 19th-century buildings house restaurants, boutiques, and galleries; the 1875 courthouse contains a new performing-arts center.

McKinney’s employment opportunities are robust, sparing many residents a rush-hour drive of up to an hour to Dallas. Defense contractor Raytheon has a 3,700-person division here, and a mix of businesses in financial services, medical technology, and eco-friendly manufacturing are moving in.

Though McKinney has grown like mad over the past decade, you’d never suspect it when driving through its tree-filled communities surrounded by ponds, parks, and hiking trails.

~Vanessa Richardson, CNN Money Magazine

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McKinney Is Home To One Of The Nation’s Largest And Most Well-Established Master-Planned Communities: Stonebridge Ranch

Located on over 5,000 acres, with 1,200 acres preserved as open space, Stonebridge Ranch is the largest Master Planned Community in North Texas. The population at build out is projected to be 30-35,000 residents. The community includes six parks, 830 acres of golf courses, lakes, ponds, sailing, fishing and 8,000+ single family homes, 1700 multifamily units, 280 acres of retail, and 270 acres of office space.

Stonebridge Ranch is one of the nation’s most recognized master-planned communities. Since it’s opening in 1988, it has grown to a balanced mix of residential, retail, and office uses with multiple amenities, and a wide array of exemplary rated educational choices, and a variety of worship opportunities.

 Today, Stonebridge Ranch is a community with 68 distinctive villages with homes ranging from the $160’s to over $2 million, and  a diverse population of young families, empty nesters, retirees and singles. There is no place like it in the Metroplex.

 Click here to read more about McKinney’s diverse housing options.

McKinney: Unique By Nature, Green By Design

McKinney businesses, residents, schools and city government aren’t simply following a trend toward green living and sustainable development – they are leading the way.

Businesses with operations in McKinney have led the environmentally sustainable development movement in McKinney by building offices using green building techniques and meeting stringent platinum standards for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, certification.

In 2006 , McKinney welcomed one of the nation’s first privately developed LEED certified platinum office buildings,.  Built by a subsidiary of a Netherlands firm, Wereldhave, the McKinney Green Building is a $11.4 million structure that recycles rainwater and has carpeting made from old soft drink bottles.

McKinney is also home to one of the nation’s two green Walmart Supercenters, as well as the Pat Lobb Toyota dealership – the first automotive dealership in the nation to earn LEED certification.

The McKinney Economic Development Corporation has continued to encourage green development by launching the Coalition for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technology, or CREST, to develop ways to make the city a leader in sustainable technology.

McKinney leaders have embraced green initiatives, recently hiring the city’s first Green Program Manager, heading the Office of Environmental Stewardship (OES) for the city.  She quickly formed the city Green Team to help develop mcKinney’s Sustainabilty Strategic Plan (SSP).  The team of 30 city staff members provides a forum to explore the green initiatives currently under way and those that city staff would like to consider incorporating in the future.

Click here to read more about how McKinney is leading the way for a greener world.

McKinney’s Historical Courthouse Is Now A Home For Arts And Culture

McKinney’s arts scene is as unique as the rest of the community.  Art galleries downtown, new theater groups, a recently renovated performing arts center and city-funded grants dedicated to enhancing the cultural arts in McKinney are all signs of a vibrant, growing art environment.

The McKinney Community Development Corporation and the city joined efforts in a $9 million project to transform the courthouse into the McKinney Performing Arts Center (MPAC), a cultural center for both McKinney and greater Collin County.

In 2006, the 23,000-square-foot center opened with the 427-seat Courtroom Theater, Encore Wire Conference Room, Ruschhaupt Reception Hall, Noble Hall small auditorium, an art gallery, working artist studios a catering prep area and executive suites for lease.

The city’s arts scene doesn’t stop at MPAC’s doors.  In 2005, the city created the McKinney Arts Commission to serve as an advisory board in matters involving the close cooperation between the city and private citizens, institutions and agencies interested in or conducting arts-related activities.  Arts groups from McKinney and surrounding North Texas cities can apply for grants through an in-depth process that includes marketing proposals, commitments for performances in McKinney and other performances or demonstrations of their specialty.  To date, the Arts Commission has dispersed almost $1 million to support local artists.

For a complete list of upcoming events and a listing of services offered by McKinney’s Performing Arts Center, visit http://www.mckinneyperformingartscenter.org/

DiscoverMckinneyTexas.com

Downtown McKinney: McKinney’s Heart and History

For more than 160 years, Historic Downtown McKinney has been the hub of the community.  Now after years of reinvention and a recent renovation, it’s still a thriving center of activity.

 The city recently invested $2.2 million to update the downtown area, adding landscaping and lighting, building benches, widening sidewalks and increasing parting.

The mix of residential and commercial tenants continues to grow, with more than 120 businesses like clothing stores, art galleries, specialty gift shops antique shops, law firms, wineries and restaurants calling historic downtown McKinney home.  Many downtown eateries now offer patio dining thanks to the upgrades.  And outdoor dining is a great option on nights before a show at the McKinney Performing Arts Center, housed in the square’s historic courthouse.

Thousands of McKinney residents and visitors flock to downtown for annual events such as Scare on the Square for Halloween, Oktoberfest, the Krew of Barkus Mardi Gras dog parade and the annual 29 –year favorite Dickens of a Christmas.

Click here to learn more at DiscoverMcKinneyTexas.com

McKinney’s Courses Offer World-Class Golfing Opportunities

 With a population of just over 121,000  McKinney is a community of extraordinary golfing opportunities with five major golf courses and/or country clubs including TPC golf course at Craig Ranch, Eldorado Country Club and Stonebridge Ranch Country Club.  In McKinney, there is an open invitation to embrace the outdoors with an abundance of hiking and biking trails, baseball diamonds, softball fields, lakes, and parks.

READ MORE ABOUT McKINNEY AT: DiscoverMcKinney.com

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