Richardson, Texas
Encyclopedia
Richardson is a city in Dallas
and Collin
Counties in the U.S. state
of Texas
. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 99,223. In 2011 the population was estimated to be 107,684. Richardson is an affluent inner suburb
of Dallas and home of the Telecom Corridor
with a high concentration of telecommunications companies. More than 5,000 businesses have operations within Richardson's 28 square miles (72.5 km²), including several of the world's largest telecommunications/networking companies: AT&T
, Verizon, Cisco Systems
, Samsung
, and Fujitsu
.
In 2006, Richardson was ranked as the 15th best place to live in the United States by Money
magazine. This ranked Richardson the 3rd best place to live in Texas. In 2007, the Morgan Quitno
14th Annual America's Safest and Most Dangerous Cities Awards pronounced Richardson the 69th safest city in America. In the same study Richardson ranked the 5th safest city in Texas. In 2008, Richardson was ranked as the 18th best place to live in the United States by Money
magazine. This ranked Richardson the 4th best place to live in Texas. In 2009, Business Week's
annual report on the "Best Places to Raise Kids," ranked Richardson 2nd in Texas. Richardson was the first North Texas
city recognized as a best workplace for commuters by the United States Environmental Protection Agency
and the United States Department of Transportation
in 2004. As of 2010 the city has continued to be recognized every year since 2004. In 2011 the Texas Recreation and Park Society awarded Richardson with the Texas Gold Medal for excellence in the field of recreation and park management.
. After the Civil War a railroad was built northwest of the original settlement, shifting the village’s center closer to the railroad. Richardson was chartered in 1873 and the town was named after railroad contractor E.H. Richardson. In 1908 an electric railway, know as the Interurban, connected Richardson to Denison, Waco, Corsicana and Fort Worth, Texas. In 1910 the population was approximately 600. A red brick schoolhouse was built in 1914. The schoolhouse is now the administrative office for the Richardson Independent School District. In 1924 the Red Brick Road, the current day Greenville Avenue
, was completed. The completion of the road brought increased traffic, population and property values. The town incorporated and elected a mayor in 1925. In 1940 the population was approximately 740.
After World War II the City experienced major increases in population, which stood at approximately 1,300 by 1950. Throughout the 1950s the city continued to see growth including the opening of Collins Radio
Richardson office, Central Expressway
, a police department, shopping centers and many homes. Texas Instruments
opened its offices in Dallas on the southern border of Richardson in 1956. This was followed by significant gains in land values, population and economic status. In the 1960s Richardson experienced additional growth including several new parks, facilities and the creation of the University of Texas at Dallas
located in the city limits of Richardson. By 1972 the population was approximately 56,000. Residential growth continued through the 1970s and slowed in the 1980s. Commercial development increased throughout the 1980s. Richardson had a population of 74,840 according to the 1990 Census. Population increases throughout the 1990s was primarily from development of the northeast part of the city. The city of Buckingham
, after being completely surrounded by Richardson, was annexed into the city in 1996. Richardson had a population of 91,802 according to the 2000 Census. By 2002 Richardson had four Dallas Area Rapid Transit
(DART) light rail
stations, built the Eisemann Center for Performing Arts and Corporate Presentations
and the adjacent Galatyn Park
urban center, which has a two-acre public pedestrian plaza, a luxury hotel and mixed-use development. Richardson was a "dry city"
with no alcohol sales until November 2006, when the local option election passed to allow the sale of beer and wine in grocery and convenience stores. Richardson received local media attention for removing its rocket slide, space age and Cold War Era playground equipment from Heights Park in July 2008. In the fall of 2008 Peter Perfect, a Style Network
television show came to Richardson. The business-makeover show remodeled SpiritWear an apparel and embroidery store located in the city's historic downtown area. The episode first aired on January 22, 2009. It was the first episode of the series to be filmed outside of California
. In an April 2009 interview, Mike Judge
said that he modeled Arlen, the setting for King of the Hill
, after Richardson.
Dallas and Plano border most of Richardson with a few exceptions. North East Dallas
(Lake Highlands) borders the south, North Dallas
borders the southwest, Far North Dallas
borders the west, West Plano borders the northwest, East Plano borders the north, Murphy borders the northeast, Sachse borders the east, and Garland borders the southeast.
Richardson is located at 32.965628°N 96.715707°W.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 28.6 square miles (74.0 km2), all of it land.
Approximately two-thirds of the city is in Dallas County
, with the northern third of the city in Collin County
. Of the 27.4 square miles (71 km²) contained within the borders of the City of Richardson, 18.2 square miles (47.1 km²) lie in Dallas County; the other 9.2 square miles (23.8 km²) are in Collin County.
, from 2005 through 2009 Richardson has had substantial increases in its economy. The city’s total assessed property value went up from $8.3 billion in 2005 to $9.5 billion 2008. Sales tax collection went up from $21 million in 2005 to an estimated $24.7 million in 2008. The city has also achieved a considerable amount of corporate recruitment and retention. Including the new Blue Cross Blue Shield development, the largest Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex
office campus development since 1987 is a 15 story, 1000000 square feet (92,903 m²) regional headquarters, where 3,100 employees work. Other major corporate expansions or relocations include Bank of America Financial Services
, MetroPCS (corporate HQ)
, Yahoo, Fujitsu Transaction Solutions, and Halff Associates.
The city has experienced a surge of mixed-use development
, suburban infill and transit-oriented development
, predominantly on the city's eastern side. The Venue is a 4 acres (16,187.4 m²) mixed-use development adjacent to Galatyn Park, a DART
rail station. Eastside, a mixed-use, infill development, is at the midpoint of two rail stations, Araphaho Center and Galatyn Park. Eastside is located on the southeast corner of Campbell Road and US 75. It features 450 apartments by Post Properties
, 90000 square feet (8,361.3 m²) of retail and restaurant space and 35000 square feet (3,251.6 m²) of office space in addition to an 11-story class A office building that was pre-existing on the development site. Eastside Phase II will include 12 acres (48,562.3 m²) of office and mixed-use development. Brick Row, a $200 million mixed-use development, is located on the northwest corner of Spring Valley Road and Greenville Avenue, less than half of a mile east of US 75. Brick Row borders the Spring Valley Station
and will have at completion 500 upscale apartments, 150 townhomes and up to 300 condominiums surrounding the historic natural McKamie Springs. The Shire is a mixed-use center of 6.5 acres (26,304.6 m²). Phase II is an additional 10 acres (40,468.6 m²). The former Richardson Square Mall
has been redeveloped into an outdoor retail center. Other retail centers have been re-developed or remodeled including Buckingham Plaza, Buckingham Square, Dal-Rich Village, Richardson Village, II Creeks, Richardson Heights and Richardson Village.
This city has won many economic awards including DBJ’s
2006 “Best Real Estate Deal of the Year”, International Economic Development Council's 2006 "Technology-Based Economic Development Award", and Texas Economic Development Council's 2007 "Texas Economic Excellence Award".
Since 2008, both Standard & Poor's
and Moody
has graded Richardson's credit rating “AAA” from the previous rating of “AA+”. At the time, the City of Richardson was one of only four cities in the state of Texas and one of 88 cities in the nation with an “AAA” rating from Standard & Poor’s. Richardson is the metropolitan statistical area’s second largest employment center with daytime population increasing to more than 140,000. The economy remains rooted in the telecommunications industry. However, Richardson’s property tax base is deep and extends beyond its Telecom Corridor
area with other sectors including health care, technology, and finance. The City’s per capita sales are 200 percent of the national average as well as the second highest sales tax per capita in the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex. The tax base is very diverse with the 10 leading taxpayers accounting for 10 percent of total assessed value.
Always a technology-centric city, Richardson has fully recovered from the tech downturn of 2001-2003. The city has diversified its business base with financial service firms and has adopted a live-work-play approach to future mixed-use and transit-oriented developments. As of early 2011 local unemployment was still high by historical standards at just over 7%, but lower than the state and federal unemployment levels. This is down from the unemployment rate of 8.4% in August, 2010 according to figures collected by the NCTCOG
, Fossil
, Lennox International
, Vent-A-Hood, Wingstop Restaurants
VCE
have their corporate headquarters in Richardson.
of 2000, there were 91,802 people, 35,191 households, and 24,774 families residing in the city. The population density
was 3,213.9 people per square mile (1,241.1/km2). There were 36,530 housing units at an average density of 1,278.9 per square mile (493.8/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 75.39% White, 11.67% Asian, 6.18% African American, 0.45% Native American, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 3.65% from other races
, and 2.60% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.26% of the population.
There were 35,191 households out of which 33.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.1% were married couples
living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.6% were non-families. 22.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.07.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.8% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 32.7% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 97.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.2 males.
In the 2000 census Males had a median income of $52,381 versus $35,255 for females. The per capita income for the city was $29,551. About 3.3% of families and 6.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.4% of those under age 18 and 3.4% of those age 65 or over.
According to a 2008 estimate, the median income for a family in Richardson was $90,790 and a median home price of $195,510.
, also referred to as UT Dallas or UTD, is a public research university in the University of Texas System
. Despite its name the UT Dallas main contiguous campus, consisting of approximately 445 acres (1.8 km²), is in the Richardson, Texas city limits at 800 West Campbell Road. The campus is sited with Campbell Road on the south, Floyd Road on the east, Waterview on the west, and Synergy Park Boulevard on the north. The university owns an additional 265 acres (1.1 km²) in Richardson, adjacent to the campus, between Synergy Park Boulevard and the President George Bush Turnpike
. The city of Richardson passed a bond election on May 8, 2010, which allocated $2.8 million in funding for a UT Dallas loop road to connect the roads around campus. The loop road will be designed to help keep traffic contained within the campus, rather than on the city’s roads. The UTD Student Services building, completed in 2010, is the first academic structure in Texas to be rated a LEED
Platinum facility by the United States Green Building Council. For the fall 2011 semester, UT Dallas had a total of 18,864 students enrolled.
Richland College
is a community college that is part of the Dallas County Community College District
or DCCCD. The college is in Dallas on the Richardson border. It is the largest school in the DCCCD, featuring nearly 14,000 students. In 2005, Richland became the first community college to receive the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award
.
(RISD), except for the portion of the city in Collin County
, which is served by the Plano Independent School District
(PISD).
Twenty-one RISD schools have officially been named to the Texas Business and Education Coalition's (TBEC) Honor Roll for 2008, the second consecutive year RISD has led the state of Texas in Honor Roll Campuses. The TBEC Honor Roll is the most prestigious award for sustained, academic excellence in Texas. It recognizes schools that have demonstrated three years of consistent, high performance in all subjects compared to other schools serving similar student populations. Of the more than 8,000 Texas public schools less than 4% make the TBEC Honor Roll, while in RISD, 40% of eligible campuses are Honor Roll Schools for 2008.
The RISD and PISD have many Blue Ribbon Schools.
The Blue Ribbon Schools Program
is a United States government program created to honor schools. The Blue Ribbon award is considered to be the highest honor that an American school can achieve.
Zoned RISD high schools in Richardson include Richardson High School
, Lloyd V. Berkner High School
, and J.J. Pearce High School
. The Christa McAuliffe Learning Center and the RISD alternative school, are also in Richardson.
Lake Highlands High School
is part of the Richardson Independent School District
but is located in Lake Highlands
, an area in Dallas, Texas, just south of Richardson.
Sections of Richardson in the Plano Independent School District are served by several schools. Aldridge, Miller, Schell, and Stinson elementary schools are within Richardson and serve Collin County portions of Richardson. A section of Collin County Richardson is zoned to Mendenhall Elementary School in Plano. Armstrong, Bowman, and Wilson middle schools in Plano
and Murphy Middle School in Murphy
serve separate sections of Collin County Richardson. Vines High School
and Williams High School
, 9-10 schools in Plano, serve separate sections of Collin County Richardson. Plano Senior High School
and Plano East Senior High School
serve separate sections of Collin County Richardson. Prior to 2007 a section was zoned to Boggess Elementary School in Murphy.
operates two K-8 schools, St. Joseph School and St. Paul the Apostle School, in Richardson. Other private schools include Canyon Creek Christian Academy (K-12), North Dallas Adventist Academy (K-12), IANT Quranic Academy (K-12), The Alexander School (8-12), and Dallas North Montessori School (ages 3–9).
(North Central Expressway) and Arapaho Road.
The roots of the Richardson Public Library date back to 1947 when a branch of the Dallas County Library was established in a section of the Cash Dry Goods store on East Main Street in downtown Richardson. The fledgling library collection numbered about 400 volumes and was managed by Jessie Durham the store's proprietor. The City Council established the library as a city department in 1958 and in 1959 the library moved into a newly constructed building at 310 Tyler Street. This new library was just under 6000 square feet (557.4 m²) in size and was built at a cost of $100,000.
Richardson was experiencing rapid growth in the 1960s and 70s and the library facility soon became inadequate for community needs. The current facility was constructed at a cost of $2 million and opened December 1, 1970. The new 81650 square feet (7,585.5 m²), four-story building opened with the use of two floors and a small portion of a third. The basement was finished in 1980 for the reference collection and services. 1995 saw another expansion which finished the upper floor and renovated the three previously opened floors. Another renovation occurred in 2006 when the Youth Services department was expanded and other collections and services rearranged.
In 2008 the Library set a new record for the number of items circulated in a fiscal year when the 1 millionth item was checked out in the fall of 2008. The building has undergone building renovations and technological improvements in recent years that enhance the library experience for patrons.
The Texas Municipal League recognized the Library with its "Achievement of Excellence in Libraries" award every year from 2004 to 2008. Hennen's American Public Library Rating publication has ranked the library second in the state of Texas every year from 2005 to 2008.
(Lyndon B. Johnson Freeway) borders the south. The city has more Dallas Area Rapid Transit
(DART) rail stations than any other Dallas area suburb. The stations from south to north are the Spring Valley Station
, Arapaho Center Station
, Galatyn Park Station
and the Bush Turnpike Station
. Three of the rail stations have free parking for people who wish to park and ride. The four stations are strategically located for commuters working and residing in close proximity to the Telecom Corridor
area. Feeder buses ensure commuters reach their destination safely. DART bus service is available throughout the city.
The city's Walk Score is 77 out of 100 or Very Walkable as of June 2011.
Dallas County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,218,899 people, 807,621 households, and 533,837 families residing in the county. The population density was 2,523 people per square mile . There were 854,119 housing units at an average density of 971/sq mi...
and Collin
Collin County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 491,675 people, 181,970 households, and 132,292 families residing in the county. The population density was 580 people per square mile . There were 194,892 housing units at an average density of 230 per square mile...
Counties in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 99,223. In 2011 the population was estimated to be 107,684. Richardson is an affluent inner suburb
Inner suburbs
Inner suburb is a term used for a variety of suburban communities that are generally located very close to a large city. Their urban density is lower than the inner city or Central Business District ....
of Dallas and home of the Telecom Corridor
Telecom Corridor
The Telecom Corridor is a technology business center in Richardson, Texas , a northern suburb of Dallas, which contains over 25 million square feet of office space and accounts for over 82,600 jobs. The Corridor is a strip about 6.5 miles long along U.S...
with a high concentration of telecommunications companies. More than 5,000 businesses have operations within Richardson's 28 square miles (72.5 km²), including several of the world's largest telecommunications/networking companies: AT&T
AT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
, Verizon, Cisco Systems
Cisco Systems
Cisco Systems, Inc. is an American multinational corporation headquartered in San Jose, California, United States, that designs and sells consumer electronics, networking, voice, and communications technology and services. Cisco has more than 70,000 employees and annual revenue of US$...
, Samsung
Samsung
The Samsung Group is a South Korean multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea...
, and Fujitsu
Fujitsu
is a Japanese multinational information technology equipment and services company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. It is the world's third-largest IT services provider measured by revenues....
.
In 2006, Richardson was ranked as the 15th best place to live in the United States by Money
Money (magazine)
Money is published by Time Inc. Its first issue was published in October 1972. Its articles cover the gamut of personal finance topics ranging from investing, saving, retirement and taxes to family finance issues like paying for college, credit, career and home improvement...
magazine. This ranked Richardson the 3rd best place to live in Texas. In 2007, the Morgan Quitno
Morgan Quitno
Morgan Quitno Press is a research and publishing company based in Lawrence, Kansas, which compiles books with statistics of crime rates, health care, education, and other categories, ranking cities and states in the United States...
14th Annual America's Safest and Most Dangerous Cities Awards pronounced Richardson the 69th safest city in America. In the same study Richardson ranked the 5th safest city in Texas. In 2008, Richardson was ranked as the 18th best place to live in the United States by Money
Money (magazine)
Money is published by Time Inc. Its first issue was published in October 1972. Its articles cover the gamut of personal finance topics ranging from investing, saving, retirement and taxes to family finance issues like paying for college, credit, career and home improvement...
magazine. This ranked Richardson the 4th best place to live in Texas. In 2009, Business Week's
BusinessWeek
Bloomberg Businessweek, commonly and formerly known as BusinessWeek, is a weekly business magazine published by Bloomberg L.P. It is currently headquartered in New York City.- History :...
annual report on the "Best Places to Raise Kids," ranked Richardson 2nd in Texas. Richardson was the first North Texas
North Texas
North Texas is a distinct cultural and geographic area forming the central-northeastern section of the U.S. state of Texas. North Texas is generally considered to include the area south of Oklahoma, east of Abilene, and north of Waco...
city recognized as a best workplace for commuters by the United States Environmental Protection Agency
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
and the United States Department of Transportation
United States Department of Transportation
The United States Department of Transportation is a federal Cabinet department of the United States government concerned with transportation. It was established by an act of Congress on October 15, 1966, and began operation on April 1, 1967...
in 2004. As of 2010 the city has continued to be recognized every year since 2004. In 2011 the Texas Recreation and Park Society awarded Richardson with the Texas Gold Medal for excellence in the field of recreation and park management.
History
Settlers from Kentucky and Tennessee came to the Richardson area in the 1840s. Through the 1850s the settlement was located around current day Richland CollegeRichland College
Richland College is a community college that is part of the Dallas County Community College District and is located near the Lake Highlands area of Dallas, Texas near the border with Richardson and Garland. The school was founded in 1972 and is the largest school in the DCCCD, featuring nearly...
. After the Civil War a railroad was built northwest of the original settlement, shifting the village’s center closer to the railroad. Richardson was chartered in 1873 and the town was named after railroad contractor E.H. Richardson. In 1908 an electric railway, know as the Interurban, connected Richardson to Denison, Waco, Corsicana and Fort Worth, Texas. In 1910 the population was approximately 600. A red brick schoolhouse was built in 1914. The schoolhouse is now the administrative office for the Richardson Independent School District. In 1924 the Red Brick Road, the current day Greenville Avenue
Lower Greenville, Dallas, Texas
Lower Greenville is a neighborhood in east Dallas, Texas , west of Lakewood. Specifically, the neighborhood is the area adjacent to Greenville Avenue south of Mockingbird Lane and north of Belmont Avenue...
, was completed. The completion of the road brought increased traffic, population and property values. The town incorporated and elected a mayor in 1925. In 1940 the population was approximately 740.
Rockwell Collins
Rockwell Collins, Inc. is a large United States-based international company headquartered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, primarily providing aviation and information technology systems and services to governmental agencies and aircraft manufacturers.- History :...
Richardson office, Central Expressway
Central Expressway (Dallas)
Central Expressway is a north–south highway in Dallas, Texas and surrounding areas.- North Central Expressway :The best-known section is the North Central Expressway, a name for a freeway section of U.S. Highway 75 between downtown Dallas and McKinney, Texas...
, a police department, shopping centers and many homes. Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments Inc. , widely known as TI, is an American company based in Dallas, Texas, United States, which develops and commercializes semiconductor and computer technology...
opened its offices in Dallas on the southern border of Richardson in 1956. This was followed by significant gains in land values, population and economic status. In the 1960s Richardson experienced additional growth including several new parks, facilities and the creation of the University of Texas at Dallas
University of Texas at Dallas
The University of Texas at Dallas, also referred to as UT Dallas or UTD, is a public research university in the University of Texas System. The main campus is in the heart of the Richardson, Texas, Telecom Corridor, north of downtown Dallas...
located in the city limits of Richardson. By 1972 the population was approximately 56,000. Residential growth continued through the 1970s and slowed in the 1980s. Commercial development increased throughout the 1980s. Richardson had a population of 74,840 according to the 1990 Census. Population increases throughout the 1990s was primarily from development of the northeast part of the city. The city of Buckingham
Buckingham, Texas
Buckingham is an area within Richardson, Texas, United States that was formerly a separate incorporated city. As of the 1990 census, the city had a total population of 102...
, after being completely surrounded by Richardson, was annexed into the city in 1996. Richardson had a population of 91,802 according to the 2000 Census. By 2002 Richardson had four Dallas Area Rapid Transit
Dallas Area Rapid Transit
The Dallas Area Rapid Transit authority is a transit agency based in Dallas, Texas . It operates buses, light rail, commuter rail, and high-occupancy vehicle lanes in Dallas and 12 of its suburbs...
(DART) light rail
DART Light Rail
DART Light Rail is a light rail system in Dallas, Texas and its suburbs owned by the Dallas Area Rapid Transit. The system comprises between its three lines — the , the and the . Its 72 miles of track make it the largest light rail system in the United States. It has a daily ridership of...
stations, built the Eisemann Center for Performing Arts and Corporate Presentations
Charles W. Eisemann Center for Performing Arts
The Charles W. Eisemann Center for Performing Arts and Corporate Presentations is a performance hall which opened in September 2002 in Richardson, Texas. The center is named for local philanthropist, Charles W. Eisemann, in recognition of a US$ 2,000,000 gift from the Eisemann Foundation Fund of...
and the adjacent Galatyn Park
Galatyn Park Station
Galatyn Park Station is a DART Light Rail station located in Richardson, Texas at US 75 near Lookout Drive. It opened on July 1, 2002 and is a station on the , serving part of Richardson's Telecom Corridor including the Renaissance Hotel and Hyatt Regency North Dallas , the Charles W...
urban center, which has a two-acre public pedestrian plaza, a luxury hotel and mixed-use development. Richardson was a "dry city"
Dry county
A dry county is a county in the United States whose government forbids the sale of alcoholic beverages. Some prohibit off-premises sale, some prohibit on-premises sale, and some prohibit both. Hundreds of dry counties exist across the United States, almost all of them in the South...
with no alcohol sales until November 2006, when the local option election passed to allow the sale of beer and wine in grocery and convenience stores. Richardson received local media attention for removing its rocket slide, space age and Cold War Era playground equipment from Heights Park in July 2008. In the fall of 2008 Peter Perfect, a Style Network
Style Network
The Style Network is an American cable television network based in Los Angeles.Owned by NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of General Electric and Comcast, its sister channels include E! Entertainment Television, USA Network, Syfy, G4, Golf Channel, and Versus, among others.-Network Overview:Style's...
television show came to Richardson. The business-makeover show remodeled SpiritWear an apparel and embroidery store located in the city's historic downtown area. The episode first aired on January 22, 2009. It was the first episode of the series to be filmed outside of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. In an April 2009 interview, Mike Judge
Mike Judge
Michael Craig Judge is an American animator, film director, writer and voice actor, best known as the creator and star of the animated television series Beavis and Butt-head , King of the Hill , and The Goode Family .He also wrote, directed and in some instances produced the films Beavis and...
said that he modeled Arlen, the setting for King of the Hill
King of the Hill
King of the Hill is an American animated dramedy series created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels, that ran from January 12, 1997, to May 6, 2010, on Fox network. It centers on the Hills, a working-class Methodist family in the fictional small town of Arlen, Texas...
, after Richardson.
Geography
Lake Highlands
Lake Highlands is an area in Dallas, Texas . It is located in the northeast portion of the city, and is sometimes considered to be a part of, or connected to, East Dallas and/or North Dallas...
(Lake Highlands) borders the south, North Dallas
North Dallas
North Dallas is an expensive area of numerous communities and neighborhoods in Dallas, Texas . The phrase "North Dallas" is also sometimes used to include any suburb or exurb north of Dallas proper within the metropolitan area. The majority of North Dallas is located in Dallas County while a small...
borders the southwest, Far North Dallas
North Dallas
North Dallas is an expensive area of numerous communities and neighborhoods in Dallas, Texas . The phrase "North Dallas" is also sometimes used to include any suburb or exurb north of Dallas proper within the metropolitan area. The majority of North Dallas is located in Dallas County while a small...
borders the west, West Plano borders the northwest, East Plano borders the north, Murphy borders the northeast, Sachse borders the east, and Garland borders the southeast.
Richardson is located at 32.965628°N 96.715707°W.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 28.6 square miles (74.0 km2), all of it land.
Approximately two-thirds of the city is in Dallas County
Dallas County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,218,899 people, 807,621 households, and 533,837 families residing in the county. The population density was 2,523 people per square mile . There were 854,119 housing units at an average density of 971/sq mi...
, with the northern third of the city in Collin County
Collin County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 491,675 people, 181,970 households, and 132,292 families residing in the county. The population density was 580 people per square mile . There were 194,892 housing units at an average density of 230 per square mile...
. Of the 27.4 square miles (71 km²) contained within the borders of the City of Richardson, 18.2 square miles (47.1 km²) lie in Dallas County; the other 9.2 square miles (23.8 km²) are in Collin County.
Economy & development
Despite declining economies in other parts of the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, from 2005 through 2009 Richardson has had substantial increases in its economy. The city’s total assessed property value went up from $8.3 billion in 2005 to $9.5 billion 2008. Sales tax collection went up from $21 million in 2005 to an estimated $24.7 million in 2008. The city has also achieved a considerable amount of corporate recruitment and retention. Including the new Blue Cross Blue Shield development, the largest Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex
Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex
The Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington Metropolitan Statistical Area, a title designated by the U.S. Census as of 2003, encompasses 12 counties within the U.S. state of Texas. The area is divided into two metropolitan divisions: Dallas–Plano–Irving and Fort Worth–Arlington. Residents of the area...
office campus development since 1987 is a 15 story, 1000000 square feet (92,903 m²) regional headquarters, where 3,100 employees work. Other major corporate expansions or relocations include Bank of America Financial Services
Bank of America
Bank of America Corporation, an American multinational banking and financial services corporation, is the second largest bank holding company in the United States by assets, and the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by market capitalization. The bank is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina...
, MetroPCS (corporate HQ)
MetroPCS
MetroPCS Communications, Inc. , formerly known as General Wireless, Inc., is an American mobile phone service provider. It operates the fifth largest mobile telecommunications network in the US, with 8.9 million subscribers as of May 2011...
, Yahoo, Fujitsu Transaction Solutions, and Halff Associates.
The city has experienced a surge of mixed-use development
Mixed-use development
Mixed-use development is the use of a building, set of buildings, or neighborhood for more than one purpose. Since the 1920s, zoning in some countries has required uses to be separated. However, when jobs, housing, and commercial activities are located close together, a community's transportation...
, suburban infill and transit-oriented development
Transit-oriented development
A transit-oriented development is a mixed-use residential or commercial area designed to maximize access to public transport, and often incorporates features to encourage transit ridership...
, predominantly on the city's eastern side. The Venue is a 4 acres (16,187.4 m²) mixed-use development adjacent to Galatyn Park, a DART
Dallas Area Rapid Transit
The Dallas Area Rapid Transit authority is a transit agency based in Dallas, Texas . It operates buses, light rail, commuter rail, and high-occupancy vehicle lanes in Dallas and 12 of its suburbs...
rail station. Eastside, a mixed-use, infill development, is at the midpoint of two rail stations, Araphaho Center and Galatyn Park. Eastside is located on the southeast corner of Campbell Road and US 75. It features 450 apartments by Post Properties
Post Properties
Post Properties, Inc. is a developer and operator of multifamily communities, including resort-style garden apartments and high-density urban apartments...
, 90000 square feet (8,361.3 m²) of retail and restaurant space and 35000 square feet (3,251.6 m²) of office space in addition to an 11-story class A office building that was pre-existing on the development site. Eastside Phase II will include 12 acres (48,562.3 m²) of office and mixed-use development. Brick Row, a $200 million mixed-use development, is located on the northwest corner of Spring Valley Road and Greenville Avenue, less than half of a mile east of US 75. Brick Row borders the Spring Valley Station
Spring Valley Station
Spring Valley Station is a DART Light Rail station located in Richardson, Texas off Spring Valley Road, just east of US 75...
and will have at completion 500 upscale apartments, 150 townhomes and up to 300 condominiums surrounding the historic natural McKamie Springs. The Shire is a mixed-use center of 6.5 acres (26,304.6 m²). Phase II is an additional 10 acres (40,468.6 m²). The former Richardson Square Mall
Richardson Square Mall
Richardson Square Mall was an enclosed shopping center located in Richardson, Texas, United States. Richardson Square Mall demolition began in June 2007. Now located in its place is an outdoor retail center which goes by the name Richardson Square...
has been redeveloped into an outdoor retail center. Other retail centers have been re-developed or remodeled including Buckingham Plaza, Buckingham Square, Dal-Rich Village, Richardson Village, II Creeks, Richardson Heights and Richardson Village.
This city has won many economic awards including DBJ’s
Advance Publications
Advance Publications, Inc., is an American media company owned by the descendants of S.I. Newhouse Sr., Donald Newhouse and S.I. Newhouse, Jr. It is named after the Staten Island Advance, the first newspaper owned by the Newhouse family...
2006 “Best Real Estate Deal of the Year”, International Economic Development Council's 2006 "Technology-Based Economic Development Award", and Texas Economic Development Council's 2007 "Texas Economic Excellence Award".
Since 2008, both Standard & Poor's
Standard & Poor's
Standard & Poor's is a United States-based financial services company. It is a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies that publishes financial research and analysis on stocks and bonds. It is well known for its stock-market indices, the US-based S&P 500, the Australian S&P/ASX 200, the Canadian...
and Moody
Moody
Moody may refer to:Places:* Moody, Alabama, USA* Moody, Missouri, USA* Moody, Texas, USA* Moody County, South Dakota, USA* Port Moody, British Columbia, Canada* Moody's Corner, Nova Scotia, Canada* Moody, South Australia, Australia...
has graded Richardson's credit rating “AAA” from the previous rating of “AA+”. At the time, the City of Richardson was one of only four cities in the state of Texas and one of 88 cities in the nation with an “AAA” rating from Standard & Poor’s. Richardson is the metropolitan statistical area’s second largest employment center with daytime population increasing to more than 140,000. The economy remains rooted in the telecommunications industry. However, Richardson’s property tax base is deep and extends beyond its Telecom Corridor
Telecom Corridor
The Telecom Corridor is a technology business center in Richardson, Texas , a northern suburb of Dallas, which contains over 25 million square feet of office space and accounts for over 82,600 jobs. The Corridor is a strip about 6.5 miles long along U.S...
area with other sectors including health care, technology, and finance. The City’s per capita sales are 200 percent of the national average as well as the second highest sales tax per capita in the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex. The tax base is very diverse with the 10 leading taxpayers accounting for 10 percent of total assessed value.
Late-2000s Recession
In the overall economic downturn or the Late-2000s recession, Richardson has not been affected as adversely as other cities in the nation, Texas or even the North Texas region. In June, 2010 both Moody’s and Standard and Poor’s bond rating agencies reaffirmed the city’s “AAA” rating, the highest assigned by either agency. Of the cities that maintain bond ratings, Richardson is in the top 3.1% in the state and the top 6.8 % nationally.Always a technology-centric city, Richardson has fully recovered from the tech downturn of 2001-2003. The city has diversified its business base with financial service firms and has adopted a live-work-play approach to future mixed-use and transit-oriented developments. As of early 2011 local unemployment was still high by historical standards at just over 7%, but lower than the state and federal unemployment levels. This is down from the unemployment rate of 8.4% in August, 2010 according to figures collected by the NCTCOG
Corporate headquarters
MetroPCSMetroPCS
MetroPCS Communications, Inc. , formerly known as General Wireless, Inc., is an American mobile phone service provider. It operates the fifth largest mobile telecommunications network in the US, with 8.9 million subscribers as of May 2011...
, Fossil
Fossil, Inc.
Fossil, Inc. is a designer and manufacturer of clothing and accessories, primarily watches and jewelry, but also sunglasses, wallets, handbags, belts, shoes and clothing, based in Richardson, Texas, United States...
, Lennox International
Lennox International
Lennox International Inc. is an American company. Through its subsidiaries, it is a provider of climate control products for the heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration markets around the world...
, Vent-A-Hood, Wingstop Restaurants
Wingstop Restaurants
Wingstop Restaurants, Inc. is a chain of nostalgic, aviation-themed restaurants where the sole focus is on chicken wings. Wingstop locations are decorated following a 1930's and 40's "pre-jet" aviation theme. The restaurant chain was founded in 1994 in Garland, Texas , and began offering franchises...
VCE
VCE
VCE could refer to:* Victorian Certificate of Education, Year 11 and 12 qualification in Victoria, Australia* Vocational Certificate of Education, a Further Education qualification in the United Kingdom...
have their corporate headquarters in Richardson.
Major employers
According to the Richardson Economic Development Partnership's listing on Major Employers (last updated Sept. 2011), the top employers in the city are:| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Richardson Independent School District Richardson Independent School District Richardson Independent School District is a school district based in Richardson, Texas .RISD covers and includes most of the city of Richardson, TX and portions of the cities of Dallas, TX and Garland, TX . RISD operates 55 campuses that serve more than 34,000 students... |
4,780 |
| 2 | AT&T AT&T AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services... |
4,300 |
| 3 | Bank of America Bank of America Bank of America Corporation, an American multinational banking and financial services corporation, is the second largest bank holding company in the United States by assets, and the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by market capitalization. The bank is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina... |
3,300 |
| 4 | Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas | 3,100 |
| 5 | The University of Texas at Dallas | 2,830 |
| 6 | Ericsson Ericsson Ericsson , one of Sweden's largest companies, is a provider of telecommunication and data communication systems, and related services, covering a range of technologies, including especially mobile networks... |
2,500 |
| 7 | Verizon Business | 2,250 |
| 8 | Fujitsu Fujitsu is a Japanese multinational information technology equipment and services company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. It is the world's third-largest IT services provider measured by revenues.... |
1,500 |
| 9 | Rockwell Collins Rockwell Collins Rockwell Collins, Inc. is a large United States-based international company headquartered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, primarily providing aviation and information technology systems and services to governmental agencies and aircraft manufacturers.- History :... |
1,200 |
| 10 | Cisco Systems Cisco Systems Cisco Systems, Inc. is an American multinational corporation headquartered in San Jose, California, United States, that designs and sells consumer electronics, networking, voice, and communications technology and services. Cisco has more than 70,000 employees and annual revenue of US$... |
1,200 |
| 11 | Raytheon | 1,100 |
| 12 | United Healthcare | 1,100 |
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 91,802 people, 35,191 households, and 24,774 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 3,213.9 people per square mile (1,241.1/km2). There were 36,530 housing units at an average density of 1,278.9 per square mile (493.8/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 75.39% White, 11.67% Asian, 6.18% African American, 0.45% Native American, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 3.65% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2.60% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.26% of the population.
There were 35,191 households out of which 33.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.1% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.6% were non-families. 22.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.07.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.8% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 32.7% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 97.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.2 males.
In the 2000 census Males had a median income of $52,381 versus $35,255 for females. The per capita income for the city was $29,551. About 3.3% of families and 6.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.4% of those under age 18 and 3.4% of those age 65 or over.
According to a 2008 estimate, the median income for a family in Richardson was $90,790 and a median home price of $195,510.
Population trends
| Date | Population | Percent Gain |
|---|---|---|
| 1930c | 629 | 0.00 |
| 1940c | 740 | 17.65 |
| 1950c | 1,289 | 74.19 |
| 1960c | 16,810 | 1,304.11 |
| 1970c | 48,582 | 289.01 |
| 1980c | 72,496 | 49.22 |
| 1990c | 74,840 | 3.23 |
| 2000c | 91,802 | 22.66 |
| 2010c | 99,223 | 8.08 |
- e: official estimate by the United States Census Bureau
- c: decennial census figures as mandated by the Constitution
Colleges and universities
The University of Texas at DallasUniversity of Texas at Dallas
The University of Texas at Dallas, also referred to as UT Dallas or UTD, is a public research university in the University of Texas System. The main campus is in the heart of the Richardson, Texas, Telecom Corridor, north of downtown Dallas...
, also referred to as UT Dallas or UTD, is a public research university in the University of Texas System
University of Texas System
The University of Texas System encompasses 15 educational institutions in Texas, of which nine are academic universities and six are health institutions. The system is headquartered in Austin and has a total enrollment of over 190,000 students...
. Despite its name the UT Dallas main contiguous campus, consisting of approximately 445 acres (1.8 km²), is in the Richardson, Texas city limits at 800 West Campbell Road. The campus is sited with Campbell Road on the south, Floyd Road on the east, Waterview on the west, and Synergy Park Boulevard on the north. The university owns an additional 265 acres (1.1 km²) in Richardson, adjacent to the campus, between Synergy Park Boulevard and the President George Bush Turnpike
President George Bush Turnpike
The President George Bush Turnpike is a 45.1-mile toll road running generally east–west through the northern suburbs of Dallas, Texas, United States. It is named for George H. W. Bush, the 41st President of the United States...
. The city of Richardson passed a bond election on May 8, 2010, which allocated $2.8 million in funding for a UT Dallas loop road to connect the roads around campus. The loop road will be designed to help keep traffic contained within the campus, rather than on the city’s roads. The UTD Student Services building, completed in 2010, is the first academic structure in Texas to be rated a LEED
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design consists of a suite of rating systems for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings, homes and neighborhoods....
Platinum facility by the United States Green Building Council. For the fall 2011 semester, UT Dallas had a total of 18,864 students enrolled.
Richland College
Richland College
Richland College is a community college that is part of the Dallas County Community College District and is located near the Lake Highlands area of Dallas, Texas near the border with Richardson and Garland. The school was founded in 1972 and is the largest school in the DCCCD, featuring nearly...
is a community college that is part of the Dallas County Community College District
Dallas County Community College District
The Dallas County Community College District is a network of seven community colleges in Dallas County, Texas . It is headquartered at 1601 South Lamar in Dallas....
or DCCCD. The college is in Dallas on the Richardson border. It is the largest school in the DCCCD, featuring nearly 14,000 students. In 2005, Richland became the first community college to receive the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award
Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award
The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award recognizes U.S. organizations in the business, health care, education, and nonprofit sectors for performance excellence. The Baldrige Award is the only formal recognition of the performance excellence of both public and private U.S. organizations given by...
.
Public schools
The city is served by the Richardson Independent School DistrictRichardson Independent School District
Richardson Independent School District is a school district based in Richardson, Texas .RISD covers and includes most of the city of Richardson, TX and portions of the cities of Dallas, TX and Garland, TX . RISD operates 55 campuses that serve more than 34,000 students...
(RISD), except for the portion of the city in Collin County
Collin County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 491,675 people, 181,970 households, and 132,292 families residing in the county. The population density was 580 people per square mile . There were 194,892 housing units at an average density of 230 per square mile...
, which is served by the Plano Independent School District
Plano Independent School District
Plano Independent School District is a public school district in southeastern Collin County, Texas, with its headquarters in Plano. Plano ISD serves about of land, with of it within the City of Plano...
(PISD).
Twenty-one RISD schools have officially been named to the Texas Business and Education Coalition's (TBEC) Honor Roll for 2008, the second consecutive year RISD has led the state of Texas in Honor Roll Campuses. The TBEC Honor Roll is the most prestigious award for sustained, academic excellence in Texas. It recognizes schools that have demonstrated three years of consistent, high performance in all subjects compared to other schools serving similar student populations. Of the more than 8,000 Texas public schools less than 4% make the TBEC Honor Roll, while in RISD, 40% of eligible campuses are Honor Roll Schools for 2008.
The RISD and PISD have many Blue Ribbon Schools.
The Blue Ribbon Schools Program
Blue Ribbon Schools Program
The Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a United States government program created in 1981 to honor schools which have achieved high levels of performance or significant improvements with emphasis on schools serving disadvantaged students. The program centers around a self-assessment conducted by the...
is a United States government program created to honor schools. The Blue Ribbon award is considered to be the highest honor that an American school can achieve.
Zoned RISD high schools in Richardson include Richardson High School
Richardson High School
Richardson High School is a High school in Richardson, Texas, United States with a 2006 enrollment of approximately 2500 and a student/teacher ratio of 12.8.-Background:...
, Lloyd V. Berkner High School
Lloyd V. Berkner High School
Lloyd V. Berkner High School is a high school in Richardson, Texas, with a 2008 enrollment of 2,755 and a student/teacher ratio of 16.7. It is one of four high schools in the Richardson Independent School District.-History:...
, and J.J. Pearce High School
J.J. Pearce High School
J.J. Pearce High School is a high school located in Richardson, Texas, United States. It is named after Joseph Jones Pearce, who served as superintendent for the RISD from 1946 to 1977. It is one of two Richardson Independent School District high schools to have a natatorium. In 2005, it had an...
. The Christa McAuliffe Learning Center and the RISD alternative school, are also in Richardson.
Lake Highlands High School
Lake Highlands High School
Lake Highlands High School is a secondary school serving grades 10-12 located in the Lake Highlands area of Dallas, Texas, United States, primarily serving the Lake Highlands community. The school is part of the Richardson Independent School District and is located centrally within Lake Highlands...
is part of the Richardson Independent School District
Richardson Independent School District
Richardson Independent School District is a school district based in Richardson, Texas .RISD covers and includes most of the city of Richardson, TX and portions of the cities of Dallas, TX and Garland, TX . RISD operates 55 campuses that serve more than 34,000 students...
but is located in Lake Highlands
Lake Highlands
Lake Highlands is an area in Dallas, Texas . It is located in the northeast portion of the city, and is sometimes considered to be a part of, or connected to, East Dallas and/or North Dallas...
, an area in Dallas, Texas, just south of Richardson.
Sections of Richardson in the Plano Independent School District are served by several schools. Aldridge, Miller, Schell, and Stinson elementary schools are within Richardson and serve Collin County portions of Richardson. A section of Collin County Richardson is zoned to Mendenhall Elementary School in Plano. Armstrong, Bowman, and Wilson middle schools in Plano
Plano
Plano can refer to:*Plano cultures, the Late Paleo-Indian hunter-gatherer societies of the Great Plains of North America** Plano points, the chipped stone tools of the Plano culturesPlaces in the United States:...
and Murphy Middle School in Murphy
Murphy, Texas
Murphy is a city in Collin County, Texas, United States and a suburb of Dallas, located to the north east of the city. The 2010 census reported Murphy's population as 17,708.-About:...
serve separate sections of Collin County Richardson. Vines High School
Vines High School
W. A. Vines High School is a free co-educational secondary school in Plano, Texas serving grades nine and ten. Wilson and Haggard Middle Schools feed into Vines. Founded in 1976, the school is part of the Plano Independent School District. Vines is accredited by the Texas Education Agency, which...
and Williams High School
Williams High School
T. H. Williams High School is a secondary school in Plano, Texas serving grades nine and ten. It is part of the Plano Independent School District. In Plano ISD, high school freshmen and sophomores attend one of five high schools. Juniors and seniors attend "senior high schools"...
, 9-10 schools in Plano, serve separate sections of Collin County Richardson. Plano Senior High School
Plano Senior High School
Plano Senior High School is a public secondary school in Plano, Texas, USA, serving students in grades 11–12. The school is part of the Plano Independent School District, with admission based primarily on the locations of students' homes...
and Plano East Senior High School
Plano East Senior High School
Plano East Senior High School is a secondary school in Plano, Texas serving high school juniors and seniors. It is part of the Plano Independent School District....
serve separate sections of Collin County Richardson. Prior to 2007 a section was zoned to Boggess Elementary School in Murphy.
Private schools
The Roman Catholic Diocese of DallasRoman Catholic Diocese of Dallas
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas is a Roman Catholic diocese in Texas. It was founded on July 15, 1890 by Pope Leo XIII. The diocese's cathedral is the Cathedral Shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe....
operates two K-8 schools, St. Joseph School and St. Paul the Apostle School, in Richardson. Other private schools include Canyon Creek Christian Academy (K-12), North Dallas Adventist Academy (K-12), IANT Quranic Academy (K-12), The Alexander School (8-12), and Dallas North Montessori School (ages 3–9).
Public libraries
The Richardson Public Library is located at 900 Civic Center Drive in the southwest corner of U.S. Route 75U.S. Route 75
U.S. Route 75 is a north–south U.S. Highway. The highway's northern terminus is in Kittson County, Minnesota, at the Canadian border, where it continues as Manitoba Highway 75 on the other side of a closed border crossing. Its southern terminus is at Interstate 30 and Interstate 45 in Dallas,...
(North Central Expressway) and Arapaho Road.
The roots of the Richardson Public Library date back to 1947 when a branch of the Dallas County Library was established in a section of the Cash Dry Goods store on East Main Street in downtown Richardson. The fledgling library collection numbered about 400 volumes and was managed by Jessie Durham the store's proprietor. The City Council established the library as a city department in 1958 and in 1959 the library moved into a newly constructed building at 310 Tyler Street. This new library was just under 6000 square feet (557.4 m²) in size and was built at a cost of $100,000.
Richardson was experiencing rapid growth in the 1960s and 70s and the library facility soon became inadequate for community needs. The current facility was constructed at a cost of $2 million and opened December 1, 1970. The new 81650 square feet (7,585.5 m²), four-story building opened with the use of two floors and a small portion of a third. The basement was finished in 1980 for the reference collection and services. 1995 saw another expansion which finished the upper floor and renovated the three previously opened floors. Another renovation occurred in 2006 when the Youth Services department was expanded and other collections and services rearranged.
In 2008 the Library set a new record for the number of items circulated in a fiscal year when the 1 millionth item was checked out in the fall of 2008. The building has undergone building renovations and technological improvements in recent years that enhance the library experience for patrons.
The Texas Municipal League recognized the Library with its "Achievement of Excellence in Libraries" award every year from 2004 to 2008. Hennen's American Public Library Rating publication has ranked the library second in the state of Texas every year from 2005 to 2008.
Transportation
Richardson’s strategic location with major area highways provides convenient access for workers commuting into Richardson, the second largest employment center in the DFW Metroplex. U.S. Highway 75 (North Central Expressway) bisects the city from south to north. Texas State Highway 190 (President George Bush Turnpike) borders the north and Interstate 635Interstate 635 (Texas)
Interstate 635 or the Lyndon B. Johnson Freeway is a partial loop around Dallas, Texas between Interstate 20 in Balch Springs, Texas and State Highway 121 at the north entrance of the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport in Grapevine, Texas. The route is long...
(Lyndon B. Johnson Freeway) borders the south. The city has more Dallas Area Rapid Transit
Dallas Area Rapid Transit
The Dallas Area Rapid Transit authority is a transit agency based in Dallas, Texas . It operates buses, light rail, commuter rail, and high-occupancy vehicle lanes in Dallas and 12 of its suburbs...
(DART) rail stations than any other Dallas area suburb. The stations from south to north are the Spring Valley Station
Spring Valley Station
Spring Valley Station is a DART Light Rail station located in Richardson, Texas off Spring Valley Road, just east of US 75...
, Arapaho Center Station
Arapaho Center Station
Arapaho Center Station is a DART Light Rail station located in Richardson, Texas , at Greenville Avenue near Arapaho Road. It opened on July 1, 2002, and is a station on the , serving the Richardson Civic Center, the University of Texas at Dallas and part of Richardson's Telecom Corridor including...
, Galatyn Park Station
Galatyn Park Station
Galatyn Park Station is a DART Light Rail station located in Richardson, Texas at US 75 near Lookout Drive. It opened on July 1, 2002 and is a station on the , serving part of Richardson's Telecom Corridor including the Renaissance Hotel and Hyatt Regency North Dallas , the Charles W...
and the Bush Turnpike Station
Bush Turnpike Station
Bush Turnpike Station is a DART Light Rail station located in Richardson, Texas at the President George Bush Turnpike near US 75 . It opened on December 9, 2002 and is a station on the , serving the area around Collin Creek Mall....
. Three of the rail stations have free parking for people who wish to park and ride. The four stations are strategically located for commuters working and residing in close proximity to the Telecom Corridor
Telecom Corridor
The Telecom Corridor is a technology business center in Richardson, Texas , a northern suburb of Dallas, which contains over 25 million square feet of office space and accounts for over 82,600 jobs. The Corridor is a strip about 6.5 miles long along U.S...
area. Feeder buses ensure commuters reach their destination safely. DART bus service is available throughout the city.
The city's Walk Score is 77 out of 100 or Very Walkable as of June 2011.
Major highways
Interstate 635Interstate 635 (Texas)Interstate 635 or the Lyndon B. Johnson Freeway is a partial loop around Dallas, Texas between Interstate 20 in Balch Springs, Texas and State Highway 121 at the north entrance of the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport in Grapevine, Texas. The route is long...
- (Lyndon B. Johnson Freeway)
U.S. Highway 75 - (North Central ExpresswayCentral Expressway (Dallas)Central Expressway is a north–south highway in Dallas, Texas and surrounding areas.- North Central Expressway :The best-known section is the North Central Expressway, a name for a freeway section of U.S. Highway 75 between downtown Dallas and McKinney, Texas...
)
State Highway 190 - (President George Bush TurnpikePresident George Bush TurnpikeThe President George Bush Turnpike is a 45.1-mile toll road running generally east–west through the northern suburbs of Dallas, Texas, United States. It is named for George H. W. Bush, the 41st President of the United States...
) (toll)
Light rail
- DARTDallas Area Rapid TransitThe Dallas Area Rapid Transit authority is a transit agency based in Dallas, Texas . It operates buses, light rail, commuter rail, and high-occupancy vehicle lanes in Dallas and 12 of its suburbs...
:- Spring Valley StationSpring Valley StationSpring Valley Station is a DART Light Rail station located in Richardson, Texas off Spring Valley Road, just east of US 75...
- Arapaho Center StationArapaho Center StationArapaho Center Station is a DART Light Rail station located in Richardson, Texas , at Greenville Avenue near Arapaho Road. It opened on July 1, 2002, and is a station on the , serving the Richardson Civic Center, the University of Texas at Dallas and part of Richardson's Telecom Corridor including...
- Galatyn Park StationGalatyn Park StationGalatyn Park Station is a DART Light Rail station located in Richardson, Texas at US 75 near Lookout Drive. It opened on July 1, 2002 and is a station on the , serving part of Richardson's Telecom Corridor including the Renaissance Hotel and Hyatt Regency North Dallas , the Charles W...
- Bush Turnpike StationBush Turnpike StationBush Turnpike Station is a DART Light Rail station located in Richardson, Texas at the President George Bush Turnpike near US 75 . It opened on December 9, 2002 and is a station on the , serving the area around Collin Creek Mall....
- Spring Valley Station
Mayors
- 1925–1927: T. F. McKamy
- 1927–1929: W. S. Spotts
- 1929–1931: Kit Floyd
- 1931–1933: James Harben
- 1933–1937: T. F. McKamy
- 1937–1947: T. J. Jackson
- 1947–1951: Elmer Dabney
- 1951–1953: Dr. T. C. Longnecker
- 1953–1955: A. W. Walvoord
- 1955–1959: R. V. Thompson
- 1959–1961: Glen Hoskins
- 1961–1963: W. B. Strange
- 1963–1967: Herb Ryan
- 1967–1967: Robert Porter
- 1967–1968: John Gordon
- 1968–1983: Ray Noah
- 1983–1986: Martha Ritter
- 1987–1991: Charles Spann
- 1991–2007: Gary Slagel
- 2007–2009: Steve Mitchell
- 2009–2011: Gary Slagel
- 2011–present: Bob Townsend
Notable residents
- Jensen AcklesJensen AcklesJensen Ross Ackles is an American actor. He is known for his roles in television as Eric Brady in Days of our Lives, which earned him several Daytime Emmy Award nominations, as well as Alec/X5-494 in Dark Angel and Jason Teague in Smallville...
(actor) - Jeff AgoosJeff AgoosJeffrey Alan "Jeff" Agoos is a retired American soccer defender, and one of the all-time appearance leaders for the United States national team....
(soccer player) - Pegah AnvarianPegah AnvarianPegah Anvarian is an American fashion designer. She is designer of the Pegah Anvarian Collection.Anvarian grew up in Richardson, Texas , the daughter of a photographer father and educator mother, who taught her how to sew at the age of six. Her family encouraged creativity in the home, prompting...
(fashion designer) - Steve BensonSteve BensonStephen Reed Benson is a Pulitzer Prize-winning U.S. editorial cartoonist for The Arizona Republic. Benson is the grandson of former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and former LDS Church president Ezra Taft Benson.Benson attended Brigham Young University, from which he graduated cum laude...
(Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist) - Nicole BilderbackNicole BilderbackNicole Bilderback is an Korean-born American actress, known for her recurring guest roles on the television programs Dark Angel and Dawson's Creek, and the films Bring It On and Bad Girls From Valley High...
(actress) - Ryan CabreraRyan CabreraRyan Frank Cabrera is an American pop rock musician. In 2004, Cabrera debuted with his single "On the Way Down", a top ten hit in the U.S., and album Take It All Away...
(entertainer) - Rogers CadenheadRogers CadenheadRogers Cadenhead is a computer book author and web publisher who is currently chairman of the RSS Advisory Board, a group that assists developers in using the RSS 2.0 specification. He graduated from the University of North Texas in 1991 and Lloyd V...
(author) - T.J. Cloutier (professional poker player)
- Jeremy CoonJeremy CoonJeremy Coon is the executive producer and editor of the 2004 film Napoleon Dynamite, a cult hit made on a $400,000 budget that has earned more than $44 million since its release....
(film producer) - Catherine CrierCatherine CrierCatherine Jean Crier is an American television personality and a former district court judge.-Life and career:Crier was born in Dallas, Texas in 1954 to William and Ann Crier and has two sisters. Crier graduated from Richardson High School and University of Texas at Austin, from which she earned...
(television personality) - Deborah CrombieDeborah CrombieDeborah Crombie is an American author of the Duncan Kinkaid / Gemma James mystery series set in the United Kingdom. Crombie was raised in Texas and has lived in the United Kingdom...
(mystery writer) - Jeremy Wade Delle (student and subject of Pearl JamPearl JamPearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included Eddie Vedder , Jeff Ament , Stone Gossard , and Mike McCready...
's "Jeremy"Jeremy (song)"Jeremy" is a song by the American grunge band Pearl Jam that features lyrics written by vocalist Eddie Vedder and music written by bassist Jeff Ament. "Jeremy" was released in 1992 as the third single from Pearl Jam's debut album, Ten . The song reached the number five spot on both the Mainstream...
) - Jeff DunhamJeff DunhamJeff Dunham is an American ventriloquist and stand-up comedian who has also appeared on numerous television shows, including Late Show with David Letterman, Comedy Central Presents, The Tonight Show and Sonny With a Chance...
(ventriloquist and stand-up comedian) - Bill EngvallBill EngvallWilliam Ray "Bill" Engvall, Jr. is an American comedian and actor best known for his work as a stand-up comic and as a member of the Blue Collar Comedy group.-Early life:Bill Engvall was born in Galveston, Texas...
(actor and comedian) - Deborah ForemanDeborah ForemanDeborah Lynn Foreman is an American actress. She is perhaps best known for her starring role in the 1983 movie Valley Girl, as "Julie Richman" acting opposite Nicolas Cage as "Randy".-Early life:...
(actress) - Natasha Galkina (Russian-American model)
- John GaryJohn GaryJohn Gary was an American singer and a technically accomplished vocalist.-Early life:John Gary Strader started singing at the age of 5. He joined his older sister, Shirley Strader. At the age of 9, he won a 3-year scholarship to the prestigious Cathedral School of St John in Manhattan. He...
(RCA recording artist- vocalist) - David Gordon GreenDavid Gordon GreenDavid Gordon Green is an American filmmaker. He has directed dramas such as George Washington, All the Real Girls, and Snow Angels, as well as the thriller Undertow, all of which he wrote or co-wrote...
(filmmaker) - Tracy HutsonTracy HutsonTracy Hutson is a television personality and one of the original style consultants on ABC TV's television series Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Hutson grew up in Richardson, Texas.-Acting career:...
(stylist, Extreme Makeover: Home EditionExtreme Makeover: Home EditionExtreme Makeover: Home Edition is a reality television series providing home renovations for less fortunate families and community schools etc...
) - Chris JackeChris JackeChristopher Lee Jacke is a former professional American football placekicker best known for playing for the Green Bay Packers in the National Football League....
(NFL kicker) - Eddie Jackson (NFL Defensive Back)
- Jay JohnsonJay JohnsonJay Johnson may refer to:* Jay W. Johnson * Jay W. Johnson, U.S. Democratic congressman from Wisconsin and Director of the United States Mint* Jay Johnson Detroit doo-wop bass-baritone singer* Jay L. Johnson, U.S...
(ventriloquist) - Caleb Landry JonesCaleb Landry JonesCaleb Landry Jones is an American actor and musician.Jones was born in Garland, Texas and raised in Richardson, Texas. He is best known for his performances in The Last Exorcism and as Banshee in X-Men: First Class...
(actor/musician) - Gordon KeithGordon KeithGordon Keith is an American radio host on KTCK SportsRadio 1310 AM "The Ticket" in Dallas, Texas. He has shared hosting duties with George Dunham and Craig "Junior" Miller since 1995.-Career:...
(radio personality) - Justin LeonardJustin LeonardJustin Charles Garrett Leonard is an American professional golfer.Leonard was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. He attended Lake Highlands High School and graduated in 1990. He attended the University of Texas at Austin and was the individual NCAA champion in 1994. He was a two-time All-American...
(professional golfer) - Jake McDormanJake McDormanJake McDorman is an American film and television actor who is best known for playing Evan Chambers on the ABC Family TV Series Greek.-Early life:...
(actor) - Faris McReynoldsFaris McReynoldsFaris McReynolds is a Los Angeles-based artist and musician. His paintings have been shown in Tokyo, Los Angeles, New York City, Berlin, Padua, Antwerp, and Kortrijk including numerous solo exhibitions...
(artist) - Shawn MichaelsShawn MichaelsMichael Shawn Hickenbottom , better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American television host and retired professional wrestler. He presents the Outdoor Channel show MacMillan River Adventures, and is currently signed to WWE, where he has served in an ambassadorial role since December...
(WWE wrestler) - Carla Overbeck (founding member, Women's United Soccer AssociationWomen's United Soccer AssociationThe Women's United Soccer Association, often abbreviated to the WUSA, was the world's first women's soccer league in which all the players were paid as professionals. Founded in February 2000, the league began its first season in April 2001 with eight teams in the United States...
) - Marina Oswald PorterMarina Oswald PorterMarina Oswald Porter, is the widow of Lee Harvey Oswald, the assassin of U.S. President John F. Kennedy.-Life with Oswald:...
(wife of Lee Harvey OswaldLee Harvey OswaldLee Harvey Oswald was, according to four government investigations,These were investigations by: the Federal Bureau of Investigation , the Warren Commission , the House Select Committee on Assassinations , and the Dallas Police Department. the sniper who assassinated John F...
at the time of the Kennedy AssassinationJohn F. Kennedy assassinationJohn Fitzgerald Kennedy, the thirty-fifth President of the United States, was assassinated at 12:30 p.m. Central Standard Time on Friday, November 22, 1963, in Dealey Plaza, Dallas, Texas...
) - Anne RiceAnne RiceAnne Rice is a best-selling Southern American author of metaphysical gothic fiction, Christian literature and erotica from New Orleans, Louisiana. Her books have sold nearly 100 million copies, making her one of the most widely read authors in modern history...
(author) - John Maddox RobertsJohn Maddox RobertsJohn Maddox Roberts is an author who has written many science fiction and fantasy novels, including his successful historical fiction, such as the SPQR series and Hannibal's Children....
(Science fiction author) - Brian Torrey ScottBrian Torrey ScottBrian Torrey Scott is an American writer. He currently writes for Rosetta Stone in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Scott previously taught Adventures and Ridiculousness at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and English at Columbia College Chicago.- Biography :Scott graduated from SMU with honors...
(writer) - Wil ShrinerWil ShrinerWil Shriner is an American actor, comedian, director and game show host.-Life and career:Shriner was born in New York City, New York, the twin brother of soap opera actor Kin Shriner and the son of Eileen “Pixie” McDermott and Herb Shriner, a Hoosier humorist who had several shows in the early...
(humorist) - Kin ShrinerKin ShrinerKin Shriner is an American actor, best known for playing Scott Baldwin on both daytime serials General Hospital and Port Charles .-Personal life:...
(actor) - Ashlee SimpsonAshlee SimpsonAshlee Nicole Simpson is an American singer and actress. In 2004, she rose to prominence with the success of her number-one debut album Autobiography and the reality series, The Ashlee Simpson Show. In October 2005, following a North American concert tour and a film appearance, Simpson released...
(entertainer) - Jessica SimpsonJessica SimpsonJessica Ann Simpson is an American recording artist, actress, television personality, and fashion designer whose rise to fame began in 1999. Since that time, Simpson has achieved many recording milestones, starred in several television shows, movies, and commercials, launched a line of hair and...
(entertainer) - Bruce William SmithBruce William SmithBruce William Smith is a dentist, LGBT advocate, and philanthropist residing in Houston, Texas. In 1981 he established a private practice in the Neartown area of Houston. and has been practicing there since....
(dentist, LGBT advocate, and philanthropist) - Nick StahlNick StahlNicolas Kent "Nick" Stahl is an American actor. Starting out as a child actor, he gained recognition for his performance in the 1993 film The Man Without a Face and then embarked on a successful career as a child actor...
(actor) - Matt StoverMatt StoverJohn Matthew "Matt" Stover is a former American Football placekicker. As of the start of the 2009 NFL season, he was the third most accurate kicker in the history of the National Football League. He is of Greek origin. He has played for the New York Giants, the Cleveland Browns, and the Baltimore...
(NFL kicker) - Frank Ticheli (composer)
- Everson WallsEverson WallsEverson Collins Walls is a former American football cornerback in the NFL, having played for the Dallas Cowboys, the New York Giants, and the Cleveland Browns. During his 14 seasons, he was a four-time Pro Bowl selection. He was also a 3-time All-Pro selection...
(NFL defensive back) - Barry WatsonBarry Watson (actor)Michael Barrett "Barry" Watson is an American actor, known for his roles of Dr. Matthew "Matt" Camden on 7th Heaven, Brian Davis in What About Brian and Todd Deepler in Samantha Who?-Early life:...
(actor, 7th Heaven7th Heaven7th Heaven is an American family drama television series, created and produced by Brenda Hampton. The series premiered on August 26, 1996, on the WB, the first time that the network aired Monday night programming, and was originally broadcast from August 26, 1996 to May 13, 2007...
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