Mineral Wells Area News

Reporting By Amy Meyer | Mineral Wells Area News

MINERAL WELLS — Poston Plaza has earned statewide recognition, winning the Best Public Improvement award at the 2026 Texas Downtown President’s Awards ceremony Wednesday, Nov. 4, in Amarillo.

The award recognizes the transformation of a once-underutilized parking lot into a public gathering space in the heart of downtown Mineral Wells.

Presented by Texas Downtown, the annual President’s Awards recognize outstanding projects, places and individuals contributing to the vitality of downtown districts across the state. This year, 155 entries were submitted by communities throughout Texas.

Located behind historic downtown buildings within the National Register Historic District, Poston Plaza was designed to create a welcoming public space while connecting surrounding businesses and encouraging additional foot traffic downtown.

The project transformed a former private parking area into a civic park featuring accessible walkways, native landscaping, sustainable stormwater drainage and family-friendly amenities.

Among its most recognizable features is “Oliver,” a 14-foot equine sculpture that serves as a centerpiece of the plaza. Ranch-style architectural elements also reflect the area’s Western heritage.

The plaza represents the realization of a community vision more than 30 years in the making.

Developed through a public-private partnership, the project received support from the city’s Main Street program, which also nominated Poston Plaza for the statewide award.

Mineral Wells Mayor Regan Johnson said the recognition reflects the community’s commitment to revitalizing its historic downtown.

“This is an incredible validation of what we can achieve when a community rallies around a shared vision. This recognition honors the dedication of our city leaders, local partners, proving that the momentum in Downtown Mineral Wells is truly statewide,” Johnson said.

The Best Public Improvement category recognizes projects that enhance public spaces and contribute to the economic and cultural vitality of downtown communities.

Entries in the design categories were evaluated by separate judging panels based on community population, with Mineral Wells competing in the division for cities with fewer than 50,000 residents.

Texas Downtown, an independent statewide nonprofit established in 1985, works to strengthen downtown districts through education, advocacy, resources and connections among community leaders.

The awards were presented during the organization’s annual Downtown Conference in Amarillo.

For more information about the Texas Downtown President’s Awards, visit www.texasdowntown.org.