A proposal to transform Whitney’s historic Cato Drug building into a community center that also celebrates the city’s history was presented to the Whitney City Council Thursday, August 20.
The Parks Advisory Board presented its concept for the building at 117 West Washington Avenue, which the city announced that it purchased in January 2025. The building most recently housed Mustard Seed Marketplace and operated as Cato Drug for many years.
Since the city acquired the property, the council has discussed the substantial repairs needed at the aging downtown building and whether the city should invest in restoring it for public use or consider selling the property.
Community input and council discussions eventually led to the idea of creating a community center while preserving the Cato family name and historic features.
The Parks Advisory Board’s proposal calls for restoring the building and creating the Cato Community Center of Whitney, with a combination of community gathering space, event space, history exhibits, visitor information and services for veterans and senior citizens.
The proposal describes the center as a place where residents could gather for meetings, educational programs, civic activities, cultural events, celebrations and private rentals. The board also envisions the facility becoming a destination for visitors and a way to showcase Whitney’s history.
Among the proposed uses are a veterans resource room, senior activity room, multipurpose meeting hall, community kitchen and dining area, and a historical exhibit area featuring Whitney and veterans history.
The veterans and senior citizens component would provide space for veterans support groups, benefits and claims assistance, health and wellness education, job and career transition assistance, recognition ceremonies and military observances. Proposed senior programs include social gatherings, fitness and wellness classes, educational programs, technology and digital literacy classes, arts and crafts, nutrition and healthy living programs and recreational activities.
The proposal also includes a strong emphasis on local history.
One of the centerpiece ideas is a Lake Whitney Heritage Wall, featuring a 10- to 15-foot-wide illuminated map of Lake Whitney. The map could incorporate fishing hotspots, historic landmarks, state park locations and other historical information.
The parks board also proposed incorporating artifacts and photographs into the building. The displays could include photographs, artifacts, maps, newspapers, military items, railroad items, farming history, dam construction photos and pioneer artifacts.
A historical timeline would trace Whitney’s development from the 1880s through the 1900s, the 1930s and construction of the dam to modern-day Whitney. Historic photographs could be enlarged and displayed along the walls.
The building could also include a rotating community gallery featuring local photographers, student artwork, historical exhibits and Lake Whitney nature photography.
The proposal includes the building serving as a year-round visitor and community resource with tourism information, local business information, lake information, events and community functions.
The design concept calls for preserving as much of the original building as possible, including exposed brick, wood ceilings, visible structural elements, original columns and original flooring. The proposal says those historic features, combined with the exhibits and displays, would give the center an authentic character.
The board is asking the city to partner in restoring the Cato building, approving the project concept, seeking grant opportunities and working collaboratively on planning.
The proposal notes that the veteran- and senior-focused aspects of the project could potentially qualify for grants and assistance from organizations including the Texas Veterans Commission, Texas Department of Agriculture, American Farmland Trust and Texas Historical Commission.
The presentation also carried a personal connection for the Parks Advisory Board. The late Charles Boyer had been working on a presentation for the City Council regarding possible uses for the building before his recent passing. Parks board members continued that work and presented his concepts to the council.
Council members appeared receptive to the parks board’s presentation and expressed appreciation for the ideas, but council member Amy Teal noted that public feedback included quite a few responses from residents indicating the building should be sold.
Teal said that she liked the ideas presented by the parks board but questioned whether the city should be the one to undertake the project, saying she felt the proposed community center should be a private-sector effort.
The council and parks board will continue to explore options for the building.
The Lakelander 