Even during the holiday season, the Hutto Economic Development Corporation (HEDC) remains hard at work on their mission of bringing diverse businesses to Hutto while continuing to retain and support local businesses that already call our community home.
With a successful 2022 coming to a close, the HEDC has their sights set on what is shaping up to be an exciting 2023 in the Hippo capital. On Friday, Dec. 16, the HEDC hosted public hearings to provide additional information on five unique projects currently in various stages of development.
These projects, which span multiple sites across Hutto, highlight the wide array of businesses that the HEDC is looking to attract while fulfilling their goals of minimizing the impact on local infrastructure, bringing quality jobs to the community, widening the tax base and enhancing the quality of life for residents.
Project ESLO is a planned mixed development cluster of restaurants, retail and office space at the corner of Ed Schmidt Blvd. and the new Live Oak St. extension. The restaurants are expected to feature regional brands and add approximately $14 million in taxable sales to the community while also expanding the dining options in Hutto.
Further south, at the corner of Ed Schmidt Blvd. and US 79, Project NQ2 features the second phase of the Townwest Commons shopping center, set to include over 170,000 square feet of retail, restaurant and entertainment options. While increasing the shopping, dining and entertainment options in Hutto, this project is also slated to generate over $40 million in taxable sales and add over 300 full- and part-time jobs to the local economy.
The Hutto Megasite continues to evolve from its original intention as single-user site to a diverse hub of retail, commercial and industrial users that will more closely align with Hutto’s COMP 2040 future land use plan and expected growth along US 79.
Within the Megasite, Project Strat3 involves a third-party logistics provider that supports inbound and outbound freight and supply chain logistics for Samsung and other regional semiconductor-related companies. The initial phase of this project includes approximately 200,000 square feet of warehouse space and the creation of 50-100 jobs.
Near the corner of FM 3349 and US 79 on the northeast side of the Megasite, Project Chicago is a proposed mix-use development anchored by two hotels. Future expansion within the project includes the potential to add a 30-acre destination restaurant and entertainment district over the next several years.
Finally, Project Primero is a multi-phase flex development complex totaling up to 250,000 square feet of office, warehouse and manufacturing space on 25 acres within the Megasite. Phase one includes the construction of 100,000 square feet of office and advanced manufacturing space. At buildout, these facilities will employ about 120 positions, with salaries approximately triple the Williamson County average. The entire project is anticipated to include upwards of $50 million in investment prior to any further investment by tenants within the facility.
These three Megasite projects are in addition to the previously announced datacenter campus coming to the site. Information on individual tenants that will occupy space in the datacenters is expected to be announced in the new year.
As is common business practice in the economic development industry, HEDC staff and board members are committed to honoring the processes in place by the prospective tenants when it comes to announcing specific brand names. Revealing company names of deals in progress can jeopardize these relationships. It is anticipated that many of the businesses currently in various stages of development across Hutto will be confirmed and publicly announced at future City Council meetings in January and February.
It’s no secret that Hutto remains a hotspot for economic development in the region, state and even nation. With ample room for growth, more and more businesses from a variety of different sectors are taking note of the benefits that Hutto has to offer. The HEDC remains committed to bringing these high impact projects to fruition and is looking forward to more exciting announcements to come in the new year. For more information, visit HuttoTXEDC.gov.