Growth & Development of San Marcos, TX

Links & Articles……… http://www.greatersanmarcostx.com/ The Greater San Marcos Region is ideally located on the IH-35 corridor just 30 miles south of Austin and 40 miles north of , two of the fastest growing MSAs in the and the fastest growing region in . The Greater San Marcos Region represents the lower half of the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos MSA, which includes all of Hays and Caldwell Counties. The cities of Buda, Kyle, Dripping Springs, San Marcos, Wimberley, Lockhart and Luling are within the two county jurisdiction.

San Marcos is ranked as the fastest growing city in the U.S. and the Greater San Marcos Region is one of the fastest growing areas in the country. Texas has been ranked as the No. 1 state in the country for job growth over the past five years.

The Greater San Marcos Region is investing in our future, building better infrastructure and developing our human capitol so we can continue to maintain our competitive advantage in an era of dynamic growth.

The Greater San Marcos Region offers a robust environment for a wide variety of businesses and industries – one that supports entrepreneurship and innovation while also providing established firms and organizations with a climate that supports success.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/VacationRentalsBlog/2018/01/29/best-small-cities-to-visit/ 23 GREAT AMERICAN SMALL CITIES TO VISIT IN 2018

#1 SAN MARCOS, TEXAS

Located between the bigger hubs of Austin and San Antonio is San Marcos, loved by runners for its amazing trails. There’s plenty of fun in store here: a gig at the Cheatham Street Warehouse, a glass-bottomed boat tour at the Meadows Center, or a shopping spree at San Marcos Premium Outlets. For something a bit different, sign up for a nighttime kayaking, tubing, or paddle-boarding tour, floating off down the on a vessel lit with LEDs. Head up the road to Austin for the Rock Star Beer Festival this March or try out one of San Antonio’s many excellent foodie happenings.

http://texashillcountrysiteselection.com/ailink/799/ San Marcos hopes downtown continues upswing Author: Brett Thorne Date: Wed, 20 Jan 2016

Investment in downtown San Marcos—from the public and private sectors—is on the rise. Experts predict the city’s downtown will attract even more restaurants and retail options in 2016. Courtesy Top Prop Aerial Investment in downtown San Marcos—from the public and private sectors—is on the rise. Experts predict the city’s downtown will attract even more restaurants and retail options in 2016. In the past five years the value of properties in downtown San Marcos has increased 38 percent, from $104 million in 2011 to $144 million in 2015, according to city statistics. Officials said they expect that upward trend to continue through 2016.

Officials said the city’s population influx, public investment in downtown infrastructure and a growing interest in residential space downtown are driving development in the area.

https://www.texasedc.org/members-news/san-marcos-named-fastest-growing-city-us-second-consecutive-year Growth Rate for the Hays County City Doubles Since Last Year According the US Census Bureau May 23, 2014 – SAN MARCOS, TX – The nation’s eyes are on San Marcos, Texas as the U.S. Census Bureau yesterday released data putting the city at the top of the list of fastest growing mid-size cities over 50,000 in the United States, with an eight percent increase in population between June 2012 and June 2013. San Marcos was previously ranked first in this study in 2013 with a population increase of four percent.

“This is an exciting time for San Marcos,” said Adriana Cruz, President, Greater San Marcos Partnership. “San Marcos is home to , an Emerging Research University with over 35,500 students, and has an available labor force of 2 million. Our population is young, educated, and wants to stay local upon graduation versus leaving for a major metro. The opportunities here are abundant and people are starting to notice. We look forward to continued investment in the future of Greater San Marcos to ensure prosperity for the future.”

The Greater San Marcos Region is located in Central Texas, along the IH-35 Corridor (NAFTA Highway) between Austin and San Antonio, the 11th and 7th largest cities in the U.S. respectively. San Marcos is the county seat of Hays County with a population of 54,076 and the average age is 23 years old with 43 percent of the population between the ages of 20-29. Additionally, San Marcos is the oldest continually inhabited location in North America and has a land area of 30.2 square miles with more parkland per capita than any other city in Central Texas. Other accolades the city has received include:

· Top 4 “Charming” College Town by Better Homes and Gardens Magazine; · 9th Most Exciting Small City in America by movoto.com; · One of ten Most Beautiful Cities in the Country by Travel + Leisure Magazine; and · One of the top ten cities in America for raising kids by BusinessWeek.

“We have invested in water resources, utility infrastructure, roads, public safety, planning and in many more areas,” said San Marcos Mayor Daniel Guerrero. “In addition, the San Marcos school district has invested in school facilities, curriculum, students and teachers. Texas State University has greatly expanded its academic offerings, student diversity, and its campus master plan and anticipates continuing growth over this decade.”

In late 2009, the Greater San Marcos Partnership worked with Market Street Services, as part of the comprehensive Economic Development Strategy, to identify the most promising target clusters for the Greater San Marcos Partnership to pursue.

Based on our physical assets, such as location along the I-35 corridor between Austin and San Antonio; the nearby I-10; Texas State University and other institutes of higher education and training: the San Marcos Municipal Airport and nearby Austin-Bergstrom and San Antonio International Airports; and our unique and appealing lifestyle opportunities; as well as our community and business assets, we have identified six core industries: Advanced Manufacturing & Materials, Aerospace & Aviation, Clean Technology, Corporate & Professional Operations, Life Sciences, and Supply Chain Management.

The Greater San Marcos Region strongly supports entrepreneurial activity which is evidenced in the presence of Texas State University's STAR Park – a 38 acre advanced materials research incubator.

The area’s largest employers include major manufactures C-FAN, Thermon Manufacturing, Philips, Heldenfels Enterprises, UTC Aerospace Systems, TXI, Alrta Couplings, Hunter Industries, Mensor Corporation, and Ember Industries. Together, these companies employ over 2,000 workers. Over 12,000 jobs in San Marcos come from the major non- manufacturing employers Texas States University, San Marcos Premium Outlets, Tanger Outlets, San Marcos CISD, Hays County, Central Texas Medical Center, H-E-B Distribution Center and Retail Stores, City of San Marcos, Gary Job Corps, TeleNetwork Partners, and Walmart Supercenter.

The US Census Bureau data was released the same day as the 9th Annual Greater San Marcos Economic Outlook, hosted by the Greater San Marcos Partnership and Texas State University’s McCoy College of Business. Featured speakers at the event included leading economist, Dr. Ray Perryman of The Perryman Group, and Mark Strama of Google Fiber.

About the Greater San Marcos economy, Dr. Perryman stated: “San Marcos is in an ideal position to continue its growth pattern of recent years in an effective manner. Its proximity to Austin is a major advantage, as is the presence of a growing and increasingly important educational institution in Texas State University, a major incubator for nanotechnology applications, and a great team of economic development professionals. I expect San Marcos to be a leader in economic expansion for the foreseeable future.”

http://www.greatersanmarcostx.com/why-here/future-developments The Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos MSA is one of the fastest growing areas with one of the hottest job markets in the United States. In fact, the city of San Marcos has been named the fastest growing city in the country for the last three years (2013, 2014, 2015) by the U.S. Census Bureau. It is continually ranked as one of the top 10 MSAs in the country based on its prime workforce, economic strength, recession-busting cities, and its "Now Cities."

The Greater San Marcos Region is located half way between Austin and San Antonio and offers an outstanding quality of life, an abundant and well educated workforce, a growing retiree population, a low cost of living, affordable land, no personal income or business taxes, a pro-business attitude, and an apt public education system make the region a popular target for new commercial, retail, industrial, and residential developments of all types and sizes.

Investors and developers from all across the United States and Canada have several new projects in various stages of progress throughout Hays and Caldwell Counties that will help create jobs in the region.

https://t.e2ma.net/webview/cx7hv/31e95d74830714fcc8c3484ae9277a91 FINLAY FAMILY SELLS CHEATHAM STREET WAREHOUSE TO LONGTIME KENT FINLAY DISCIPLE RANDY ROGERS

Chart-topping Texas singer-songwriter will assume new ownership of legendary Central Texas launching pad on January 1, 2017

SAN MARCOS, Texas – Cheatham Street Warehouse has a new owner: Randy Rogers. The star recently purchased the legendary club from iconic venue owner Kent Finlay's children Jenni, Sterling and HalleyAnna. Kent Finlay, who died on Texas Independence Day 2015, founded Cheatham Street Warehouse – the iconic Texas launching pad responsible for skyrocketing , Stevie Ray Vaughan, Randy Rogers, Todd Snider and hundreds more singers and songwriters – more than forty years ago. Additionally, Finlay's children all grew their musical wings at the venue. “Knowing that Cheatham Street's legacy will stay in tact under the love and care of Randy Rogers fills all of our hearts,” eldest daughter Jenni Finlay says. “Randy came up performing at Dad's beloved Songwriters Night and it's only fitting that he takes the helm. We're so excited about the next chapter for Cheatham Street.” “I plan on honoring Kent in every way with my plans and vision for Cheatham,” Rogers said to the family. “This means so much to me personally.” Finlay's beloved Cheatham Street Warehouse has always existed for creation. Songs begin on Cheatham’s stage. They grow. Breathe. Live. Earn more miles. Finally, they mature into shape. Finlay's songwriters night, an open mike for original songs he hosted for nearly every Wednesday night at the venue for more than four decades, nurtured singular songwriters and storytellers with stunning frequency during his lifetime. For instance, the celebrated “Class of '87” included Americana all-stars Todd Snider, James McMurtry, Terri Hendrix, Bruce Robison and Hal Ketchum learning their craft. “Kent and his great little honkytonk with indoor toilets gave me and a whole host of others a place to learn our craft and to learn how to be, sing and play music onstage,” Strait says. “[I thank] Kent for believing in the up-and-coming Ace in the Hole Band with a totally unknown singer who had big dreams and for helping make those dreams a reality. I'll never forget those days.” Literally bucketsful more – including celebrated guitarists Eric Johnston and Monte Montgomery, deep-browed songwriters Owen Temple and Walt Wilkins, fiery live acts Joe King Carrasco and Charlie and Will Sexton – have emerged from his humble honky tonk stage. Additionally, legendary singer-songwriters such as Marcia Ball, Guy Clark, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Willie Nelson, Billy Joe Shaver, Ernest Tubb, Townes Van Zandt and dozens upon dozens more regularly stepped on the Cheatham stage throughout the 1970s Cosmic Cowboy heyday. “Randy Rogers' career began on the Cheatham Street Warehouse stage,” says Gregg Andrews, Cheatham Street Music Foundations board of directors president. “His devotion and loyalty to Kent as a songwriting mentor has never waivered and he's fully committed to perserving Kent's outstanding legacy. Through the years, Kent and his family transformed the creaky old warehouse along the railroad tracks into a songwriters' oasis of world renown and integrity that has left an incredible mark on Texas music.” For information, contact Jenni Finlay, [email protected]

https://www.sanmarcostx.gov/DocumentCenter/Home/View/6100 Multi Family Project Status Report - July 2017 Multi Family Projects Recently Completed, Currently Under Construction, Or Being Considered

http://forgecraftarchitecture.com/project/cheatham-street-flats/ COMING 2018 CHEATHAM STREET FLATS 401 S. Guadalupe St. San Marcos, Texas 192,506 SF; 143 units (234 bedrooms) student housing

https://www.virtualbx.com/industry-news/24494-student-housing-cheatham-street-flats-in-san-marcos-to-break- ground-soon.html

San Marcos (Hays Co.) - Cheatham Street Flats, a $15.5 million student housing development will be breaking ground soon and replacing a blighted city block with a multistory attractive building.

The developer, Cheatham Street Flats LLC of Austin, gave invited general contractors until Feb. 9 to submit bids to build a 188,530- square-foot residence. There will be 120 pre-fabricated residential modules and two levels of below grade parking; this includes raised basement level. The 120 units will have 245 bedrooms and a total of 81,818 square feet of living space.

The underground parking accommodates approximately 80 vehicles. The project site address is 401 S. Guadalupe Street and it is to the southeast of the intersection of Guadalupe Street and Cheatham Street. Along Guadalupe, there will be 14 diagonal parking slots, including parking that is ADA compliant.

Pedestrian friendly sidewalks and landscaping provide a scenic apron along Guadalupe and Cheatham.The building has an alley along its eastern boundary.

One of the amenities is a narrow rectangular courtyard in the center of the complex.

Construction will commence sometime in lateFebruary and the estimated completion is in the first quarter of 2018.

Gary Bellomy, the principal and founder of Land Design Studio (LDS) in Austin is the owner representative, as well as landscape architect for the project. Forge Craft Architecture + Design is the lead architect. Doucet & Associates is the civil engineer.

Cheatham Street Flats is a block south of the for Greyhound and across the street from Cheatham Street Warehouse, a popular live entertainment venue that attracts students from Texas State University. https://communityimpact.com/local-news/austin/san-marcos-buda-kyle/news/city-county/2018/08/01/high-rise- apartment-complex-to-change-san-marcos-skyline-in-2020/ 13 story High-rise apartment complex to change San Marcos skyline in 2020. 585 bedrooms will make up the 310-unit building complex. (1 mile from Patio Dolcetto)

https://www.multihousingnews.com/post/a-new-neighborhood-for-active-adults-breaks-ground-in-san-marcos/ A New Neighborhood for Active Adults Breaks Ground in San Marcos FEB 29 2016 Brookfield Residential Properties, together with San Marcos and Hays County officials celebrated the groundbreaking of Kissing Tree, a new mixed-use development.

Kissing Tree, San Marcos Austin, Texas—Brookfield Residential Properties recently broke ground on a $1 billion new development in San Marcos, Texas. Once completed, the mixed-use project will offer 3,200 houses for people ages 55 and older, complemented by retail space, hike-and-bike trails and a golf course. The Kissing Tree community will spread across 1,332 acres near Centerpoint and Hunter roads, marking the first age- restricted development in San Marcos, according to Edjuan Bailey, vice president of sales and marketing for Brookfield Residential. The project will be built in phases over the next ten years, with about 248 homes slated for the first phase. Home prices will range from $250,000 to $500,000. Work on model homes will begin in the next 45-60 days and open to the public later this year. Amenities at the site will include hiking trails, indoor and outdoor pools, fitness center, tennis courts, a pickleball court, an 18-hole putting course and an 18-hole golf course. Furthermore, plenty of space will be reserved for parks, trails and green space.

http://www.greatersanmarcostx.com/why-here/trace-master-plan-1 Trace is Highpointe Communities' newest development in the City of San Marcos, TX. Located along the I-35 Business Corridor, at the Posey Road interchange, it iscentrally located 28 miles south of the Austin city limits and 28 miles north of the San Antonio city limits. The nation’s 11th and 7th largest cities respectively.

Project Description Trace is comprised of 420 acres of residential, business park/corporate campus and retail commercial uses. The residential uses include approximately 960 single family home sites as well as two multifamily areas which are approved for up to 24 units per acre. With over 1 million square feet of business and commercial uses, the project contains two community commercial sites totaling 12 acres with I-35 access and visibility; one neighborhood commercial site with approximately 7 acres; and a business park/corporate campus on 43 acres along the I-35 Business Corridor.

https://www.cpexecutive.com/post/new-475m-trace-development-announced-for-san-marcos/ New $475M Trace Development Announced for San Marcos NOV 08 2016 The project will include approximately 1,000 homes and more than 1 million square feet of commercial space.

Trace Master Planned Development, San Marcos, Texas San Marcos, Texas—A $475 million mixed-use project that will encompass roughly 1,000 homes and approximately 850 apartments, as well as office and retail space, is planned for a site near the , the Austin American-Statesman reports. The 420-acre project dubbed Trace will be located at Posey Road and I-35 and will be developed by California- based Highpointe Communities. The master planned development will be centrally located—28 miles south of the Austin city limits and 28 miles north of the San Antonio city limits. Construction is expected to begin this month. The residential component includes both single-family home sites and two multifamily areas approved for up to 24 units per acre. It will also include the 7-acre central park The Presidio, as well as a 2-acre amenity center, approximately 3 miles of pathways, a resort-style pool and pavilions and 76 acres of dedicated open space. Builders and home prices have not yet been announced. The commercial segment includes a 43-acre site set aside for a business park or corporate campus with up to 1 million square feet of office space, a 9-acre neighborhood retail center and another 13-acre retail center along I-35. Sites have been set aside for a future San Marcos Consolidated school district elementary school and a fire station, according to the developer.

http://3t6m7g2et8fl1tm4ng3xxapp.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Investing-in-Industrial.pdf Shakin’ things up in San Marcos Texas is home to many of the country’s fastest-growing cities, but San Marcos has claimed the top spot for three years in a row and there is no sign of slowing. “We have roughly a thousand people moving to the state every day and a lot of those decide to come to the central Texas region,” said Adriana Cruz, president of the Greater San Marcos Partnership. “There are so many things in San Marcos and our surrounding communities that are attractive for these people who are coming here.” One of the keys to the city’s success has been a steady balance of skilled workforce with job creation. “Since our formation we've announced 2,300 new jobs and more than $245,000,000 in capital investment,” Cruz said. “Last year alone we announced 1,400 of those new jobs and $225,000,000 in new investment.” Roughly 1,000 of 2015’s new jobs will be at Amazon, which picked San Marcos as the site of its fifth Texas fulfillment center. The new 855,000 square foot facility is part of the company’s 2.3 million square foot property, a major coup for the Partnership. "Having a brand name like Amazon select your community is just a great thing for us," says Cruz. “It really helps to solidify our reputation as an up-and-coming community that people are taking a close look at.” Many more big announcements appear to be on the horizon for San Marcos and Hays County, as Texas State University churns out doctorals from its material science engineering and commercialization Ph.D. program. “Those companies that are making carbon composites, polymers or the next generation of nanomaterials, are very interested in working with Texas State and its research capabilities,” Cruz said. “We're seeing a lot of interest on that end as well.”

https://communityimpact.com/austin/san-marcos-buda-kyle/commerce/2016/08/26/amazon-opens-san-marcos- fulfillment-center/ Amazon opens San Marcos fulfillment center By Brett Thorne| Posted Aug. 26, 2016 at 4:23 pm | Updated Aug. 31, 2016 at 6:20 pm

Amazon’s new San Marcos fulfillment center opened the week of Aug. 26 at 1401 E. McCarty Lane, San Marcos. The center is the sixth of its kind in Texas. The first inventory received at the center was Pop the Pig, the second best-selling children’s game in the past five years, according to a news release. The company expects to begin fulfilling customer orders by late August or early September. Amazon has estimated it will hire about 1,000 people to work at the fulfillment center, and applications for positions are being accepted. The company offers medical, vision and dental coverage, a 401(k) with company match and holiday pay. Employees at Amazon are also able use Career Choice, a program whereby the company pays up to 95 percent of tuition costs for courses related to in-demand fields. The areas of study do not have to relate to a career at Amazon, according to a news release. Employees have used the program to pursue degrees related to game design, visual communications, nursing, IT programming and radiology. The company announced in 2015 that it would build a new 855,000-square-foot fulfillment center in San Marcos after the city and Hays County approved an economic development agreement that will refund a portion of sales and property taxes generated on the site. Under the terms of the incentive agreement, Amazon must employ at least 350 people at the center. In return, the city will refund to the company 85 percent of its ad valorem taxes on personal property and 40 percent of ad valorem taxes on real property for 10 years. The city will also rebate a sliding scale of sales taxes realized by the city from the project over the first 20 years of the project. Sales on online goods are not currently taxed by the entity from which those sales are generated. At the time of the announcement, San Marcos Mayor Daniel Guerrero praised the company’s decision to locate in the city. “The city of San Marcos is pleased to welcome global e-commerce giant Amazon to our community,” Guerrero said in a news release after the announcement was made. “Amazon’s decision to choose San Marcos highlights the city as a great place to do business. This new facility, and the new jobs it will add, fits well into the city’s goal of embracing economic opportunities that develop a stronger middle class and grow our local economy—a major focus of our comprehensive plan.”

https://communityimpact.com/austin/san-marcos-buda-kyle/city-county/2016/12/07/san-marcos-approves-development- agreement-extension-6200-home-neighborhood/ San Marcos approves development agreement, extension for 6,200-home neighborhood

https://communityimpact.com/austin/san-marcos-buda-kyle/city-county/2016/12/09/san-marcos-east-side-primed-single-family-housing-boom/ San Marcos’ east side primed for single-family housing boom

Additional Development Info: http://www.areadevelopment.com/newsItems/8-19-2016/best-buy-sales-operation-san-marcos-texas.shtml https://rebusinessonline.com/texas-best-kept-secret-is-out-as-san-marcos-draws-local-national-investors/ http://www.mikedallas.com/pdf/510-san-marcos-airport.pdf http://www.carsonproperties.net/property/125