Waco Development

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boxster
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In reply to hill02 • 10:41a, 5/11/18
hill02 said:
I am Old Waco. Born here and lived here for almost 40 years. My question for all of the new Waco people is "why do you want Waco to grow and turn into Austin?" To me the appeal of living here is getting anywhere in 15 minutes and it being a great place for families while still being a day trip from the amenities of a big city.

I can't figure out why people want to grow so badly. The mid-sized City is Waco's appeal. Attracting a giant employer serves the first vision and not the second. I am all for growing the standard of living for those here but I don't see a ton of value in attracting a bunch of move ins.
A few of reasons:

A town a little more like Austin would be good for the long-term health of Baylor, I think.

Also, while Old Waco has been good for you, there is a large population (maybe even the majority) that is stuck and floundering in Old Waco. My hope is that an influx of opportunities, and fresh perspectives will be helpful to that large population that was not thriving in Old Waco.

Without the influx of wealth from Baylor is what sustained Old Waco for a long time. Without additional outside artificial stimuli, I'm not sure Old Waco even treads water, but slowly declines over a long period of time.

I could be extremely wrong on all accounts, however.

What he wants people to know about Baylor football: I want people to see that Baylor is the class of college football. Record GPAs, 26 different majors, guys challenging themselves to be the best they can be. Guys working in the community and guys working to be the best they can be in football. Want people to know Baylor is a great place as a University. -Coach Matt Rhule
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NOVA Bear
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11:31a, 5/11/18
Waco is growing one way or another. I just hope it gets done much smarter than every other city in Texas. Save some character please. I see no difference between Houston, San Antonio, Austin, and Dallas now. Ft Worth has done a pretty good job.
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Funky Town Bear
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In reply to hill02 • 12:18p, 5/11/18
hill02 said:
I am Old Waco. Born here and lived here for almost 40 years. My question for all of the new Waco people is "why do you want Waco to grow and turn into Austin?" To me the appeal of living here is getting anywhere in 15 minutes and it being a great place for families while still being a day trip from the amenities of a big city.

I can't figure out why people want to grow so badly. The mid-sized City is Waco's appeal. Attracting a giant employer serves the first vision and not the second. I am all for growing the standard of living for those here but I don't see a ton of value in attracting a bunch of move ins.
Why does change mean it has to become Austin? Waco can change/grow and retain a lot of those things you like. I'd conjecture that Waco will never be a Ft Worth, Dallas, or Houston. But it also doesn't want to become Nacogdoches either. Cities rarely stay completely stagnant. They, like everything else, generally either grow or regress. Regression would not be good after all that has become of the city. Does it come with change? Sure. But a more diverse economy is great for both the city and Baylor. Everyone wants that. That diversity will bring with it more folks in all likelihood. But they also bring dollars which allows the city to grow. Doing it smartly to retain character and soul are important.
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baylrballa
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In reply to hill02 • 12:50p, 5/11/18
hill02 said:
I am Old Waco. Born here and lived here for almost 40 years. My question for all of the new Waco people is "why do you want Waco to grow and turn into Austin?" To me the appeal of living here is getting anywhere in 15 minutes and it being a great place for families while still being a day trip from the amenities of a big city.

I can't figure out why people want to grow so badly. The mid-sized City is Waco's appeal. Attracting a giant employer serves the first vision and not the second. I am all for growing the standard of living for those here but I don't see a ton of value in attracting a bunch of move ins.
Why build McLane? Floyd Casey was easy to get in and out of and move around, that's why people liked it so much, right?
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HalibutRetro
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In reply to hill02 • 1:55p, 5/11/18
hill02 said:
I am Old Waco. Born here and lived here for almost 40 years. My question for all of the new Waco people is "why do you want Waco to grow and turn into Austin?" To me the appeal of living here is getting anywhere in 15 minutes and it being a great place for families while still being a day trip from the amenities of a big city.

I can't figure out why people want to grow so badly. The mid-sized City is Waco's appeal. Attracting a giant employer serves the first vision and not the second. I am all for growing the standard of living for those here but I don't see a ton of value in attracting a bunch of move ins.
1. Getting anywhere in 15 minutes.
Nowhere near a good enough reason for stagnation.

2. A great place for families while still being a day trip from the amenities of a big city.
Why does that have to change with growth? If anything, it can become a far better place to raise a family. BTW, people don't really think of Waco as a great place to raise a family. I guess in some economic strata it's great, but not for the majority. And, I'm not sure how Waco's growth changes its distance from DFW/Austin.

3. I don't see a ton of value in attracting a bunch of move ins.
Frankly, because Waco is in desperate need of new blood and ideas. What I don't get is the allure and want for stagnation. Give me new blood. PLEASE!
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trey3216
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In reply to hill02 • 2:54p, 5/11/18
hill02 said:
I am Old Waco. Born here and lived here for almost 40 years. My question for all of the new Waco people is "why do you want Waco to grow and turn into Austin?" To me the appeal of living here is getting anywhere in 15 minutes and it being a great place for families while still being a day trip from the amenities of a big city.

I can't figure out why people want to grow so badly. The mid-sized City is Waco's appeal. Attracting a giant employer serves the first vision and not the second. I am all for growing the standard of living for those here but I don't see a ton of value in attracting a bunch of move ins.
Because people want to be able to make money in a convenient place and it not be hamstrung by the people that don't want other people to have the opportunity to make that $$
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Wichitabear
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In reply to HalibutRetro • 5:15p, 5/11/18
This^
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baylrballa
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5:22p, 5/11/18
And we need more places like Barnetts.
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A Grateful Bear
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9:34p, 5/11/18
So if what you want to access is a day trip away, then ain't everything you want within 15 minutes.

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BaylorGuy314
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11:30a, 5/12/18
I'm not sure I want Waco to turn into Austin either but we'd have to have ~30 years of frantic (nearing 8-10% year over year) growth to get there...and that's not likely.

Austin grew approx 30-40% per decade (3-4% year over year) between 1990-2010. Waco has been growing about a 1/4 of that (~10% per decade or <1% year over year).

To reach Austin size in 30 years, we'd have to go from 10% decade (<1% per year) growth to 84% per decade (7% per year) growth. Short of them finding some elusive and valuable mineral in the soil near Waco, it's not happening.

I believe a growth rate similar or slightly below Austin's would be ideal. Growing 3% year over year (triple Waco's historic average), would keep the City ahead of inflation but keep us from growing so fast that our infrastructure was significantly impacted. If we did grow 3% year of year on average, we'd be about 600,000 people in 30 years. That's a great size, in my opinion.
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Grinnin bear
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2:56p, 5/12/18
314 has the exact right idea about Waco's future.

Modest, quality, sustained growth.
- Sometimes you just gotta grin and bear it.
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FirmBear24
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5:03p, 5/12/18
Hopefully the infrastructure (roads especially) will keep pace or be predictive of anticipated growth.

As a former resident of Austin I just don't get only now adding one lane each way on MoPac and only making it accessible as a toll.

No hope I-35 will never be addressed.

If y'all want to know why Ty ever comes off as cranky, it's because he used to commute from Round Rock to South Austin.
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Yogi
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4:14p, 5/14/18
I think you have to keep growing because that which stops growing is in the process of dying.

But, I think there is a difference between growing and diversifying.

Simply growing does nothing for you if you are simply increasing numbers at your traditional demographic. A family will never enrich itself by continuing to have children.

Instead, Waco needs to keep diversifying itself economically in order not only attract new blood to the city but to keep old blood from moving away. I grew up in a Waco area bedroom community, and I have noticed recently that the majority of my senior class do not reside in McLennan County, including myself.

Now, in my case, it's not that Waco doesn't have jobs available for me. It might, but I can get paid much more money in other markets for the same work and with more work tolerable systems than McLennan County currently has. Moreover, and this is the big point: THERE IS LITTLE TO NO LATERAL OPPORTUNITY in McLennan County in professional fields. If I go to Dallas-Fort Worth or Austin or San Antonio and take a job, I can feel comfortable settling down in those areas. Waco is more troublesome because if you take a job in Waco, there are few to no real lateral opportunities available should you not like your job or otherwise part ways with your employer at a later date and time. This is HUGE for professionals in my demographic. We like having those lateral opportunities available to us so we know that we are secure in that particular market for the long term.

In terms of retail and restaurants, Waco runs about third in the State behind Lubbock and Tyler-Longview for movement of chains into the small/ midsized Texas markets. In that regard, you're going to have steady additions when it comes to chains. Still, I would like the city to continue to have home grown businesses incubate in the business environment. The Silos have been helpful toward creating that market environment.

Waco just needs to keep working to diversify its economy, and I think you will see growth that everyone will ultimately be happy with.

And there is no concern about Waco becoming Austin anytime soon. At Waco's current growth rate, it would take over a hundred years for Waco to catch up to where Austin was twenty years ago.





"Smarter than the Average Bear."
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Tiny Elvis
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11:23p, 5/14/18
Clearly, we screwed up by closing the El Chico on the circle.
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BUbearinARK
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In reply to Tiny Elvis • 12:19a, 5/15/18
Tiny Elvis said:
Clearly, we screwed up by closing the El Chico on the circle.
"Where the elite meet to consume refried beans"
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Yogi
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In reply to Tiny Elvis • 6:24a, 5/15/18
Tiny Elvis said:
Clearly, we screwed up by closing the El Chico on the circle.
Oddly enough, El Chico has not given up on the Waco market.
"Smarter than the Average Bear."
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Tiny Elvis
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11:01a, 5/16/18
So do they have a food truck in Waco or something?
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UBBY
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In reply to Yogi • 11:14a, 5/16/18
Yogi said:
I think you have to keep growing because that which stops growing is in the process of dying.

But, I think there is a difference between growing and diversifying.

Simply growing does nothing for you if you are simply increasing numbers at your traditional demographic. A family will never enrich itself by continuing to have children.

Instead, Waco needs to keep diversifying itself economically in order not only attract new blood to the city but to keep old blood from moving away. I grew up in a Waco area bedroom community, and I have noticed recently that the majority of my senior class do not reside in McLennan County, including myself.

Now, in my case, it's not that Waco doesn't have jobs available for me. It might, but I can get paid much more money in other markets for the same work and with more work tolerable systems than McLennan County currently has. Moreover, and this is the big point: THERE IS LITTLE TO NO LATERAL OPPORTUNITY in McLennan County in professional fields. If I go to Dallas-Fort Worth or Austin or San Antonio and take a job, I can feel comfortable settling down in those areas. Waco is more troublesome because if you take a job in Waco, there are few to no real lateral opportunities available should you not like your job or otherwise part ways with your employer at a later date and time. This is HUGE for professionals in my demographic. We like having those lateral opportunities available to us so we know that we are secure in that particular market for the long term.

In terms of retail and restaurants, Waco runs about third in the State behind Lubbock and Tyler-Longview for movement of chains into the small/ midsized Texas markets. In that regard, you're going to have steady additions when it comes to chains. Still, I would like the city to continue to have home grown businesses incubate in the business environment. The Silos have been helpful toward creating that market environment.

Waco just needs to keep working to diversify its economy, and I think you will see growth that everyone will ultimately be happy with.

And there is no concern about Waco becoming Austin anytime soon. At Waco's current growth rate, it would take over a hundred years for Waco to catch up to where Austin was twenty years ago.





How beneficial would the Heritage Square project be to this issue?
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Yogi
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In reply to Tiny Elvis • 10:29p, 5/16/18
Tiny Elvis said:
So do they have a food truck in Waco or something?
No, but I spoke to a company spokesperson and I was told that El Chico is waiting for the right move back into the Waco market.

I get the idea that they want to be part of a development near where their last restaurant was located. My guess is that the next El Chico goes up between New Road and South Loop 340 along Interstate 35.
"Smarter than the Average Bear."
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Yogi
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6:35p, 5/23/18
Up to 4 new brewpubs destined for the downtown area.

Where was this Waco when I was at Baylor?

http://www.wacotrib.com/news/business/southern-roots-brewery-bound-for-downtown-waco/article_e74b64aa-0061-5de1-99aa-70e39282654a.html

"Now the Evans clan will take their product public, hoping to complement the growing number of breweries and brewpubs opening or announcing plans to operate locally.
Those include Bare Arms Brewing near Waco's traffic circle and Brotherwell Brewing on Bridge Street in East Waco. Brotherwell plans a grand opening this weekend, though it already provides craft beers to local restaurants and drinking establishments, part-owner David Stoneking said.
Meanwhile, Brett Stewart, of Houston, has signed a lease at 806 Austin Ave., next to the Hey Sugar candy store, where he will operate Waco Ale Co., according to real estate agent Hunter Harrell, who brokered the deal.
And Realtor Gregg Glime confirmed Monday he continues negotiations with investors from the Czech Republic who envision a brewpub and dining establishment serving authentic Czech dishes at Eighth Street and Jackson Avenue, just two blocks from Magnolia Market at the Silos.
"The more the merrier," Glime said. "That's how we view the situation. We see all contributing to the synergy that will continue to fuel development. I've seen downtowns with brewpubs on every corner. They are becoming very popular."
Likewise, Evans said he looks forward to working with other brewpubs to sponsor events that showcase craft beers produced locally."
"Smarter than the Average Bear."
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Wichitabear
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In reply to Yogi • 6:46p, 5/23/18
Definitely not there in the 70's. So much different now and I'm glad. So excited to see this new Waco
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baylrballa
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6:54p, 5/23/18
Stoneking is a hell of a surname.
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Bahamabear
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3:23p, 5/24/18
Still will never beat Scruffys.

I remember when they reopened and I was like the 5th person to sign the wall
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EnglishBear
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3:27p, 5/24/18
I'm assuming that realtor Gregg Glime is former Bears baseball player Gregg Glime?
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trey3216
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In reply to EnglishBear • 3:29p, 5/24/18
EnglishBear said:
I'm assuming that realtor Gregg Glime is former Bears baseball player Gregg Glime?
Cousins. Lol, yes. Same Gregg Glime.
Mr. Treehorn treats objects like women, man.
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BearlyHeardFrom
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In reply to Bahamabear • 3:35p, 5/24/18
You mean Bill Bills
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Alan Lefever
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3:44p, 5/24/18
One of the micro-breweries is opening next to my building....The Texas Baptist Historical Collection next to beer and pizza....only in Waco
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Gunny Hartman
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In reply to Alan Lefever • 3:49p, 5/24/18
Alefever said:
One of the micro-breweries is opening next to my building....The Texas Baptist Historical Collection next to beer and pizza....only in Waco

Convenient for someone like you that has ale fever
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UBBY
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4:09p, 6/1/18
http://www.wacotrib.com/news/city_of_waco/city-officials-weigh-spending-for-deteriorating-streets/article_da1e04f1-9b0c-5c6e-aaaa-aa96262653a4.html

District 3 Council Member John Kinnaird said the city should be spending closer to $25 million, but boosting funding that much in one year is unrealistic.

City streets are at an average rating of 46.5 on the 100-point pavement condition index the city uses, down from 51.4 in 2016, according to city documents.

Kinnaird said he could not support a budget that would let street conditions to continue to deteriorate. He said city staff have indicated $25 million in work would bring the average street rating to 55.

The city is struggling to maintain streets as they are, Stem said. The city budgeted about $8 million for streets last year, but about $4 million went to improvements to Ritchie Road, leaving even less for the pavement management program that is key to maintaining or improving street quality.

The city hired Fugro Roadware for $450,000 in 2015 analyze the 600-mile street network. The results revealed half the existing pavement in Waco was in "poor" condition, according to Tribune-Herald archives. The council then dedicated $5 million to its pavement management program, with plans to increase it to $10 million over the next few years.
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UBBY
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4:15p, 6/1/18
http://www.wacotrib.com/news/business/greater_waco_economic_index/tourism-dominates-report-on-waco-economy/article_cc751546-066c-51e5-a461-2bd154095cb0.html

Waco continues to flex its muscle as a travel destination, with hotel occupancy hitting a record high 77 percent during the first quarter and some lodging establishments charging $400 a night during busy weekends, a local tourism spokeswoman said during a news conference Thursday.

Hotel/motel revenue in April totaled $5.2 million, a 27.5 percent jump from the $4.1 million the same month last year. Year-to-date through April, revenues have increased more than 11.3 percent, Ingham reported.

Carla Pendergraft, who markets Waco and the Convention Center, said Waco has passed perennial leaders Austin and Round Rock in hotel occupancy rates and finds itself behind only the oil-patch communities of Midland and Beaumont/Port Arthur. She said new La Quinta Del Sol and Hilton Garden Inn properties will provide relief when they open in late summer, but Waco continues to lose bookings to Temple and Hillsboro during active weekends.

New home construction is hitting its stride, with 66 permits issued by the city of Waco in April, well above the 48 issued the same month last year. Meanwhile, 245 existing homes changed hands last month, 11.4 percent more than last April. The 809 homes sold between January and April "exceeded 800 for the first time on record," representing a 7.3 percent year-over-year jump.

The average price for a home sold in April reached $205,752, well above the $182,145 norm a year earlier. That news prompted a discussion of rising construction costs, with Joe Barrow, a commercial lender at First National Bank of Central Texas, saying builders tell him that material costs are "going up, up, up," as he gestured with a stair-stepping motion.
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Craig Smoak
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In reply to UBBY • 8:16p, 6/1/18
Staff
Thank you for posting that, Ubby. I've been wondering for awhile about the terrible roads around here. Now I have my answer.
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trey3216
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In reply to Craig Smoak • 7:49a, 6/2/18
Craig Smoak said:
Thank you for posting that, Ubby. I've been wondering for awhile about the terrible roads around here. Now I have my answer.

Right!? I'm tired of having to memorize where to swerve on main streets to avoid dips and potholes, all the while knowing I need to get my front end fixed.
Mr. Treehorn treats objects like women, man.
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HalibutRetro
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8:26a, 6/2/18
They finally repaved Dutton between 4th and 8th on campus. Been a LONG time coming. Still need to restripe it, but it's wonderful now.
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Tiny Elvis
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1:04p, 6/2/18
Just use that street then.
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jbbear
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In reply to UBBY • 3:32p, 6/2/18
UBBY said:
http://www.wacotrib.com/news/city_of_waco/city-officials-weigh-spending-for-deteriorating-streets/article_da1e04f1-9b0c-5c6e-aaaa-aa96262653a4.html

District 3 Council Member John Kinnaird said the city should be spending closer to $25 million, but boosting funding that much in one year is unrealistic.

City streets are at an average rating of 46.5 on the 100-point pavement condition index the city uses, down from 51.4 in 2016, according to city documents.

Kinnaird said he could not support a budget that would let street conditions to continue to deteriorate. He said city staff have indicated $25 million in work would bring the average street rating to 55.

The city is struggling to maintain streets as they are, Stem said. The city budgeted about $8 million for streets last year, but about $4 million went to improvements to Ritchie Road, leaving even less for the pavement management program that is key to maintaining or improving street quality.

The city hired Fugro Roadware for $450,000 in 2015 analyze the 600-mile street network. The results revealed half the existing pavement in Waco was in "poor" condition, according to Tribune-Herald archives. The council then dedicated $5 million to its pavement management program, with plans to increase it to $10 million over the next few years.
Waco has the worst streets I have experienced anywhere in Texas. I live in a town of 15K, and I thought our roads were rough. Waco's are truly horrendous. Though, they did repave Dutton today....by Penland.
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