Texas: Open For Business

The pandemic and low oil prices hit Texas with a one-two punch, but the Lone Star State is still a leader in big-ticket projects.

By Dominique Cantelme
From the September/October 2020 Issue

The year 2020 started out like any other in Texas—with an expectation of economic success. The state with a long history of accolades and awards was ready to do it all again. Total employment was nearing 13 million and unemployment was around 3.5 percent.

Then came COVID-19. Business shutdowns and plummeting oil prices were a one-two punch for the Lone Star State.

Like the rest of the country, Texas is making strides to get back to business as usual. Loosened restrictions by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott have recently allowed restaurants, retail stores, office buildings, manufacturing facilities, gyms, libraries and museums to expand from operating at 50 percent capacity to 75 percent, short of three regions (the state has been divided into 22).

“Texans have shown that we can address both the health and safety concerns of COVID-19 while also taking careful, measured steps to restore the livelihoods that Texans depend on,” Gov. Abbott said in a recent release.

Even in the midst of an unprecedented public health crisis, big projects keep rolling into TX. In July, Tesla Inc. announced Austin as the location of its next gigafactory. The company intends to build a 4 million- to 5 million-square-foot manufacturing facility to make its new Cybertruck, as well as its Model Y vehicles—a $1.1 billion project that could employ about 5,000 workers.

In addition, Gov. Abbott recently announced that Wesco Aircraft Hardware Corp. will relocate its headquarters from California to Fort Worth, TX.

IRVING-LAS COLINAS: MASTER-PLANNED MASTERPIECE

The COVID-19 driven “distance working” phenomenon of 2020 wasn’t the inspiration for an urban neighborhood as a clustered hub lifestyle, but it did, in almost an instant, create a dramatically different, life-altering social and work structure. However, some public officials, urban planners, developers and major employers did have prescience of the sea change that was coming, and as a result, the community of the future is here today, in Irving, Texas.

Irving-Las Colinas, Texas
Irving-Las Colinas’ Water Street offers shopping, dining, walking trails and waterfront luxury housing options. (Photo: Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce)

These visionaries reimagined isolated islands of suburban and commercial developments as a holistic, mixed-use hub with plenty of highly desirable “wow” factors. The antidote to suburban sprawl, “walkable” communities now attract people who want to live and work in a beautifully designed neighborhood where most of their needs are only minutes away without a car. As one corporate executive called it, “it’s the ten-minute life.”

Irving, TX, with a population of 242,000 in the epicenter of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, and Las Colinas, the City’s urban hub, is known as a “Master-planned Masterpiece.” For residents working remotely, access to 5G technology now makes home work space as advanced as the office. This “ten-minute life” is available in a mixed-use neighborhood that’s beautiful, interesting, safe, affordable and encourages a healthy work and social lifestyle.

An Early Pioneer In Master Planning. Las Colinas was one of the first planned communities in the United States, and, with more than 12,000 acres, was once the largest mixed-use development in the South. Built around 125-acre man-made Lake Carolyn, the city surprises newcomers with Old World, Venetian-style canals lined with walkways, cafes, popular entertainment venues, retailers, offices and affordable, waterfront multi-family residences, all connected by an automated people mover system and gondolas that traverse the canals.

Creating The Ideal Live/Work Environment. Walkability and access to green spaces are top selling points for residents, workers and employers. Irving-Las Colinas’ residential areas were built to enhance and preserve the natural beauty of the rolling North Texas hills. Outdoor recreation was a top priority in the planning with 190 acres of parks and greenbelts, 17 miles of canal waterways and 10 miles of riverside hiking and biking trails.

There are four membership golf courses and one municipal course in Irving-Las Colinas, with 80 golf courses within 20 miles of the city. Strictly enforced deed restrictions, architectural controls and protective covenants have ensured Irving-Las Colinas’ beauty, quality and sustainable growth.

Another important lifestyle trend is the public’s growing preference for commuter transportation over personal cars to reduce stress, time, congestion and pollution. The beauty of Las Colinas is that it has clustered jobs, housing and amenities around transportation centers. Irving residents made a major commitment to support the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) system. Today DART’s Orange Line has five stations in Irving with a sixth scheduled to open in early 2021 at Hidden Ridge, a $1 billion 5G transit-oriented, mixed-use development. A seventh station has been deferred pending redevelopment of Irving’s former Texas Stadium site with 1,000 acres of shovel-ready land along the Trinity River corridor in the heart of Dallas-Fort Worth. Flanked by state highways 114, 183, 121 and Loop 12, the site is Irving-Las Colinas’ largest master-planned location still available for development.

A Destination City. The convenience of Irving-Las Colinas’ location can’t be matched. In addition to DART’s light rail system, Irving-Las Colinas is only an eight-minute drive from DFW International Airport and 10 minutes from Dallas Love Field, making it exceptionally convenient for travelers, corporate executives and convention activity.

The “Wow” Factor. The centerpiece of this masterpiece of master planning is The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory, a 250,000-square-foot world-class entertainment venue with a unique, convertible 8,000-seat indoor or outdoor amphitheater, and Texas Lottery Plaza, an outdoor 50,000-square-foot event venue that hosts live music. The Music Factory features restaurants of every variety, wine bars and an Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, all within walking distance of hundreds of residential units, millions of square feet of office space and a DART rail station.

An International Business Community. It’s no wonder that eight Fortune 500 and four Fortune 1,000 companies call Irving-Las Colinas home. The city has also attracted more than 150 foreign-based companies, and roughly 8,000 small to medium-size businesses. Access to a skilled workforce is critical. More than 3.3 million skilled workers live within a 30-minute commute. To help these employers find the talent they need, the community is pioneering research and collaborating with a coalition of educators, employers and non-profits to identify the specific skill requirements for these companies, and to develop the education and training programs needed to fill these job opportunities.

Irving-Las Colinas – A Value Proposition. Irving-Las Colinas has the whole package: competitively priced commercial space; affordable homes and luxury, executive housing options; unmatched location with a local address and global access; world-class infrastructure and transportation system; and amenities built around a healthy, walkable lifestyle.

For more information about why corporations from around the world are making Irving-Las Colinas their corporate home, contact Beth A. Bowman, IOM, CCE, President & CEO of the Irving Economic Development Partnership at bowman@irvingchamber.com or (214) 217-8484.

LUBBOCK, TX: COMMUNITY WITH CHARACTER

Just as a spoke connects the wheel, support for a strong, diverse and, at times, unexpected workforce is what connects a community. That’s as prevalent today as ever in Lubbock, Texas. As the mid-sized city that serves a 250-mile radius, the “Hub City” has the resources to sustain an evolving and growing workforce, albeit in conventional or more unconventional sectors. As the 11th largest city in Texas, this city offers fewer regulations, no corporate income tax, an affordable cost of living, an 18-minute commute time and an international airport. All the while, the quarter of a million people who call Lubbock home attribute its growth to the character of the community.

As a new generation begins to enter the workforce bringing with them an atypical mindset that shakes up the ebb and flow of the traditional labor force, the once typical characteristics of job positions are no longer a top priority. With a changed perspective, recent graduates are more focused on the quality of life a position offers, the diversity of the role and if their passions are fulfilled through their chosen line of work. In Lubbock, this new cohort of professionals are met with an unexpected, yet pleasant, surprise when scrolling through job boards.

Being the hub of education, healthcare and agriculture in West Texas, this mid-sized city of over 250,000 residents has a lot more to offer than meets the eye. Rising industries such as technology, specifically software development, create a cycle of trained workers and available positions followed by big-name tech companies paving the way to the “Hub City.” This makes Lubbock an attractive market for not only businesses looking to make their next move but also individuals ready to transition to a more progressive, family-friendly city with a thriving social scene and high-paying jobs.

Companies like Hoverstate, a software design and development agency, found Lubbock to be a strong competitor among other metro areas, including Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Ultimately, the affordable cost of business, high quality of life and rich pool of talent is what made Lubbock the attractive option that couldn’t be passed upon. Skilled engineering, medical and IT graduates are also a large reason Hoverstate capitalized on this technology hub.

Recently, the Texas Tech University Innovation Hub at Research Park was established to outfit researchers with the resources needed to conduct life-changing studies related to IVF technology, molecular manipulation used by NASA and other catalytic projects. With access to Texas Tech University, researchers are shaping the future of West Texas. After all, the legacy left by the “Father of Texas Wine”, Doc McPherson, began in a basement laboratory at Texas Tech four decades ago.

Lubbock is a catalyst that fosters the entrepreneurial spirit. Whether it be a clothing boutique, brewery or barbecue food truck, the market for each pipe dream made reality is often found among the culture of hardworking citizens on the South Plains. Here, moguls have the potential to create a successful business due to a supportive community. As a population that values mom-and-pop shops and local businesses, there is no better location to open your doors than Lubbock.

From humble beginnings in a food truck to a wildly successful, sell-out-by-noon brick and mortar, the owners of Evie Mae’s Barbeque have gained national attention for their creative ways of doing business. If the line out the door doesn’t speak to the popularity of this Texas BBQ staple, the free beer as you wait in line from a local partner, Two Docs Brewing, just might. Ranked in Texas Monthly for their tender cuts and gluten-free desserts, this meat smoking duo is placing Lubbock on the map.

Not only are sole proprietors able to thrive in the 806, musicians, artists, chefs and others who have mastered their own medium of art find value in West Texas. A city filled with internationally trained chefs who highlight dishes from around the world, nationally acclaimed artists with work featured in Vogue and major headlining artists who got their start under the Blue Light Live spotlight, the juxtaposition of small-town feel coupled with big-city resources provides self-employed individuals with the means necessary to be the next up-and-coming talent.

A creative hub, Lubbock was designated as the first Cultural Art District in the state, and rightfully so. After marveling in the local talent displayed at a number of galleries in the Art District, such as LHUCA and the Charles Adams Gallery, patrons begin to understand how a landscape so vast inspires artists from all over.

Fueled by West Texas grit and southern hospitality, Lubbock is primed to be the hub of innovation. As one chapter closes, begin the next one in a place that is easy to call home. While Lubbock is known for agriculture, healthcare and education, endless opportunities and a future of growth await you in any sector on the South Plains.

For more about Lubbock’s business climate, visit lubbockeda.org.

THE ADVANTAGES IN MARBLE FALLS

Like most communities, Marble Falls has commercial and industrial land that is available for development. The town of just over 7,000 also has reasonably good transportation infrastructure and proximity to large urban centers like Austin (60 minutes away) and San Antonio (75 minutes away). The area can start claiming some advantages as a scenic lake town in the Texas Hill Country, popular for retirees and tourists alike, with recent growth creating new opportunities in the healthcare, light manufacturing and professional office sectors. Being a regional shopping hub for more than 75,000 people has helped Marble Falls weather the current economic storm very well—in fact, the most recent monthly sales tax allocation was more than 22 percent higher than the same period in 2019.

Marble Falls, Texas
Sunset over Lake Marble Falls in the Texas Hill Country. (Photo: Marble Falls EDC)

What sets Marble Falls apart, however, now more than ever, is the community’s small-town values coupled with its welcoming attitude toward newcomers. Those who are buying land in the Business and Technology Park hail from California, Illinois, Kansas and all parts of Texas. The community supports law enforcement and first responders, holding multiple events every year to honor their service. The Marble Falls Independent School District is the area’s largest employer, so teachers, administrators and other support staff provide a strong foundation at all levels of the workforce.

Several local high school students organized a peaceful protest in June that was attended by a few hundred people. They marched from the parks through Downtown and back. Nothing was broken, damaged or set on fire; no one fought or was injured. Civic leaders work very hard to ensure that economic opportunity is available to all in Marble Falls and that every segment of the population is part of the community fabric.

Roughly 100 businesses open or expand annually in Marble Falls, with about 70 percent of those being locally-owned and operated. The Downtown area in particular has been a major contributor to that growth. Professional offices and small headquarter facilities would be well-situated here with proximity to quaint shops, great restaurants and amazing park space. People are realizing that, if they can work from anywhere, they want to work from Marble Falls.

New subdivisions will support recent developments that include Baylor Scott & White’s $100 million regional medical center; a new 110,000-square-foot H-E-B grocery store; and a $20 million operations center for Pedernales Electric Cooperative. There are several medical office facilities currently under construction, and the development pipeline includes some exciting retail development, multi-family properties and a Downtown hotel and conference center.

While the emergence of Marble Falls as the retail and entertainment hub of the Highland Lakes area is a relatively recent development, the community’s draw for generations has been its connection to the outdoors. Beautiful Lake Marble Falls is ideal for skiing, kayaking, canoeing and paddleboarding, and the Downtown parks along the waterfront are going to be enhanced by a $25 million improvement plan that began last year.

It should come as no surprise that the quality of life that Marble Falls enjoys is influenced heavily by the people who live and work in the community as well as the organizations they represent. In its first year of existence, the Marble Falls Education Foundation raised more than a million dollars to support student scholarships, teacher grants and a new college and career counselor. In November, the founder of a local workforce development initiative was honored as the Highland Lakes Nonprofit Executive of the Year. Her efforts have led to more than 150 people earning training and credentials—at no cost to them—through several Texas Workforce Commission grants and matching funds from the Marble Falls EDC. After record-breaking floods hit the area in 2018, a group called the “Mom Squad” banded together to provide cleaning, cooking and laundry services to the families who were affected.

Marble Falls is already a special place, and community leaders are focused on making incremental improvements to a few areas while maintaining momentum in others. When it comes to new businesses, size and fit are critical considerations. Small- to medium-sized companies will likely have an easier time with real estate and employment than very large firms—and the community likes it that way. If the prospects of a charming small town with steady, manageable growth and a surprising set of amenities sounds appealing, give Marble Falls a shot. Whether your interests lead to a greenfield development in the Business and Technology Park or the restoration of an historic downtown structure into a live/work/shop space, opportunities abound in Marble Falls.

For more information about doing business in Marble Falls, contact Christian Fletcher, Executive Director of the EDC, at (830) 798-7079 or cfletcher@marblefallseconomy.com.

DENTON COUNTY: DYNAMIC & DIVERSE

Denton County continues to draw a diverse array of dynamic companies, from the PGA of America headquarters in Frisco to the renowned Charles Schwab Corporation headquarters in Westlake.

In recent years, a number of companies have relocated their headquarters to Denton County as well as opened state-of-the-art research and development facilities.

With an estimated population of 901,120 as of January 2020, Denton County’s fast-paced growth coupled with its proximity to major transportation outlets, wide range of housing and a broad range of jobs, position it for continued growth.

Population is projected to increase 10.7 percent from 2019 to 2024, adding an estimated 94,248 people, according to the North Central Texas Workforce Solutions. Jobs grew by 58,009 over the past five years with an estimated 45,305 anticipated in the next five years. The median household income in Denton County for 2018 was $83,400, about $23,100 above the national median household income of $60,300.

“As Denton County’s population continues to grow, we have increased our efforts to diversify our economy and attract higher paying jobs,” said Denton County Judge Andy Eads. “We’ve seen an uptick in interest across many industries looking to bring regional and national headquarters to our county.”

A vibrant labor force in Denton also attracts attention with an estimated labor force of 491,398 in the county and 3.94 million across the Dallas-Fort Worth region as of July 2020.

The use of incentives at the local, county and state levels, combined with a County tax rate that is the 4th lowest in the State out of 254 counties, have helped attract attention to the region.

“We have a wide assortment of incentives to tailor our offerings specifically to meet the needs of major companies bringing high-paying jobs to our residents,” said Michael Talley, Director of Economic Development in Denton County. “We are willing to work on the structure of those incentives and look at alternatives to make a project happen.”

One example is with PGA of America in Frisco. Denton County Commissioners Court agreed to offer up to $4 million in allocations for infrastructure and road improvements to bring the project to fruition.

Along 35E and 35W out of the City of Denton through the southwestern corner of Denton County, the Fort Worth Alliance Airport across through Flower Mound, Lewisville and The Colony, the county continues to draw a wide selection of logistics, warehouse and distribution centers, taking advantage of great transportation options like the industrial airport and the BNSF Intermodal Facility. A network of major interstates, highways and toll roads also provide access throughout Denton County for distribution purposes as well as for easy local commutes, along with world-class domestic and international traveling options at DFW Airport just minutes south of the county line.

Housing options across the county create a unique blend of choices—from town homes and downtown living to high-end homes and country living, providing options for entry-level workforce and corporate executives alike. Potential residents can also choose from among an assortment of lifestyles from smart homes in Pecan Square and energy efficient homes in Harvest to homes built near a large lagoon in Windsong Ranch near Frisco and Prosper, or along any of the three lakes in Denton County. With a wide variety of new homes priced from $200,000 to $400,000, the region median average home price in the second quarter was $305,177, according to the Texas A&M Real Estate Center.

Several of the most recent companies announcing moves to Denton County include:

  • Ericsson – 300,000-square-foot state-of-the-art factory, valued at $100 million, opened in Lewisville to produce 5G and Advanced Antenna System radios to boost network capacity, bringing 400 jobs.
  • Farmer Brothers – 500,000-square-foot state-of-the-art roasting facility, distribution center and coffee lab opened in Northlake in 2016. Valued at an estimated $65 million, the facility brought 350 jobs.
  • Gulfstream Aerospace – 160,000-square-foot maintenance, repair and overhaul facility at Alliance Airport with an estimated 150 to 200 positions opening this year. Project estimated at $35 million.
  • Mary Kay Inc. – $100 million, 453,000-square-foot Richard R. Rogers Manufacturing and Research and Development Facility opened in Lewisville in November 2018.
  • PGA of America – 600-acre headquarters within 2,500 acres being master-planned by Hunt Realty Investments. Total project, including 2,500 acres, is projected to be $10 billion to $12 billion over the next 10-20 years.
  • Stanley Black & Decker – 1.2-million-square-foot regional distribution center in Northlake with 300 employees.
  • Schluter-Systems – The 500,000-square-foot facility is looking to add their footprint to DFW and the central U.S.
  • Thirty-One Gifts – $17.5 million, 650,000-square-foot national distribution center in Flower Mound brought 650 jobs.

For information on doing business in Denton County, contact Michael Talley, Director of Economic Development at Michael.Talley@dentoncounty.com or (940) 349-3010.

CEDAR HILL: THRIVING INDUSTRY AND NATURAL BEAUTY

Cedar Hill may make headlines because of its natural beauty, stunning hiking (some of the best trails in the DFW area are right here) and activities in the great outdoors, but the city is excellent for business as well. It features the best of both worlds for the Dallas-Fort Worth area—proximity to both downtowns along with the rolling hills and spectacular terrain of the Hill Country region. Just south of the burgeoning Dallas metro region, the vistas, charming shopping districts and friendly atmosphere of Cedar Hill makes it an ideal location for industrial, warehouse or satellite locations.

Cedar Hill, Texas
Cedar Hill Business Park has a total of 21.3 acres remaining, with direct access to railways, proximity to state highway 67 and a short drive to Love Field and DFW Airport. (Photo: Cedar Hill Economic Development)

The well-designed and equipped Cedar Hill Business Park is located on the BNSF rail line, with easy access to SH 67 and a short drive to Love Field and DFW Airport. A variety of successful businesses already are in place, with only a few lots remaining.

The City of Cedar Hill continues to be a top destination for brands looking for an industrial opportunity in Dallas and the surrounding area. Brands from a variety of industries have chosen Cedar Hill Business Park for their manufacturing, office and warehousing needs; they include Dallas Aeronautical Services, a provider of services for commercial and corporate airlines, and Delta Steel, one of the biggest professional service centers in the Southern United States.

PepWear, a producer and online seller of graphic t-shirts for over two decades, turned to Cedar Hill Business Park when they were running out of space.

“We have four screen printing stations, and they’re huge, massive machines. And we need space to store all the apparel. We have to keep a large backstock of apparel on hand,” PepWear Marketing Manager Sydney Myers said.

PepWear didn’t need a storefront; their sales occur online; this e-commerce brand needed to be able to act swiftly and seamlessly to fulfill orders and ship items to destinations around the world. Cedar Hill Business Park’s central location and easy access to shipping routes, highways and banking made it a natural match.

“While space was the primary need for PepWear, Johnson had other concerns as well. A lot of places offer space, but Cedar Hill offered more that made this particular space enticing. He noted its access to major highways, an abundance of restaurant and shopping options for employees and clean neighborhoods.”

Cedar Hill also offers a variety of business incentives awarded on a case-by-case basis, in addition to a number of statewide incentives, including The Texas Enterprise Fund and the Texas Enterprise Zone Program.

The Dallas-Fort Worth area is home to more than 7 million people, and businesses that relocate to the Cedar Hill area have access to a workforce that includes employees of all skill levels and skill types. The Dallas metro region also features dozens of community colleges, universities and trade schools, and state initiatives like the Skills Development Fund to help businesses develop and implement customized workforce training programs.

Cedar Hill’s focus on creating a walkable downtown mirrors life in a large city without the drawbacks of overpopulation, excessive waste and a profound lack of plants and nature. Instead, residents can access lush green areas, bring kids to the playground or choose from one of many dining options.

Cedar Hill is currently considered 50 percent developed, and there are properties available for startups, expansions and relocations. New retail and office development activity throughout the city is designed with businesses, residents and consumers in mind. Enhanced walkability for pedestrians is part of the ongoing City Center Development Plan designed to make Cedar Hill one of the best walkable cities in Texas. For businesses in the area—or businesses planning to open in the area—these enhancements mean more opportunity. When shoppers, hungry patrons and office workers can simply walk to their destination without the hassle of driving or looking for parking, they are more likely to stay right in town and use local businesses.

The next phase of this commercial expansion focuses heavily on three distinct areas within the City Center: Uptown, Midtown and Historic Downtown Cedar Hill. These sectors of the city are zoned and ready for development. By creating a plan that benefits each zone, Cedar Hill as a whole is strengthened and made more appealing to both brands and consumers.

To learn more about these opportunities, visit www.cedarhilledc.com or connect with a member of the Cedar Hill Economic Development Team at (972) 291-5132 or chedc@cedarhilltx.com.

TOMBALL, TEXAS: BUSINESS FRIENDLY AND BOOMING

Tomball’s expanding and diversifying economic climate has altered the way companies look at the Texas city located just 30 miles north of Houston. With a clear business-friendly mindset, advanced infrastructure and a commitment to community, Tomball is an ideal destination for companies of various industries, sizes and origins. A robust 2020, despite the challenges presented by COVID-19, creates a strong outlook for business in Tomball.

Tomball
The 99.5-acre Tomball Business & Technology Park is located near major thoroughfares and fully served with all utilities. (Photo: Tomball EDC)

Leading the way for new development is the master-planned and deed-restricted Tomball Business & Technology Park. Conveniently located near major thoroughfares and fully served with all utilities, the 99.5-acre Park continues to rapidly grow. In recent months, two companies, JDR Cable Services and CCJ Collaborations, announced plans to bring their businesses to the Park.

JDR Cable Services will move their United States headquarters from Houston to Tomball. The company plans to move into a 65,000-square-foot facility that will feature 45,000 square feet of assembly space and 20,000 square feet of office space. JDR Cable Systems is expected to occupy the new facility February 1, 2021.

Offering an exciting hospitality angle, CCJ Collaborations will build 10,500 square feet of brewery, restaurant, packaging and distribution space on 4.6 acres in the Park. The project will have significant indoor and outdoor space, as the company plans to utilize the Park’s wooded landscape to create an inviting atmosphere. The project is scheduled to break ground in the fourth quarter of 2020 and plans to open during the second quarter of 2021.

The two projects will bring more than 100 jobs to Tomball, ultimately driving the total number of employees in the Tomball Business & Technology Park to nearly 1,000.

With a surge in demand for industrial space in the Tomball Business & Technology Park and Tomball generally, the Tomball Economic Development Corporation purchased South Live Oak Industrial Park earlier this year. The 6.2-acre property, located directly off Main Street near downtown Tomball, includes two industrial warehouses totaling 41,076 square feet. The Tomball EDC’s vision for the investment includes creating a mixed-use development on property adjacent to the warehouses.

Investors have noticed the momentum in Tomball and are eager to be a part of the action. Welcome Group, a Houston-based conglomerate of companies that own and lease single-tenant office, lab, industrial and manufacturing facilities, developed the JDR Cable Systems site and recently purchased another 84,195 square feet of existing industrial space near the heart of Tomball to add to their portfolio. Welcome Group attributed their recent Tomball investments to a strong economic culture and an attractive incentive program.

Incentives cited by the Welcome Group are key to Tomball EDC’s efforts to attract business and industry that bring quality jobs and capital investment to Tomball.

The City of Tomball and Harris County have popular tax abatement programs, while the State of Texas utilizes the Texas Enterprise Zone Program and the Texas Enterprise Fund to invest in new business. The Tomball EDC helps fund infrastructure costs for eligible projects and provides financial assistance through cash grants for projects that create or retain jobs on a case-by-case basis.

For details on incentives available in Tomball, visit https://tomballtxedc.org/business-incentives.

Tomball’s expanding business roster has triggered a quick response from the residential sector. More than 1,900 homes are presently planned for construction, according to the City of Tomball. The increase in rooftops will help take Tomball’s population from nearly 12,000 to an expected 20,000 by 2030. When you include Tomball’s immediately surrounding area, population is projected to exceed 100,000 within five years.

The rapid growth and attraction of new business has been balanced with attraction of local business. During the pandemic, taking care of its own community has never been more important. Tomball EDC has been focused on supporting existing businesses. The goal has been to bring Tomball Together.

Launched in partnership with the Greater Tomball Area Chamber of Commerce, the Tomball EDC created TomballTogether.com as a one stop shop for all Tomball businesses who need information on how to continue operating during the pandemic, including keeping their workers employed and the community serviced.

TomballTogether.com provides information on federal loan programs, small business resources, local health updates, remote working tools and local restaurants serving the community.

The generosity demonstrated during these difficult times is evident of the Tomball culture that personifies small-town charm. The warm, welcoming feeling of Tomball makes it a weekly destination for those interested in arts, live music, food and much more. While many events have been canceled or postponed in 2020, Tomball’s strong annual lineup of festivals and parades typically welcomes thousands of visitors.

Easier to access than ever before, thanks to the recently expanded Tomball Parkway and recently completed Grand Parkway running directly through the City, Tomball will continue to attract visitors and businesses. Couple new residential areas, expanded parks, family-friendly festivals and a lively arts, music and food scene with modern infrastructure and you have the perfect recipe to retain and attract new businesses.

Strong leadership is in place to ensure that Tomball maintains the atmosphere that has allowed it recent success. Find out for yourself why more and more businesses are looking at Tomball and discovering their new home. Visit tomballtxedc.org.

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