During a joint meeting between the Hutto City Council and the Hutto Economic Development Corporation (HEDC) on July 10, City leaders discussed initial ideas and preferences on how to proceed with development of the highly-coveted Cottonwood Properties.
The meeting marked the first time that both entities came together to collectively discuss options for the 250-acre site, which is located just north of US 79, between Fritz Park and CR 132. Options discussed included hiring a master developer to plan the whole site or sectioning out pieces of the property to develop a la carte.
Although no final decisions were made, the initial conversation was the first of many workshops expected to be held about the property in the future. City leaders will also need to determine how to fund any developments on the property and how to best leverage incentive opportunities.
The joint meeting came on the heels of approvals by the City Council and the Cottonwood Development Corporation to settle a loan issue involving a section of land in the center of the Cottonwood Properties. With the issue resolved, the full 250-acre parcel is now fully owned by the HEDC and available for development.
The Cottonwood Properties have received plenty of attention from developers as of late, spurred by a wave of interest from potential users at the annual ICSC conference in Las Vegas, one of the largest gatherings of retail professionals in the world.
Hutto leaders remain focused on securing additional grocery, dining and shopping facilities at the Cottonwood Properties and beyond.