(Seguin) — A developer wants to create a new place for dining, shopping and living in Seguin. The Seguin City Council on Tuesday took action on several items that would allow for the development of a 62-acre site near the intersection of State Highway 123 Bypass and Kingsbury Street.
Henry Che, of Che Capital, is the developer for the project. Che says the Creekside Gardens project will include commercial and retail space, a 400-hundred-unit apartment complex and approximately 40 townhomes. Che says this will be built on a great site, that’s largely been overlooked and kept out of sight for years.
“The property at-large is at the corner of 123 Bypass and (Highway) 90. You all know this. You pass by this here. This beautiful property is a beautiful location, but no one can see it. It’s locked behind a fence and it’s overgrown with grass there. It’s populated by weeds and rattlesnakes. What we’re trying to do is open that up, not only for the residents who will be living there, but for the customers, the Seguin residents, the New Braunfels, and maybe even the San Marcos residents who will come by and shop and dine and spend money here,” said Che.
Che says the project will bring new retail opportunities to Seguin. He says it’s a terrific location and they have taken steps to make sure that there will be access available to the development from both the bypass and Kingsbury Street.
“Along the bypass frontage here, we are proposing attractive retail dining (and) shopping options. We have pre-approval from TXDOT to have a driveway that allows a right (turn) in, right (turn) out driveway coming in from Highway 123. We also have, of course, the existing Steffens Road (access), and then we have a third driveway on Highway 90. There was a parcel of land that we were able to negotiate with the Seguin Christian Academy to purchase, and we have pre-approval from TXDOT there as well,” said Che.
Che says the multi-family housing, that will be built on site, will be a quality development with a number of amenities. The plan is to build garden-style apartments and townhomes, which will allow those residents to take full advantage of the perks that come with living within the Creekside Gardens development.
“So, we really want to have diversity in the housing stock here, not only the apartments — the three-story, garden style apartments that we have in the middle here — but also a row and a half of townhomes, that overlooks the green space that we will be maintaining and beautifying and opening it up to the residents and also (to other) Seguin citizens,” said Che.
Many people have driven by this property, and while driving north on the bypass over the railroad bridge, they have likely noticed a large pond on the site. It’s a lovely view, but right now, that pond can’t be accessed. However, Che says the pond will be a central piece of the overall project, and it is key to establishing many of the amenities that will be offered there. Che says the water feature will be a major element for this project. He says there will be trails, sidewalks, benches, and other opportunities for the public to also come out and enjoy that space.
“This, to me, is the crown jewel. This is the area where right now it’s locked behind gate and key, and we’d like to open it up and make it an amenity. We’d like to add to your green space and trail space within Seguin,” said Che.
Che is working with a consultant, who is helping with the retail and commercial pieces of the project. Mike Mallon is a senior vice-president at Draper and Kramer, which is a full-service retail real estate firm that works with a wide variety of clients, including municipalities, owners, retailers, and investors. Mallon says this will be an exciting project for Seguin.
“Our plan here is to create an environment that will be accessible, as Henry mentioned, for our residents, but also for all of the residents of Seguin. Our vision is to create a series of trails and walkways and paths to enjoy the beauty of the creek that exists on the property,” said Mallon.
Mallon says this project will have a number of benefits for the community. He says not only will it bring new shopping and dining opportunities to Seguin, but it will also have a lasting positive economic impact on the community. He says it will bring millions of dollars to Seguin.
“Besides the construction jobs that will be generated in terms of the development, it will also include those permanent jobs, both on the residential as well as the retail side. In the first five years of our proposed plan, we’re going to be able to generate — between property taxes and sales taxes — we’re going to be able to generate about $21 to $22 million over those first five years. And what’s interesting about that is almost $5 million of that will go directly to (the city of) Seguin. So, that should certainly help you with other types of economic development projects throughout the community. Our plan is to go ahead and to increase the assessed valuation of the property to a total of $200 million. When you build it out, our tax bill would be in excess of $4 million, with over $1 million going to Seguin,” said Mallon.
The project did have to clear some major hurdles on Tuesday before it could move forward. The city’s Planning and Zoning Commission earlier this year denied some of the zoning change requests needed for the development. Much of that was tied to the fact that the 60-plus acres to be developed is located in an area identified as the “Riverside District” in the city’s current comprehensive master plan. Former Seguin City Manager Doug Faseler is working as a consultant for Che Capital, and he spoke directly on Tuesday about any concerns that were brought up based on what was in the master plan that was developed back in 2008. That comprehensive plan is currently being updated, but Faseler says even with the old language that’s included in the current plan, it doesn’t mean that projects, like this, are not right for this area. He says this is an area that makes sense for the city to develop.
“It’s designated in comprehensive plan as a guide. So if you have a project come — you get your antennas up, because you want to protect your creeks and sensitive areas. But as far as the boundary between it and the town corridor, there’s no meets and bounds. It’s not based upon topography. It’s not based on lot lines. So, the comprehensive plan is more like just a guide. You (should) look at this area cautiously, but the line can move. I think you’ve got that flexibility. Some of your neighboring communities have taken advantage of their great locations on waterways. New Braunfels is getting a new high-rise hotel on the river. Georgetown has a nice Sheraton Hotel and Conference Center along Rivery Park and the waterways there. So, I think there’s some opportunities there that can be looked at,” said Faseler.
Che’s firm is based in the Chicago area, but he says they are committed to being a part of Seguin. He says in addition to this Creekside Gardens project, they are also developing an industrial park here in the Seguin area. The Moonshine Park is being built on roughly 50 acres of land on Highway 90 near State Highway 130. He says he hopes that both of these developments demonstrate how determined they are to be part of the Seguin community.
“I had mentioned that we are invested in Seguin. We are owners of this parcel here. We have also bought, and we are well on our way to receiving permits for the development of a 54-acre industrial park just outside of the city limits. It’s still in Seguin-proper, but it’s in the city’s ETJ. So, we’ve been able to work directly with TXDOT, with Guadalupe County and the Crystal Clear Water District to get all the permits that we need (for that project),” said Che.
Following a lengthy presentation by staff and the developer, the council was asked to approve four zoning changes needed for the project. All four were approved unanimously by the council on first reading. A second and final reading on each change will likely be approved during the council’s next meeting, scheduled for later this month.
