DEVELOPMENT New tenants, technologies coming to Houston Spaceport in 2023
Top development stories to watch in 2023
2023 ANNUAL COMMUNITY GUIDE
OTHER STORIES TO FOLLOW IN 2023
SPACEPORT BUILD OUT
Flyway development will see rst business opening in 2023 Webster’s 80-acre Flyway development along I-45 will see the opening of its rst business in 2023. Chicken N Pickle was announced in October as the rst business at the development. The indoor and outdoor casual restaurant and sports bar will open in late 2023. Great Wolf Lodge, which broke ground in September, is adjacent to the Flyway development. The lodge will bring a resort, an indoor waterpark and a conference center to the development by mid- to late 2024. No additional businesses have been announced at this time, but Webster’s Economic Development Director Betsy Giusto said there is still activity.
1 Axiom Space is building a 106,000-square-foot facility that is expected to be completed in May. It will build the rst commercial space station. 2 Collins Aerospace began operations in September and has begun manufacturing spacesuits to be used in low Earth orbits. Its 125,000-square-foot facility will also contain 10,000 square feet of incubator space for startup companies to use. 3 Intuitive Machines Spaceport will build a lunar lander. Its 130,000-square-foot facility is estimated to nish this summer. Three tenants continue their construction at the Houston Spaceport, and o cials said more could be announced this year.
BY RENEE FARMER
130,000-square-foot facility at the spaceport. Construction is 50% complete, and it is estimated to nish this summer. “These anchor tenants are helping us attract other smaller companies ... looking at potentially setting up their facilities at the Spaceport so they can serve the needs of these larger companies,” Machuca said. Additionally, Machuca said the Spaceport has two large prospects looking to join the Spaceport as well as a number of ongoing conversa- tions with service providers looking at the Spaceport as a potential site. Building relationships and negoti- ating to get tenants takes months and even years, Mitchell said, but it has signi cant economic bene ts for the region. “There’s very easily north of $4 billion of contracts for these com- panies,” Machuca said. “So that’s really good for our community.” Phase 2 of the Spaceport’s con- struction includes a couple of large additions to its infrastructure, Machuca said. Most signi cantly, a full-length taxiway at over 8,000 feet long will be constructed along Runway 4-22, which is located immediately northwest of the Spaceport. This will open up over 120 acres on the air side for develop- ment and connect the Spaceport to the airport operationally. The Spaceport plans to select a contractor for the $150 million project by March. After an estimated 18 months of construction, it hopes
The Houston Spaceport plans to take its o erings to the next level in 2023, including adding new tenants and releasing plans for a consumer-focused Phase 2 of development. “Houston is an international city, and we need to be the international hub for hypersonic and supersonic travel,” said Bob Mitchell, president of the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership. “And we will be.” Building out the Spaceport The Houston Spaceport is a site for the launching and landing of sub- orbital, reusable launch vehicles as well as o ce spaces located on the southeast side of Ellington Airport. The spaceport is anchored by three major tenants. Collins Aerospace began operations in September in a 125,000-square-foot facility. The company received a task order from NASA in December to begin man- ufacturing spacesuits to be used in low Earth orbits, Houston Spaceport Director Arturo Machuca said. In the same building, the space- port will also open 10,000 square feet of incubator space for startup companies to use. Construction on a 106,000-square- foot facility for Axiom Space is 50% complete and expected to be completed in May. Axiom Space is building the rst commercial space station, Mitchell said. Intuitive Machines, which is building a lunar lander, has a
COLUMBIA SHUTTLE ST.
1
3
2
DISCOVERY SHUTTLE ST.
RENDERING COURTESY HS DEVELOPMENT COMPANY
ATLANTIS SHUTTLE ST.
N
Seabrook development in full swing as Hwy. 146 nears completion Multiple development projects are underway in the city of Seabrook, in part due to the increased tra c brought in by the ongoing expansion of Hwy. 146 set to nish in 2023, Seabrook Director of Economic Development Paul Chavez said. Construction is expected to begin on the 19.5-acre The Edge development in early February, Chavez said. It will feature apartments, retail shops and other commercial buildings, Community Impact previously reported. The city also plans to upgrade Main Street in the Old Seabrook District with plans under design, City Manager Gayle Cook said.
SOURCE: HOUSTON SPACEPORT COMMUNITY IMPACT
to nish the new taxiway in 2024. In October 2022, the land use plan for the Spaceport was completed. This includes plans for Phase 2, the devel- opment of the entire site, introducing retail, hotels, education expansion and infrastructure such as roads. “I really feel like within the next three to ve years, all 140 acres that’s currently developed for the Spaceport will be full, and we’ll be working on the next 140 acres,” Mitchell said.
He joined CI in 2021 as the company’s Chief Talent Officer. Meet Laytoamb.
Choose a local consultant you can trust! Medicare Advantage Plans Medicare Supplement Insurance Health Insurance Under 65 Services are Complimentary! 907 West Main St - League City 346-215-0581 • eva@insuredbyjohn.com John Valdes Agency Are you Turning 65 soon? Call me!
WE ARE HIRING and we think you’d be Amazing
Scan to learn more about various career paths at CI and view our current openings.
John & Eva Valdes Medicare Insurance Agents
17
BAY AREA EDITION • JANUARY 2023
Powered by FlippingBook