Round Rock Edition | May 2024

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Round Rock Edition VOLUME 19, ISSUE 9 MAY 3JUNE 5, 2024

White House ocials announced in April plans to invest billions of dollars in the Central Texas semiconductor industry.

GRANT CRAWFORDCOMMUNITY IMPACT Samsung to invest billions more in Central Texas

Science Act signed into law in 2022—will expand Samsung’s footprint in Taylor and further the U.S. Department of Commerce’s goal of producing 20% of the world’s semiconductor chips by 2030, according to a statement from the White House.

memorandum agreement with the U.S. Department of Commerce to receive $6.4 billion in direct fund- ing, while the company is expected to invest more than $45 billion into the region. The federal funding—from the $53 billion Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors and

BY HALEY MCLEOD

Dubbed the “Silicon Fields” by U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, DAustin, during a White House announce- ment April 15, Taylor is shaping up to become the heart of a semiconductor cluster in Central Texas. Samsung Electronics signed a preliminary

CONTINUED ON 26

Also in this issue

Impacts: Sweet Memes now open with coee, desserts (Page 6)

Government: Field to be named after ‘Big Boy’ Hester (Page 12)

Education: ACC approves free tuition pilot program (Page 15)

Dining: Da’s Thai Cuisine serves up authentic dishes (Page 37)

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perform routine maintenance - whether or not you’ve noticed signs that your air conditioner may need to be replaced. An air conditioner’s filters, coils, and fins require regular maintenance for the unit to function effectively and efficiently. And in most cases, annual maintenance is required by manufacturers to keep the warranty valid. Before the rush for A/C repairs starts, call Honest Plumbing & Air to schedule your annual air conditioning inspection and tune-up, designed to keep your system in optimal running condition year-round. Air conditioner maintenance and repairs aren’t the most thrilling items on your summer planning checklist, but they are among the most important things you can do to enjoy the summer. If your air conditioner breaks down when Austin is at its hottest, you could experience days - or weeks - without cool air at home, and that’s the kind of problem that will grind all other plans to a screeching halt. Before it truly gets hot, take care of any air conditioner repairs, tune-ups, and replacements. STEP 1: Schedule a tune-up for your air conditioner now for peace of mind all summer long Summertime in Austin is your air conditioner’s busy season, and it’s important to have a professional out to check for potential problems and

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Impacts

4 Sweet Memes The cafe offers Vietnamese coffee, matcha, brewed tea and blended drinks in addition to multiple flavors of souf- fle pancakes, sweet toasts, waffles and mille crepe cakes. • Opened April 12 • 115 Sundance Parkway, Ste. 390, Round Rock • https://order.toasttab.com/online/sweetmemes-austin 5 Tyler’s The retailer is named for the location of its first store, Tyler, Texas, which opened in 1978. Located at the corner of Rock Creek Plaza, Tyler’s offers a variety of outdoor wear and accessories for men, women and children. • Opened in April • 2132 N. Mays St., Ste. 800, Round Rock • www.tylerstx.com

6 16

Round Rock

UNIVERSITY OAKS BLVD.

1431

ROCKIN J RD.

122

A.W. GRIMES BLVD.

CHISHOLM TRAIL RD.

130 TOLL

JOE DIMAGGIO BLVD.

DOUBLE CREEK DR.

620

Coming soon

6 Cole Haan Offering a variety of footwear for men, women and chil- dren, the store is set to open this summer in the Round Rock Premium Outlets in a space between the J. Crew and Converse stores. • Opening this summer • 4401 N. I-35, Round Rock • www.colehaan.com 7 Dumont Cafe & Creamery The ice cream and coffee shop announced April 5 the business has set its sights on a future Round Rock loca- tion, although a company representative said a timeline has not yet been established for its opening. In addition to a variety of ice cream flavors, the cafe will offer dif- ferent kinds of bubble and milk teas, slushies, smooth- ies and other blended drinks, and espresso-based coffee drinks. • Opening TBD • 1400 E. Old Settlers Blvd., Ste. 104, Round Rock • www.dumont.us 8 Therapy Suites The rentable space for private practice therapists held a soft opening April 22. The furnished office spaces will be available for professionally licensed counselors to

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SUNDANCE PKWY.

MOPAC

MAP NOT TO SCALE

Round Rock

2 Clothes Mentor The resale store sells gently used name-brand and designer clothing, shoes and accessories. The store also offers cash or store credit for clothing in sizes 0-26 and maternity clothing as well as for shoes, handbags and other accessories. • Opened March 26 • 201 University Oaks Blvd., Ste. 400, Round Rock • https://roundrocktx.clothesmentor.com 3 Soapy Falls Express Car Wash The car wash opened in March, offering a monthly subscription for unlimited washes as well as individual wash pricing. • Opened March 1 • 2700 Gattis School Road, Round Rock • www.soapyfalls.com

Now open

1 Across the Stitch The business offers embroidery services for appar- el and accessories as well as T-shirt printing and customizable gift items, such as blankets, towels and pillows. Owner and veteran Dineen Parker founded the business after learning to cross-stitch while she was

serving in the military. • Opened in November • 1108 S. I-35 frontage road, Round Rock • www.atsembroidery.com

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meet with their clients seven days a week. • Opening May 1 • 2631 Gattis School Road, Ste. 220, Round Rock • www.therapysuitestx.com

Now open

Relocations

9 Bella & Bloom Boutique The Austin-based boutique relocated to a new ware- house in Round Rock in the first quarter of the year. Lo- cally owned by Katlyn Maupin, the online-only boutique offers a variety of women’s clothing and accessories for all occasions. • Opened first quarter 2024 • 2150 Chisholm Trail Road, Ste. 100, Round Rock • www.shopbellaandbloom.com 10 Rojo Beautie Hairstylist and MUA The beauty shop owned by Letty Rojo relocated to Round Rock from Hutto in April. In addition to haircuts, color and keratin treatments, customers can obtain lash extensions and makeup services from the shop. • Relocated in April • 3000 Joe DiMaggio Blvd., Ste. 60, Round Rock • www.rojobeautie.com 11 Sarita’s Meat Market The local meat market and grocery store relocated to the former home of the Tiemann Art Gallery in Janu- ary. In addition to a variety of meats, the grocery store offers packaged goods, produce and baked goods. • Relocated in January

13 Salute Liquor Owned by Henry and Jacqueline Anthony, the store sells liquor, wine, beer and tobacco prod- ucts. Beer connoisseurs will find a wide selection available, including craft brews, seasonal beers and local favorites. • Opened April 9 • 105 E. Old Settlers Blvd., Ste. 104, Round Rock • www.saluteliquortx.com

15 JuiceLand The drive-thru juice, smoothie and coffee chain was founded in 2011 by Matt Shook and has since expanded to 40 locations and counting in Dallas, Austin and Houston. This is the fifth drive-thru location. • Opened May 1 • 2141 N. I-35, Round Rock • www.juiceland.com

Java City After closing in 2020 due to staffing shortages, on-cam- pus coffee shops at Round Rock ISD’s McNeil, Round Rock and Westwood high schools are back up and running as of April. • www.roundrockisd.org

Aday & Associates Commercial Construction, will oper- ate, M’Kensie Aday said. Aday confirmed the barn will not change ownership. • Closing May 1

• 1706 N. Mays St., Round Rock • Facebook: Sarita’s Meat Market

• 1810 N. CR 122, Round Rock • www.adayassociates.com

In the news

16 Queen’s Shoes The women’s shoe retailer located in the Round Rock Premium Outlets closed in April. • Closed in April

Closings

12 Camdyn Auto Repair Camdyn Auto Repair will celebrate 10 years of operation May 5. The auto shop offers routine services, such as oil changes, tire rotations and fluids as well as brake and battery replacement, and major air conditioning repairs. • 3584 Rockin J Road, Round Rock • www.camdynautorepair.com

14 Lone Oak Barn The venue planned to cease operations as an event venue May 1, according to the Aday family, after 12 years of operation. The barn, which served as a popular event and wedding venue, will be refinished out as a construc- tion office where the family’s construction company,

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Impacts

Pflugerville

138

Now open

PRIEM LN.

A.W. GRIMES BLVD.

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1 Austin Pets Alive Thrift The boutique-style thrift shop gives all net proceeds to support programs at APA. The store includes clothes, home goods, jewelry and more. • Opened April 13 • 15803 Windermere Drive, Ste. 603, Pflugerville • www.austinpetsalive.org/shop/thrift 2 QuikTrip The national convenience store and gas station chain features beverages and grab-and-go food options. • Opened April 3 • 1202 FM 685, Pflugerville • www.quiktrip.com 3 VCA Animal Hospital Urgent Care The veterinary practice recently opened a location off of Wells Branch Parkway. The practice provides same-day urgent pet care, seven days a week. • Opened April 2 • 208 E. Wells Branch Parkway, Ste. 220, Pflugerville • www.vcahospitals.com

45 TOLL

137

GREENLAWN BLVD.

Pflugerville

TOWN CENTER DR.

WINDERMERE DR.

CAMERON RD.

685

130 TOLL

MAP NOT TO SCALE

IMMANUEL RD.

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BY HALEY MCLEOD

4 European Wax Center The national chain has over 1,000 locations, offering full-body hair removal and waxing services for men and women. • Opened April 1 • 1512 Town Center Drive, Ste. 650, Pflugerville • www.waxcenter.com 5 Veterinary Dental Specialties and Oral Surgery The clinic offers dental services—catering to dogs, cats and even exotic animals—including extractions, tooth restoration, periodontal therapy and more. • Opened February 27 • 701 FM 685, Ste. 300, Pflugerville • www.vdspets.com

In the news

6 Immanuel Lutheran Church The Immanuel Lutheran Church opened their doors to parishioners May 31, 1874, over 90 years before the city of Pflugerville was established. This May the church is celebrating its 150th anniversary. • 500 Immanuel Road, Unit B, Pflugerville • www.ilcpville.org

Closings

7 Sangiovanni Distillery, Pizzeria and Daiquiris

9 Snooze, an A.M. Eatery Snooze will soon be serving pancakes and mimosas in the Pflugerville area. A newly constructed building, across from Willie’s Grill and Icehouse along SH 130, will house the well-known breakfast and brunch diner, according to a filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. The eatery serves a familiar diner menu, including pancakes, omelets, Benedicts and breakfast tacos. • Opening 2025 • 18725 FM 685, Pflugerville • www.snoozeeatery.com

The pizzeria closed its kitchen, while the distillery will continue to make ATX Vodka under new ownership. • Closed in March • 4701 Priem Lane, Ste. 3 A, Pflugerville 8 Cele Store The store and restaurant closed its doors after 133 years. It was established as the Richland Saloon in 1891. Bought by Marilyn and Marvin Weiss in the 1950s, the store has been owned by their family ever since. • Closed March 30 • 18726 Cameron Road, Manor

Coming soon

Window Genie The company specializes in window cleaning, window film, gutter cleaning and pressure washing services. • Opening May 16 • www.windowgenie.com/east-austin-pflugerville

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ROUND ROCK EDITION

Impacts

Hutto

Now open

1660

1 Casa Jalisco Sports Bar and Grill The restaurant, owned by Jaime Fernandez, is now open in The Hutto Co-Op District. The restaurant offers authentic Mexican cuisine in a sports bar atmosphere. • Opened April 17 • 460 Hwy. 79, Hutto • www.casajaliscosportsbarandgrill.com 2 Mi Vida Comida The Mexican restaurant, owned by Firas Abusaada, offers tacos, burritos and plates made with chicken fajitas, pastor, barbacoa, carne asada, beef fajitas, chicharron and more. The menu also includes a variety of tortas as well as breakfast items. • Opened April 5

ALLIANCE BLVD.

TAYLOR ST.

110

130 TOLL

Hutto

• 101 Limmer Loop, Hutto • Facebook: Mi Vida Comida

1660

137

5 8

3 Smokey Mo’s BBQ The barbecue restaurant offers smoked meats, including brisket, turkey, pork ribs, pork loin, sausage and chicken. The menu also includes pinto beans, potato salad, green beans, coleslaw, potatoes, and mac and cheese.

138

GATTIS SCHOOL RD.

MAP NOT TO SCALE

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• Opened April 18 • 120 Chris Kelley Blvd., Ste. 300, Hutto • www.smokeymosbbq.com

• 1133 CR 137, Hutto • www.rockabillybrewing.com

Now open

In the news

Relocations

6 EVO Entertainment EVO Entertainment Group will begin construction soon on its 53,000-square-foot facility, with plans to open early next summer, according to a public relations representative. The venue will include movie theaters with recliner seating, full food service as well as bowling lanes, games and a private event space.

4 Thig’s Diamond Kutz The barbershop is moving across the street from its existing location. Owned by William Thigpen, the shop offers classic razor shaves and beard trims in addition to haircuts for men, women and children. The business also plans to open another location in Taylor later this year. • Relocated May 1 • 107 Taylor St., Hutto • www.fpisocial.com/thigs

• Opening summer 2025 • 180 Alliance Blvd., Hutto • www.evo.co

8 BBQ Fiends The food truck sets up at Rockabilly Brewing on the weekends, offering brisket, ribs, turkey and sausage, and sides include charro beans, street corn, Spanish rice and loaded potato salad. • Opened April 6 • 1133 CR 137, Hutto • www.bbqfiends.com

Closings

Expansions

7 Now, Dats Boba The locally owned boba shop opened in late 2022, offering a variety of drinks, including bubble tea, smoothies and coffee. • Closed April 14 • 525 Chris Kelley Blvd., Ste. 500, Hutto

5 Rockabilly Brewing The brewery reopened its doors after closing in December to undergo renovations, and now features a covered patio and additional seating. The business is also working to upgrade its kids play area and provide additional parking, and will soon offer five core beers on

tap at all times. • Opened April 6

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Government

City to name Blus eld after ‘Big Boy’ Hester The historic Blus baseball eld in Memorial Park in Round Rock will get a rebranding, with the city changing its name to Big Boy Hester Family Field. Overview Round Rock City Council approved a resolution April 11 to name the eld after Gail “Big Boy” Hes- ter, who opened Hester’s Automotive in 1960 and is known for his work as a member of the Round Rock Chamber in helping to bring Dell Diamond and the Round Rock Express to the city. Including being presented with the city’s Life- time Achievement Award in 2009, the 85-year-old has been recognized for his years of work with the Chamber and support of the business community. There will be a formal ceremony honoring Hester July 20 at the eld itself, which is currently undergoing renovations.

Contract outlines rst phase of county HQ Williamson County Commissioner Court approved a contract March 26 with Chasco Contractors Ltd. LLP for Phase 1 of the county’s new headquarters building, with a guaranteed maximum price proposal of $7 million. The details The new building will house the tax assessor and collection’s oce—including a drive-thru window—county clerk, county judge’s oce, Commissioners Court courtroom, budget oce, public aairs and county auditor, according to county sta. A groundbreaking for the new building is scheduled for May 14. Construction is expected to be complete by fall 2025, with county services being moved by December 2025, according to Gravell.

Gail “Big Boy” Hester pictured with his wife, Louise.

HALEY MCLEODCOMMUNITY IMPACT

What they’re saying Michelle Ly, downtown business owner and Place 1 City Council member, remarked on the lasting legacy and profound respect that Hester has instilled among emerging business owners. “In addition to everything you’ve done, the small business community really looks up to you,” Ly said. “It’s always been a goal of mine to earn your [Big Boy Hester Small Business of the Year] award because your name holds that kind of honor. Thank you for being a role model to small businesses.”

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$15M renovation, walkway approved Round Rock City Council approved March 28 the guaranteed maximum price of $15 million to renovate the old library and construct a walkway to the new library. The overview The project will connect the Round Rock Public Library to Prete Plaza. The old library—the Grith building—will also be renovated to house an art gallery, visi- tors bureau and the Round Rock Chamber.

County installs ood monitoring stations

“Not today, but there will be a day that we’re able to look at this data and we will know that it saved a life.” BILL GRAVELL, WILLIAMSON COUNTY JUDGE

Williamson County is working to improve its ood monitoring ability as sta recently installed three remote, automated weather stations throughout the region, with plans for another station underway. The overview Candi Semple, Williamson County Emergency Services project manager, said during an April 16 Williamson County Commissioners Court meet- ing the county is implementing a comprehensive program to improve its ood monitoring ability. So far, sta have installed three weather stations throughout the county, including at the Southwest Williamson County Regional Park, River Ranch County Park and Hidden Springs Ranch. Semple said the county also plans to install a station at Granger Lake but rst needs approval

from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. She said these stations measure wind, rain, temperature and humidity to determine where possible ooding may take place downstream. The stations can also measure the amount of moisture in the surrounding wood and other material, which allows sta to better predict the potential for wildre. The project was funded by 2019 voter-approved road bonds.

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Education

Enrollment to rise in ‘best-case scenario’

System for messaging trustees extended Round Rock ISD will continue to use the Let’s Talk platform for some communica- tions to trustees after the board approved a 90-day extension of the original trial period. What you need to know After a trial period testing the use of Let’s Talk as a replacement for off-agenda com- munications between the public and board of trustees, the board extended the use of the system for another 90 days March 21. About the program Let’s Talk, which can be found by visiting www.roundrockisd.org, is a customer service portal and information-gathering system that allows parents to send ques- tions, comments and suggestions to board trustees.

next 10 years after a period of decline. The details

Templeton said projected housing growth could have RRISD hit an enrollment of about 48,300 students by the 2033-34 school year. Enrollment fell to 46,126 in the 2023-24 school year, from a peak of 50,953 in the 2019-20 school year. In another scenario with a lower growth rate due to high home prices and fewer sales, Templeton reported, RRISD could see enrollment level off at 44,100 students in five years.

A new demographic report for Round Rock ISD shows the district could once again reach an enroll- ment exceeding 48,000 students by the 2033-34 school year, in a best-case scenario. What you need to know In a recent report to the district, demographer Bob Templeton said enrollment could rise over the

Enrollment projections The district could see enrollment grow or level off, Templeton said.

50K

48K 46K 44K 0

Actual enrollment

"Best case scenario" "Low-growth scenario"

'23-'24 '25-'26 '27-'28 '29-'30 '31-'32 '33-'34

School year

SOURCES: TEMPLETON DEMOGRAPHICS/COMMUNITY IMPACT

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ACC approves free tuition pilot program Austin Community College will provide up to five years of free tuition, after the community college’s board of trustees approved the pilot measure in April. About the program The proposal, brought to the college system’s board of trustees by Chancellor Russell Lowery- Hart, will create a zero-cost tuition program for students who graduate from local high schools, charter schools, and those who have completed General Educational Development, or GED, as well. Homeschooled students will also qualify. The details Eligible students could qualify for up to five years of free tuition and have three years from graduation to access these funds.

Schools to build semiconductor center Officials with The University of Texas at Austin announced in March a partnership with the Austin Community College District and Texas Institute for Electronics to create a semiconductor training center to meet demand for jobs. Sorting out details The partnership will: • Create a joint Semiconductor Training Center for students to receive hands-on technical training • Host programs to advance or transition workers into the industry • Develop curriculum and credentialing, with plans for K-12 partnerships Officials say the center’s programs could begin as early as January.

ACC service area All high school students graduating this May who live within the community college’s service area could qualify for free tuition under the program.

281

290

SOURCE: AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE/COMMUNITY IMPACT

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Real estate

Sonoma, 78665 On the east side of Round Rock, located north of Gattis School Road, the Sonoma neighborhood offers a variety of single-family homes near family-friendly amenities. Made up of many homes built in the early 2000s, the neighborhood includes medium-sized to large single- family homes. Just south of Brushy Creek, the Sonoma neighborhood is surrounded by a variety of other neighborhoods and minutes away from Dell Diamond, home of the Round Rock Express AAA baseball team. • Average square footage: 2,541 square feet • Number of homes for sale as of April 4: 6 • School district: Round Rock ISD • Amenities: two community pools, two playgrounds, ponds and walking trails

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Real estate

Three of four ZIP codes in Round Rock saw a decrease in the home sales, while the time homes spent on the market dropped in two ZIP codes. Residential market data

Number of homes sold

March 2023

March 2024

-16.6%

+8.5%

-25.9%

-21.1%

78664

78665

78681

78717

130 TOLL

78665

78681

Median home sales price

183 TOLL

78664

620

March

2023

2024

45 TOLL

78717

$363,000

$361,500

78664

MOPAC

$458,328

$439,390

78665

$500,000

$540,712

78681

MARKET DATA PROVIDED BY AUSTIN BOARD OF REALTORS 512-454-7636 WWW.ABOR.COM

$580,000

$715,000

78717

Round Rock

Average days on the market

March 2023

March 2024

-45.7%

-53.8%

March

2023

2024

272

289

New listings

197

174

Closed sales

78664

78665

78681

78717

Homes under contract

230 245

Homes sold by price point in March

Months of inventory

2.2

2.1

78664

78665

78681

78717

- -

3 5 3

$900,000+

$700,000-$899,999

Price per square foot

$217 $217

20 66

16 10

$700,000-$899,999:

$500,000-$699,999

Active listings

433

410

$300,000-$499,999

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Transportation

BY ELLE BENT & GRANT CRAWFORD

City council approves $8.9M in street repairs Several neighborhoods in Round Rock will see road improvements begin in May, after Round Rock City Council approved an $8.9 million contract April 11 with Bennett Paving, Inc. The overview Roads within the Dove Creek, Twin Ridge and Greenslopes at Lake Creek neighborhoods will receive repairs as part of the city’s 2023 Residential Street Maintenance Program. Each year, Round Rock dedicates funding to maintaining roads, in which crews remove existing asphalt and replace it with new asphalt. Work also includes pavement patching and repairing failed curbs, sidewalks and driveway approaches. The project is expected to be completed in November. What else? The city prioritizes street maintenance based on

Airport to get runway safety technology Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is one of four airports nationwide receiving new technology to reduce the risk of runway incursions, or when an aircraft crosses incorrectly on the runway. The gist Federal Aviation Administration officials announced April 15 that ABIA, Indianapolis International Airport, Nashville Interna- tional Airport and Dallas Love Field Airport will be the first to receive the Surface Awareness Initiative system. Air traffic controllers can use the system to see aircraft and other vehicles in all areas of the airport, according to a news release. FAA officials will roll out the system at the four airports by July, with other airports in line to receive it by the end of 2025.

Greenslopes at Lake Creek

Dove Creek

Twin Ridge

Additional road repairs

the structural pavement condition of roadways. Pavement Condition Assessments are performed citywide and ranked on a scale reflecting the pavement’s structural condition. City staff keep a running list of potential neigh- borhoods to provide maintenance for, although the next streets to receive repairs have not been announced.

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Transportation

BY GRANT CRAWFORD & HALEY MCLEOD

Road work along Gattis School, A.W. Grimes to begin

130

Round Rock residents can expect some delays starting in May along Gattis School Road. This comes after Round Rock City Council approved a $27 million contract with Cash Con- struction Company Inc. on March 28 for the con- struction of a large section of road improvements along the roadway, including the intersection at A.W. Grimes Boulevard. What residents need to know The road project—part of the city’s Transpor- tation Master Plan—will include widening the existing four-lane roadway to a six-lane arterial thoroughfare with a raised median. The project also includes pedestrian and bicycle improve- ments, according to city documents. Both intersections at A.W. Grimes and Double Creek Drive will get new right- and left-turn lanes. Funding for the project comes from the city’s sales tax revenue as well as a State Infrastructure Bank loan. Construction is expected to begin this

183

TxDOT proposes 13 miles of I-35 changes The Texas Department of Transportation is proposing 13 miles of improvements along I-35, from Georgetown to Round Rock. The gist The project to improve I-35 includes add- ing two nontolled, high-occupancy vehicle, or HOV, lanes in each direction, from Hwy. 29 to SH 45. The proposal includes adding more flyovers at I-35 and SH 45, relocating entrance ramps and creating bypass lanes.

GATTIS SCHOOL RD.

May and is estimated to take two years to complete the entire project, according to city documents. Also of note The city is expecting to rebid repairs to another section of Gattis School Road, near the Red Bud Lane intersection, this month. This is due to delays in utility relocation near the project.

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Development

BY HALEY MCLEOD

Regional park adds new pickleball courts Area pickleball players can ready their best paddles as Southwest Williamson County Regional Park added six new pickleball courts among other improvements. What else? Other improvements to the park include renovating three restrooms as well as resur- facing and repainting the tennis and basket- ball courts. Three of the six basketball courts will be converted into the pickleball courts.

Exuor expands Round Rock HQ

WilCo seals deal with automotive parts supplier Williamson County commissioners approved a Chapter 312 agreement, or tax abatement, March 19 with South Korean automotive parts supplier Hanwha Advanced Materials America LLC. The overview The automotive parts supplier will build a 200,000-square-foot manufacturing facility on 38 acres of land just north of Georgetown on I-35. The county is expecting an estimated $100 million capital investment from Hanwha, which includes taxes from the property and building as well as the interior assets. The manufacturing site will create 180 new permanent jobs, according to the agreement, with additional provisions that state the company will hire 10 high-school-aged interns from the county each year during the life of the agreement.

Round Rock plans for water plant expansion Round Rock City Council approved a $1.5 million contract with Walker Partners Engineers and Surveyors for the nal design of the Phase 2A expansion of the Brushy Creek Regional Water Treatment Plant, which services Round Rock, Cedar Park and Leander. Two-minute impact This phase of expansion to the treatment plant will increase the facility’s total capacity to 64 million gallons per day, or mgd. The following is a breakdown of the cities beneting from Phase 2A: • The city of Leander will receive an additional 11.7 mgd • The city of Round Rock will receive an addi- tional 10.6 mgd Phase 2A will increase the city of Round Rock’s

“This will be really big for Round Rock, to get us out ahead, to have that extra treatment plant capacity that we need as our city continues to grow.” MICHAEL THANE, ROUND ROCK DIRECTOR OF UTILITIES

In celebration of 40 years of operation in Central Texas, Exuor—a chemical research and manufacturing company—broke ground April 1 on an 33,000-square-foot expansion to its headquarters located in Round Rock. The impact “This expansion not only signies the company’s commitment to advancing the chemical industry and the critical compounds they manufacture, but also its dedication to creating more job opportuni- ties and contributing to the local economy,”

Simon Lee, president of Hanwha’s American operations, shakes hands with County Commissioner Valerie Covey.

HALEY MCLEODCOMMUNITY IMPACT

overall capacity to nearly 22 mgd, Director of Utilities Michael Thane said. Construction is expected to begin in 2025 and be completed by summer 2027, at the same time the deep water intake project will be completed in Round Rock. Funding for this phase of the project comes from the city of Round Rock’s regional water fund. However, the agreement will need to go before all three city councils for nal approval.

What they’re saying “This is a major victory I see for Williamson County, in that it helps diversify our economy,” said Dave Porter, Williamson County Economic Develop- ment Partnership executive director. “This was our rst major entrance into the automotive industry. We have some automotive suppliers already here in Williamson County, but this is a major investment with lots of new jobs.”

Funding from the county’s park operating fund: Pickleball courts: $126,000 Tennis and basketball courts: $101,817 Restroom renovations: $597,191

the company said in a news release. The company produces a range of

products with a wide variety of uses, from commonplace consumer goods such as televisions to advanced technologies used in space exploration, such as satellites.

SOURCE: WILLIAMSON COUNTYCOMMUNITY IMPACT

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Samsung to invest billions more in Central Texas From the cover

What’s happening?

Taylor

the project stands to total at least $45 billion. The investment will be transformative for the entire region, federal ocials said, adding that more than two dozen manufacturing suppliers have already committed to coming to the area. An early indication of the Samsung eect, iMarket America—a South Korea-based industrial maintenance and repair company—recently opened its U.S. headquarters in Round Rock. The company also purchased 200 acres of land in Taylor for its maintenance services. “I can just say the best part about it is all the jobs we’re creating for Americans in the process—good- paying, family-supporting jobs,” U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said.

Samsung’s new 4 million-square-foot semiconductor manufacturing plant is under construction on just over 1,200 acres in Taylor. With the help of CHIPS funding, plans for the site now include a second fabrication facility, a research and development center, and an advanced packaging facility. Samsung will also use the funding for a facility expansion in Austin. “This is the epicenter of the technology revolution, the likes of which we have not seen since the Manhattan Project,” U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Austin, said during the announcement. This agreement brings Samsung’s total local investment to more than double the $17 billion initially committed by the company in 2021, when the project in Taylor was rst announced. Today

973

Samsung

3349

RIO GRANDE ST.

404

SAMSUNG HWY.

Samsung — Taylor, TX CHIPS Act incentive: $6.4 billion Project investment: $45 billion Project size: 1,268 acres Project scope: 2 fabs, 1 R&D fab, 1 advanced packaging facility

SOURCE: SAMSUNGCOMMUNITY IMPACT

The framework

The impact

What is the CHIPS and Science Act? A bipartisan piece of legislation aimed at bolstering American semiconductor manufacturing and research by providing funding to tech companies.

Samsung’s project will support over 20,000 direct and indirect jobs in the region, according to a statement from the White House. With the recent investment into semiconductor production in the U.S., the county is expected to see a 25% increase in demand for both technicians without four-year degrees and highly educated engineers by 2030, according to the SIA. In an eort to meet this demand, Samsung has built relationships with higher education institutions, such as Austin Community College, The University of Texas and Texas State Technical College’s Hutto campus. Laura Marmolejo, ACC associate dean of advanced manufacturing, said the school has worked with Samsung to develop specic certica- tion programs tailored to the needs of the company. “The biggest challenge is getting the students. Students don’t know that the industry is really exciting nowadays,” she said.

Since the 1990s, the percentage of semicon- ductors, or chips, produced in the U.S. has decreased. A bipartisan initiative, the CHIPS and Science Act was introduced to address this heavy reliance on foreign manufacturing. “From where I sit as the chairman of the Foreign Aairs Committee, this is vitally important to our national security,” McCaul said. “The reason I introduced [this bill] was to pull the supply chain out of Taiwan, which controls 90% of the advanced semiconductor manufacturing, and bring it here to the United States.” Being able to produce this level of cut- ting-edge technology within America is more important than ever, Raimondo said, highlight- ing the rapidly increasing demand for articial intelligence, high-performance computing and 5G communications. Advancements in semiconductor technology have enabled the chips found in today’s smart- phones to surpass the processing power of computers used by NASA to land a man on the moon in 1969, according to the Semiconductor Industry Association, or SIA. Samsung’s plan to build a research and development facility in Taylor will enable them to begin production of 2-nanometer chips, the latest advancement in chip technol- ogy. The smaller transistors on chips result in lower energy consumption and higher speeds, according to industry experts. “All of that is how we put a stake in the

Funding given for American semiconductor manufacturing expansions since 2022

Intel: $19.5B • Oregon, Arizona, New Mexico, Ohio

TSMC: $11.6B • Arizona

Samsung: $6.4B • Texas

GlobalFoundries: $3B • New York

Other: $209.5M

SOURCE: SIACOMMUNITY IMPACT

ground and we tell the world that America cares about semiconductor manufacturing,” said Arati Prabhakar, director of the White House Oce of Science and Technology Policy. “That commitment by America is why Samsung is growing right here in Central Texas. … The investments that come from this CHIPS Act are not just about winning today; they’re also about winning tomorrow.”

Samsung jobs created based on recent announcement: Over 20,000 total jobs direct and indirect 17,000 construction jobs 4,500 manufacturing jobs

SOURCE: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCECOMMUNITY IMPACT

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