The office houses 20 local employees, and the international technology company plans to expand to over 100 employees at the location, according to a press release.
Saengerhalle was originally a venue for musical performances, weddings and local events before being converted into a church.
The company plans to preserve the building and restore original Saengerhalle signage in a nod to the city’s history, according to the press release.
Zoho chose New Braunfels as its second Texas location in an effort to provide jobs for the growing population that did not require commuting to larger metropolitan areas, according to the press release.
“New Braunfels is flush with potential, but these people are forced to migrate to nearby metros like San Antonio and Austin with no local jobs, particularly in the technology sector. This talent erosion doesn't benefit the local community long term," Zoho Chief Evangelist Raju Vegesna said in the release. “We want our employees to be able to purchase a house, be able to start a family and not have long commutes to work. New Braunfels was the perfect city for this compared to the large metros nearby.”
New Braunfels’ access to public schools, health care systems and a relatively lower cost of living were among the factors considered by Zoho when expanding to the city, according to the release.
Opening the office is an extension of the company’s transnational localism effort, which is designed to provide employment opportunities in smaller towns and cities.
In addition to the New Braunfels office and Zoho’s U.S. headquarters in Del Valle, the company is actively hiring and developing plans to establish offices in additional locations in Texas, according to the release.
