Kyle's first outpatient surgery center set to open in December

Kyle will soon be home to the its first outpatient surgery center, when Hays Surgery Center opens in December. The center will offer five operating rooms in nearly 13,000 square feet of medical office space.

Operations handled at the center will include general surgery and orthopedics, gynecology, weight-loss surgery, and spine and pain-management procedures.

The center will be owned by local surgeons in a partnership with the Austin-based Arise Healthcare.

According to Arise, the project is the group's 16th in Texas and its first in Hays County.

Jared Leger, CEO and managing partner of Arise, said the group opened a similar facility in Cedar Park in 2011 and has received a positive reception.

Developers said they expect the center to cause an increase in economic activity in the area.

The center has signed a long-term lease to become a tenant in Kyle Crossing Medical Center, a $10 million medical office space project under construction on 3.5 acres at the southeast corner of I-35 and Kyle Crossing, across from Seton Medical Center Hays.

Hays Surgery Center, corner of I-35 and Kyle Crossing

Employees: 30–40

Square footage: 42,000

www.arisehealthcare.com

Image Microsystems expands operations to Kyle

Nearly 200 jobs are coming to Kyle over the next two years as Image Microsystems expands from its base in Austin. The company's services include restoration, reverse logistics and e-waste recycling.

The company plans to provide 131 full-time jobs when the 100,000-square-foot facility opens this year, with 50 jobs to be added in 2013.

In December, Image Microsystems signed an economic development deal with the City of Kyle that will provide 181 jobs, with a minimum pay of $16 per hour, within the next two years.

In addition to its recycling services, the company also manufactures MicroStrate, a material made entirely of recycled e-waste plastic. It is used to make sign substrate, or base material, and is suitable for facilities seeking Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, status.

In return for Image Microsystems creating and maintaining the new full-time jobs, the City of Kyle will rebate 100 percent of the city's portion of the sales and use taxes generated from the company's Kyle location.

Liz Walker, marketing and business development vice president for Image Microsystems, said the rebate the company will receive from the city was only one of the reasons it decided to open a new plant in Kyle.

"[The City of Kyle] has been very helpful to us," Walker said. "It's a combination of that, the available workforce in the area and to be able to get a good deal on some property that was suitable to our manufacturing."

The company purchased and is reonvating the former Palm Harbor Homes manufacturing plant.

Kyle City Council members also approved a full rebate of the city property taxes levied on all new equipment and machinery acquired after the agreement was signed, as well as additional incremental increases in taxable value of all new property improvements.

Image Microsystems, 3700 Kyle Crossing

Employees: 181 by 2013

Square footage: 100,000

www.imagemicro.com

City's first extended-stay hotel will open in San Marcos in November

San Marcos will soon have its first extended-stay hotel, when Candlewood Suites opens a Country Inn & Suites on Nov. 1 at the site of the former San Marcos CISD bus barn.

Vic Patel, Country Inn & Suites developer and general manager, said development of the project began about six months ago.

Patel said the company was interested in building a hotel in San Marcos because of the city's population and economic growth.

"We're trying to attract big business or other businesses to relocate or come down to build a business community here," he said.

The company expects to hire 15 permanent full-time employees and will have an annual payroll of $300,000. The four-story, 47,000-square-foot complex will cater to business people and families.

Candlewood Suites San Marcos, 600 Wonder World Drive

Employees: 15

Square footage: 47,000

www.candlewoodsuites.com

Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham will open in October in Buda

A national mortgage and real estate investment banking firm has secured a $4.8 million loan to build a Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham in Buda.

Houston-based Aries Capital originated the loan for the 82-room hotel at Old San Antonio Street and Cabela's Drive. Construction began in late March. The hotel will open by Halloween.

Microtel, owned by Longhorn Lodging Partners, is part of the Wyndham Hotel Group and will be managed by Caerus Hospitality Partners.

The chain has more than 300 hotels in 46 states and five countries.

Amenities will include free breakfast, high-speed wireless Internet access and local and long-distance calls within the continental United States.

Microtel Inn & Suites, 1301 Cabela's Drive

Employees: 20

Square footage: 35,000

www.microtelinn.com