The city of Pflugerville finished asbestos removal and demolition operations on the Downtown East site July 11 as part of the larger project to develop the Pfluger Tract and build a new city hall and recreation center.

The update

Most recently, the city removed and disassembled the historic gin due to asbestos and structural deficiencies that rendered the building uninhabitable for many years. The removal will also accommodate the future extension of Main Street.

Materials salvaged from the gin during the demolition process will be repurposed in downtown projects to preserve its history, according to the city.

Other recent updates for Downtown East include:

• Completion of the city hall retaining wall
• Concrete poured for the deck on the south side of city hall
• Underground plumbing 80% complete for city hall
• Subfloor base for the gym in the recreation center completed

About the project

Downtown East will create a new city center on about 29 acres of land located at the northwest corner of FM 685 and East Pecan Street. The city broke ground on Phase 1 of the project Dec. 2, which includes:

• Extending Main Street eastward to FM 685
• Constructing a new city hall, including a public cafe
• The Monarch, a multigenerational recreation center, including retail space
• A civic plaza, including outdoor gathering spaces, a stage and performance area
• Additional parking and infrastructure

Developer Griffin Swinerton is the master developer for the project, as well as the private partner to the city. The Pflugerville Community Development Corporation is also dedicating funding toward the project.

What’s next

City officials expect the Phase 1 build-out to wrap up by 2026. The developer started construction for city hall, the recreation center and civic plaza in March.

Residents can stay up to date with Downtown East on the city's dedicated webpage.