"People used to refer to us as Kyle-Buda and just kind of see us as a bedroom community," Blank-Torres said. "We really don't want to be seen as that."
Plum Creek, a 2,200-acre master-planned community being built in phases, exemplifies this attitude and provides a looking glass into the city's future.
The sprawling development's projects include everything from an 860,000-square-foot industrial park to an uptown-styled project embracing live-work-play lifestyles.
Some projects have been slightly delayed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, but Plum Creek still has a busy calendar of openings. These are a few to watch for.
1880 at Plum Creek
Named for the year Kyle was founded, 1880 at Plum Creek is expected to open summer 2021. Developer Prominence Homes will offer roughly 130 townhouses and cottage homes on the north side of Plum Creek along Kyle Parkway, the development's main transportation artery. Prominence Homes also planned to build a similarly sized project in Buda called The Porch at Du Pre.
Expected completion: summer 2021
Plum Creek Industrial Center
Built by Northpoint Development, Plum Creek Industrial Center is being built in two phases. Phase 1 includes a 185,174-square-foot industrial building and a 258,884-square-foot industrial building as well. Completion of the first two buildings is expected in May and the first tenant, Viking Supply Net, has already signed a lease.
The completed project is expected to have a footprint of roughly 863,000-square-feet. However, Colliers International Vice President Travis Hicks, one of the project's two brokers, said the second phase is still conceptual and subject to change.
Hicks said the Plum Creek location offered tenants several benefits.
“It has great access to I-35 and also a growing, attractive labor force in the Hays County area, and the growing community of Buda and Kyle," HIcks said.
Expected completion for phase 1: May 2021
Urbana at Plum Creek
This rental community of roughly 155 units is expected to open near the end of February or early March. Built next to 1880 at Plum Creek, this project also has easy access to Kyle Parkway and is a short drive from the Austin Community College campus and a planned 20,000-square-foot St. Ives retail space. One-, two- and three-bedroom homes are available, which all include a cedar-fenced yard with an ornamental tree and paved patio.
Expected completion: EMarch 2021
Sage Plum Creek
Situated a short distance from the Plum Creek Golf Course and across from the Austin Community College Campus, Sage Plum Creek will be a resort-style, 185-unit community for people over the age of 55. The project will be pet-friendly and will feature an off leash dog park, in addition to other amenities such as a fitness center and outdoor recreation areas. The community is expected to open its clubhouse and accept its first tenants in winter 2022, with construction completed by early summer 2022.
Expected completion: summer 2022
Uptown at Plum Creek
Three- and four-story buildings are under construction in the Uptown at Plum Creek, which will include roughly 7,000-square-feet of retail on the first floor of buildings. Resting on just more than 14 acres, Uptown will include roughly 360 units ranging from one to three bedrooms in its first phase, which is expected to be completed in late spring 2021. The complete project will include roughly 1,000 units.
Expected completion: spring 2021
Plum Creek North
This development includes 1,300 single-family homes built by Lennar across 380 acres. Home sales are expected to begin in March or April, and model homes are projected to open in May. The community is split into three groups, which all have one and two story floor plans. The Claremont collection will feature homes with 1,278-2,499-square-foot floor plans. Whitehall homes will be from 1,029-3047-square-feet. Homes in the Highland collection will range from 1,622-2,911-square-feet. Every rooftop in the community features built-in solar panels, but each collection has different themes and design styles. Community amenities include a pool, splash pad, clubhouse, outdoor berm for concerts and events, and much more.
Expected completion: May 2021
