When it was first announced in late 2012, the Entrada development was scheduled to bring a variety of projects to 85 acres off of Hwy. 114.
Those projects included a 3,000-seat amphitheater, a hotel and convention center, a town hall, a wedding chapel, single-family homes and villas, restaurants, retail stores, and a movie theater.
At the time, former city officials voiced concerns about an apartment complex that was later pulled from the plans and expressed fears about what the development would do to the rural atmosphere in Westlake.Town Council Member Clif Cox also expressed uncertainty about the project in 2013.
“I’m concerned about the perceived impact on the town,” Cox said in a •Community Impact• article in May 2013. “[Westlake] is kind of quiet, kind of sleepy.”
More than nine years since the project received clearance from Westlake, there are fewer than 12 businesses within Entrada.
Phase 1 of the project included the infrastructure work of water, sewer and roads. Phase 2, which will include the retail portion of the $500 million development, has seen delays and questions from the council about what will happen.
“We are positive [about the direction] but cautiously optimistic,” Westlake Mayor Sean Kilbride said.
A slow start
Jeffory Blackard of the Blackford Group and Mehrdad Moayedi of Centurion American originally presented the plan for the Entrada project in December 2012. It then received approval from town council in April 2013. •Blackard had experience developing a European-inspired mixed-use development as he created Adriatica Village in McKinney in 2006.
When the land was purchased for the Entrada development, it was zoned for use as office space before being changed to mixed-use. That was one of the first delays in getting the project started, according to Beaty.
A $26.3 million public improvement district was started and funded in 2015 to help with the infrastructure of the proposed development that covered roadwork, parking garages, canals and ponds. A year after that was initiated, the administrator of the district, MuniCap Inc., was removed after the town of Westlake found it had affiliation with the developer. Council then became the district’s administrators.
Another delay in the project came because hand-laid stone and cast cement were to be used during construction. Beaty noted that caused a delay because the developer could not just pour concrete and use molds of rocks to accomplish the desired appearance. There are hand-placed rocks throughout the Entrada project, from the retaining walls to the walkway to the entrances to the empty buildings, Beaty said.
National pharmacy chain CVS became the first business to occupy the 1 million-square-foot Entrada development in 2016.
The infrastructure work and building construction wrapped up in 2018, and plans were started for businesses to start occupying space, according to acting Town Manager Jarrod Greenwood. He said the COVID-19 pandemic then halted the project.
In 2022, there are a handful of businesses that occupy parts of Entrada. In addition to CVS, there is a Starbucks, a salon, a nail bar, a title company and a day care.
“Residents have expressed frustration over the progress that they would like to see in retail and dining options,” Greenwood said.
Beaty’s plans would provide at least four dining options based on early plans discussed at council meetings.
While there are other developments ongoing within Entrada, the retail and residential portion along the waterfront now belongs to Beaty.
“To have other types of businesses there would be exciting for the town and the development,” said Kevin McCombs, who owns Primrose School of Westlake at Entrada. “The elements of Entrada are so unique; it has taken time, but the end product is so beautiful.”
Beaty’s big plans
Beaty appeared before council Aug. 29 after he purchased the project from Centurion and took over the developer role. He had been one of the contractors on the Entrada project, working on CVS.
Council Member Tim Shiner asked in the August meeting why the city should think the project will finally get completed.
“Because my livelihood depends on it,” Beaty said.
At the Sept. 26 meeting, Beaty announced that two of the three restaurant spaces have been leased, and contracts are awaiting signatures. Restaurants Hugo Invitados and 1845 Taste Texas will come to the development, he said. The plans that Moayedi had would have included Primo’s MX Kitchen, Dahlia Bar & Bistro, and Parliament, a craft cocktail bar. Beaty said he is still trying to get a lease agreement with Dahlia signed to occupy the third restaurant space, near the pedestrian bridge. The other two businesses will not be coming to Westlake, Beaty said.
According to Greenwood, the only building permit that has been issued to him is for a repository, which will be a mix of housing, garages and a membership-only social club.
“It is kind of balancing the feeling of this being an oasis and the ever-expanding urban landscape,” Greenwood said.
The wedding chapel and reception hall that were previously constructed will be operated by Keith Walters, owner of Walters Wedding Estates, Beaty said. Walters will also oversee a planned hotel that was originally discussed in 2019 but was postponed.
Phase 2 will also see the start of residential properties, starting with 70 villas that eliminated plans for one-bedroom units. Beaty said he is working with Westlake resident Walla Maya, who he calls an experienced condo developer.
While Phase 2 of the project entailed 13 acres of the 85-acre development, Beaty recently purchased 22 acres of land near Entrada for Phase 3. That phase will feature 46 single-family homes, a dog park and a child care center, according to Beaty.
He also plans to have 8 acres of retail pads facing Hwy. 114 in Phase 3 and wants to bring The Funky Door Bistro & Wine Room to occupy one of those.
Kilbride, who was elected mayor in May, ran on a platform that was headlined by fixing the Entrada situation.
“When developments fail or are delayed, there is an impact,” he said. “At full build, there should be several millions in tax revenue between restaurants and property taxes. It appears to be moving along in earnest, and we are hopeful it will be completed.”
