Phase 1 of the Katy Board District is now complete, according to Kayce Reina, Katy’s director of tourism, marketing and public relations. The development, which is a mixed-use project with a boardwalk, hotel conference center, lake, two loft-living apartment complexes, retail stores and restaurants, broke ground in March of last year. Reina said the lake was drained and reconstructed to include islands that help shape and refine the border. “The first phase of the lake is all complete with walkways that go from the water’s edge across the water to more of an island landing [and] viewing area,” Reina said. Reina said the lake will not be a recreational body of water, and no fishing, swimming or boating will be allowed. “We plan on planting particular native species of plants, [and] we really want migratory birds to come,” Reina said. “We really want it to be more of a nature preserve.” Reina said in addition to the lake, the first looped phase of the boardwalk is also complete. The first road that connects Kingsland Boulevard south toward the lake is nearing completion. Reina said a parking lot is also under construction that will help service lake visitors. “Then we are getting in some restrooms so the public can start utilizing the park, [and] at the same time we are working with CenterPoint [Energy] on refining all of the electrical engineering to get electricity throughout the development,” Reina said. Reina said KB Development is working on final negotiations with the selected hotel chain for the conference center as of late April. “They are in final pricing and design, hopefully moving into construction documents in the next 12 months,” Reina said. Reina said the city hopes the hotel conference center will open in 2020, or in spring of 2021, and the first loft living complex should break ground this year by the fall. “They will be starting to work on the interior retail, mixed-use development at the same time the hotel conference center is going up,” Reina said. “We really want the entire development to be complete within the next five to seven years.”