Tomball City Council moved forward two Tomball Economic Development Corp. grant items tied to a redevelopment project along Hwy. 249 on July 6.
The council approved on first reading two business improvement, or MEGA, grant agreements with Black Forest Flex Park for building and site improvements at 27210 Hwy. 249. Each grant is for up to $50,000, with one tied to Building A and the other tied to Building B.
The details
Building A, which sits closer to Hwy. 249, is planned for a full facade renovation, according to the agenda documents. TEDC staff said the project investment for that portion is $735,000, with the TEDC grant amount set at $50,000.
Building B, located behind Building A on the same site, has a total project investment of $626,772, according to the presentation. TEDC staff said several businesses have started discussions for the space, but no tenants have been finalized.
Together, the two grants would provide up to $100,000 in TEDC funding toward more than $1.3 million in private investment, per the presentation.
What they’re saying
Most of the council discussion centered on whether the two grants should be treated as separate projects since both buildings are on the same site and tied to the same developer.
TEDC Assistant Director Tiffani Wooten said the Business Retention and Expansion committee reviewed the site as two separate projects because of the size of the buildings, the amount of investment and the level of improvements being proposed.
She also said MEGA grants go before the BRE committee, the TEDC board and Tomball City Council, giving the city multiple layers of review before funds are awarded. The developer would not receive the funding unless the project is completed and meets the grant requirements.
The council ultimately moved both items forward on first reading.
Also of note
The council also considered whether to create an advisory committee to review possible municipal building options on TEDC-owned properties.
The discussion came after earlier talks about whether city facilities could be located on TEDC properties, including the former First Baptist Church property and land near South Live Oak.
City staff said the goal was to compare options and bring more information back to council.
The idea raised several questions from council members, including whether TEDC should be involved in discussions about where municipal buildings go and how the city’s ongoing Legacy Square plans would fit into the conversation.
Staff said the committee would not make a final decision, but would help review options, costs and priorities before anything came back to council.
During the discussion, the item was tabled, and no action was taken.
