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Liberty Hill City Council approved a contract for roughly $1.5 million with developer Griffin Swinerton to conduct preliminary planning of the city’s Downtown District project.
Some context
The contract is part of a years-long effort to revitalize downtown, with the goal of transforming it into a walkable destination for residents to gather.
City Council approved the Liberty Hill Downtown Master Plan in 2024. That master plan guides the city’s efforts downtown.
“Liberty Hill has this unique opportunity with a historic Main Street,” City Manager Thomas Hunter said. “It’s got this unique opportunity to expand and be something that is specific to Liberty Hill.”
The details
The city is hiring Griffin Swinerton to act as an owner’s representative. That means the company will act as an extension of city staff, Deputy City Manager Brandon Pritchett said.
Under this contract, the firm will work to ensure the groundwork is laid properly for the project to succeed in the future, Pritchett said.
According to city documents, the scope of the contract includes refining the master plan, assessing infrastructure needs, soliciting public feedback, evaluating financing options, developing an implementation plan and leading the overall strategy of the development.
About the company
Griffin Swinerton is described on its website as a “development joint venture” between construction management firm Griffin Structures and construction company Swinerton.
Korin Crawford, executive vice president of Griffin Swinerton, said the company is a “values-driven organization” that specializes in public-private partnerships.
Crawford quoted Winston Churchill, saying, “We shape our buildings, and afterwards our buildings shape us.”
The company is currently working on projects across the country that are collectively worth $1.2 billion, including $530 million in Texas. Other significant Griffin Swinerton projects in Texas include Pflugerville’s Downtown East, the Rowlett Municipal Complex, McKinney National Airport and downtown Celina.
Griffin Swinerton’s track record shows it is the right developer for Liberty Hill, Crawford said.
“We really are selling peace of mind,” he said.
