Round Rock gypsum property development a work in progress

So far the city has received one letter of interest to develop the property from Trio Development, a Georgetown company. Wiseman said it is early in the process and difficult to know how the development will play out.

The city would like to sell the entire property to a developer that has a concept that aligns with the city's vision of a pedestrian-friendly area with potential restaurant options, an entertainment venue and retail, Wiseman said.

The city has not yet established a timeline for the project, Wiseman said. Round Rock officials would like to move fast to develop the property but want to find the right developer first, he said.

Regarding the sale of land, City Council will negotiate with a developer when it has the right proposal for the property and development team. There will be more opportunity for public input when it is clearer what could be developed, Wiseman said.

City Councilman Craig Morgan said buying the gypsum property was a good opportunity that will help the city realize its vision of downtown. However, Morgan did not quite see the purchase as an instance of the city acting as a developer.

"We ... have the responsibility to help try to make downtown a place where people come and congregate and enjoy the city and stay in Round Rock," Morgan said.

The purchase of the gypsum tract fits with a multi-year effort by Round Rock to remake and improve the city center.

For years the city has gradually renovated portions of downtown. Streets have been widened, streetlights have been installed and plazas were erected.

In 2010, City Council approved a downtown master plan. David Pavliska, a member of the Round Rock Planning and Zoning Commission and local real estate broker, said developing the tract could be a "keystone" for the master plan.

Pavliska said the gypsum property development is still early in its development, and it is difficult to know what the end product could be.

"[The gypsum property] is another piece of the puzzle that brings the big picture together," Pavliska said.

David Curran, a Realtor who works across the street from the property at Jimmy Joseph Realtors, said developing the tract would be great for the city, but there will be some obstacles.

He said developers, or the city, will need to address traffic issues. For example, a portion of Bagdad Avenue narrows and veers under the Mays Street bridge then stops abruptly near the northwestern side of the property, Curran said.

Also, trains running down the railroad line behind the tract are loud, and there is a guano odor from bat colonies under the Mays Street and I-35 bridges, Curran said.

"I wouldn't want to eat a $50 steak and have to smell that," Curran said.

Round Rock has begun working with Union Pacific to create a railroad quiet zone within the city that could lower noise at the property.

Dennis Smith, general manager at Krave, a restaurant and bar on Main Street near the gypsum property, said the development could be a boon for the city.

"The city put a lot of money into making downtown Round Rock what it is now," Smith said. "If they keep at it with a long-term plan, it could turn into a strong economic engine for the city."