The backstory
Operating in New Braunfels since 1886, the ADM Milling Co., located at 398 E. San Antonio St., New Braunfels, and formerly known as the Dittlinger Mill, closed in March 2023.
The details
The site, located near the Comal River and the Tube Chute, is now zoned for high-intensity mixed use with conditions for walkability, parking studies and neighborhood compatibility.
The firm Killen, Griffin & Farrimond PLLC presented plans Nov. 25 that include applying for a special-use permit to transform several parcels of the more than 9-acre riverfront area from zoning for general business, commercial-resort and light industrial districts into a high-intensity mixed-use district.
The mixed-use redevelopment will add new commercial spaces, said Jean Drew, assistant director of planning and development services, including:
- A boutique hotel
- Restaurants
- Retail spaces
- Offices spaces
- 400-car parking garage
The rezoning approval includes conditions to meet city goals, such as a parking study, pedestrian-friendly design, setbacks near homes, and screening for loading docks and equipment, Drew said.
The silos on the property will be repurposed as part of the design, said Ashley Farrimond, a partner with the law firm.
Farrimond said that the project aims to blend historic preservation with urban renewal.
“The proposal is to do a mixed-use community ... that's desirable for people to visit, to live, to walk, to shop and for easier access downtown, as well as the tube chute along the river,” Farrimond said.
What they’re saying
Tom Jones, a resident of New Braunfels, spoke in support of the project during the public hearing.
Jones shared his personal interest in the property, noting that he "grew up in Akron, Ohio, where Quaker Oats had its very first mill."
He described how that mill was eventually "surrounded by the city" and became "an eyesore in the middle of downtown," before being redeveloped into a mixed-use space.
David Warmke, another resident of New Braunfels, expressed concerns about the proposed mixed-use redevelopment project. Warmke noted that New Braunfels is not a "Rust Belt city like Akron" struggling to survive, but rather a "vibrant, growing community."
Warmke suggested the city needs to thoroughly analyze the potential traffic impacts of the large-scale development, questioning whether the focus should be on preserving the "quality of the town" rather than just maximizing profit through redevelopment.
