What’s being done
At the Dec. 2 Schertz City Council meeting, council unanimously approved the acquisition of 710 Main St. for an amount not to exceed $194,000.
The property, a house and surrounding land adjacent to Main Street Garage, was purchased to support efforts to redevelop Main Street and enhance attractiveness to residents and visitors, according to agenda documents. Purchase of the property, plus additional closing costs, will be taken out of the city’s general fund from sales taxes received over estimates in fiscal year 2024-25.
What they’re saying
Schertz resident Dana Eldridge said the city has talked about Main Street revitalization for years and questioned the action’s place on the council’s consent agenda.
“Why are we spending $200,000 or more to purchase a house on Main Street?” Eldridge said.
Deputy City Manager Brian James said the city needed more options for Main Street revitalization beyond improvement grants, and purchased properties can be used as an “incubator space” for a new business.
James said the city has already seen value go up on Main Street properties, as the city could have purchased the space for “half” before improvements began.
“We have a lot of great things here, ... but a lot of people want that unique place for their community. We’ve seen success for other communities [like] Cibolo [and] New Braunfels, and we want Main Street to be that for Schertz,” James said.
