Development in Abilene, Texas
Abilene, Texas, has steadily become the retail, residential, business, medical, and overall center of the surrounding Big Country. Commercial development was especially boosted in 2007, with several multimillion-dollar projects throughout the entire city. Most of the recent development is concentrated in roughly four areas in Abilene: Southwest Drive, Catclaw Drive, and Buffalo Gap Road near the Winters Freeway to the southwest, as this area becomes a strong commercial sector as well as a good residential district; Buffalo Gap Road, Beltway South, and US Highway 83/84 near and beyond the outskirts of the city in the  south with several housing developments; Loop 322 area and Oldham Ln to the southeast, also near and past the edge of the city with a mix of several residential subdivisions as well as the start of commercial growth; and State Highway 351/Ambler Avenue near Interstate 20 to the northeast, also a combination of staple retail development, similar to the southwest commercial development, and the beginnings of residential growth with a new apartment complex and growing subdivisions. Development in Abilene is accelerated in part by a growth-oriented City Council, the Development Corporation of Abilene (DCOA), the Abilene Chamber of  Commerce, the Abilene Texas Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Abilene Industrial Foundation and the Abilene Preservation League. A renewed interest in Downtown has prompted the inception of the Downtown Abilene Initiative, a coalition of individuals, business and institutions to overhaul the infrastructure of Downtown. The Abilene City Council recently approved a tax incentive for developers and business owners in efforts to overhaul the infrastructure of Downtown and the Treadaway Boulevard corridor, projected to be worth $19.76 million. Downtown. Downtown Abilene has been recently reinvigorated by a mix of grassroots efforts and formal efforts through the Abilene Chamber of Commerce's  can Not Downtown Abilene Initiative. Plans are in the works to open a hotel near the Abilene Convention Center making the city's accommodations more desirable to visitors. The Initiative is the product of several studies commissioned by the City and the Chamber. The City Council's efforts to incentivize a downtown convention hotel have not been reciprocated by Taylor County. In January 2019, the County Commissioner denied a request for a 50% tax abatement over a 10-year period. The City stated the project's success was not solely dependent on the county's ability to envision a prosperous  future. Mayor Williams is confident that private sector forces will help the massive project succeed. In March 2019, the City Council approved the incorporation of the Abilene Convention Center Hotel Development Corporation, a local government corporation (LGC). The LGC, a separate entity from the city and the council, is now responsible for the planning and execution of the project. In April 2019, the City Council approved plans for a Master Development Agreement with Garfield Public/Private. The plan involves a mix of funding sources, the majority of which is non-tax related. The city is responsible only for $12.4  million of the $66.64 million needed to complete the project. East Highway 80 divides Downtown into two districts: the North district, anchored by the Abilene Convention Center and a lively business atmosphere; and the South district, referred to as SoDA District (South of Downtown Abilene), anchored by the 20-story Enterprise Building, many government buildings and a budding nightlife scene. Growth along the Pine Street Corridor has exploded due to the addition of the Texas Tech Health Sciences Center and major construction on Hendrick Hospital. The two institutions connect Ambler Avenue to Downtown. Southwest. Much of Abilene's commercial  and retail growth is concentrated in two opposite areas of the city. In the southwest area of the city, along and near Southwest Drive, Ridgemont Drive, and Buffalo Gap Road, several new retailers and businesses have brought new names to Abilene as this area continues to attract many to new shops, hotels, and restaurants. In addition, even some new residential projects have sprouted throughout the southwest side of the city, many of which are within blocks of Rebecca Lane. Construction on several arterial and connective streets is indicative of the area's strong commercial growth. Southwest Drive was widened from  2 lanes each direction (plus central left-turn lane) to 3 lanes each direction, totaling 7 lanes from Catclaw Drive to S. Clack Street and 6 lanes under the Winters Freeway. This project was completed in late 2008. Also, Catclaw Drive was reconstructed and reconfigured to create 2 northbound lanes, 1 southbound lane, and 1 shared left-turn lane. The frontage roads of the Winters Freeway, S. Clack Street and S. Danville Drive, were reconstructed from S. 14th St to the US 83/84 & Loop 322 interchange, with restriping and minor widening done between Southwest Drive and Buffalo Gap Road from  2 lanes each to 3 lanes each. Southwest Drive and Catclaw Drive have become the source of multiple new businesses, many of which are national chains with their first Abilene location. Two new shopping centers have been created in the area since 2005, Shops at Abilene and Abilene Marketplace, though the latter currently only has one tenant. Also, Buffalo Gap Road and Ridgemont Drive have been a constant area for retail and business and still continues to develop. Here the Mall of Abilene has been a strong spur for commerce since the 1980s, after it was constructed in 1979. Contained  is a list of several new businesses brought to this commercial district since the turn of the century. The following four hotels are all located on a short stretch of Catclaw Drive north of Southwest Drive. South. Along the edge of the city and beyond city limits, several new subdivisions have come to fruition in only the last few years. South of Antilley Road, these subdivisions mainly use two routes to enter the city, Buffalo Gap Road and US Highway 83/84, where many of these places are located. This surge of residential growth is evidence of both recent outward growth  in the city and the desire for open spaces often exhibited by urbanites as well as suburbanites. The following subdivisions are located outside of the city limits. Southeast. In commercial development, the southeast area of Abilene, around Loop 322, is likely "ranked third in the city" for development. Currently, all that exists is a family entertainment center, a small local shopping center, a restaurant, and a new gas station. Albeit, that could easily change in near future with the area possibly on the move towards self-sustainability. The area is definitely a leading source of residential development. Several subdivisions have  broken ground around the Loop area and along Oldham Lane/FM 1750. As business develops in the area, the southeast region could become analogous to the southwest area, but today the region is only in its initial stages. Commercial. Though only a few businesses are in the southeast area outside of Loop 322, the area does show promise for future growth. With housing construction on the rise, the region proves to be a good market for residential necessity businesses such as grocery and home improvement stores or possibly restaurants. Currently, however, there exist a unique collection of various local businesses  and very few, if any, chain stores. Northeast. Along State Highway 351 outside of I-20 and along the interstate to the west, the northeast region of Abilene technically started development in the mid-1980s when the Heritage Parks subdivision first broke ground. However, after the turn of the 21st century, construction accelerated rapidly for the area to become the second strongest area of development in the city. Since 2005, the Heritage Parks subdivision has expanded; a new community and apartment complex have begun; a Wal-Mart has been attracted to the area, enticing more commercial growth, and a new master-planned  commercial district has been created by a major developer, Kenneth Musgrave, who owned, and still owns, much of the land in the area along SH 351. Industrial and Business Parks. Five Points Business Park. An 800-acre industrial park with direct access to Interstate 20, the Union Pacific Railroad and 15 minutes from the Abilene Regional Airport. The park is fully equipped with all major utility infrastructures in place, including water, wastewater, natural gas, electric, and telecommunications. Current tenants include Broadwind Towers, Texas Healthcare Linen, TxDOT, Atmos Energy, Pactiv, Tucker Energy, and Zoltek-Toray. Lots of available space. Access Business  Park. Announced in 2018 by the Development Corporation of Abilene, Access Business Park is a high-end, upper-business class industrial development located directly south of I-20 and directly across from Abilene Regional Airport (ABI). The park offers excellent infrastructure including electricity, natural gas, telecommunications, water and wastewater. The sole current tenant is an anonymous business known as "Project Ladybug" for whom the DCOA approved a $2.3 million investment.