Recent Relocations/Expansions

• A regional satellite office for the UTSA Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is now a reality in downtown New Braunfels.  Thanks to the efforts of the Center for Entreprenuership (CTE) and funding from economic development corporations in New Braunfels, Seguin and Schertz – the regional center is now open and located at 800 W. San Antonio St, across from the McKenna Events Center in the law office building of Tom Clark. The center will serve the needs of existing and potential small business owners throughout Comal and Guadalupe Counties which is expected to be a fertile ground for entrepreneurial activity.
  

• Local Medical Industry Analyzed  - Build NB staff asked the Texas Comptroller’s Office to analyze the area’s medical industry.  The report was finalized July 15.  Total employment in this sector has risen from 7.9% of the total employment base in 2001 to 9.9% in 2010.  The report does not include The SCOOTER Store, New Braunfels Regional Rehabilitation Hospital, the coming Resolute Health complex or expansions at Eden Hill. 
  

• Statistics show that 80% of businesses in America today are those of small business owners. New Braunfels area surpasses that number with over 84% of businesses considered small business. And the number keeps growing. Over 2,000 new businesses were formed in the last 10 years. And with the recent spike in unemployment, entrepreneurship seems to be on the rise again. While we spend time recruiting new business and helping those established one’s to grow, there is a real need to encourage and support those who want to start their own business from scratch.  Fortunately for the New Braunfels area, we have had the Small Business Advisor program (through UTSA’s Small Business Development Center) come to our Chamber offices for over 20 years to help support these folks with suggestions how to start a business from A-Z. More than 150 new small business-minded people have used this service each year for the past couple of years.
  

• TXI Receives Area’s First Chapter 313 Incentive - The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts on April 1 informed Comal ISD and TXI Hunter Cement officials that their agency had approved the area’s first Chapter 313 appraisal value limitation incentive.  TXI will be investing a qualified investment of $130 million in their second kiln project that will serve a large portion of Texas and retain and grow local jobs at the plant.  The valuation will be established at $100 million during an eight-year incentive period.  It is the first Chapter 313 appraisal valuation limitation project approved in Comal County history.  Congratulations, TXI Hunter Cement!
  

• The new Bucee’s under construction at the IH 35/FM 306 intersection is showing changes almost daily.  The site preparations are complete and steel is being erected for the pumping stations.  Be looking for Beaver Nuggets, fuel, pastries, and much more in 2012!
  

• The new NBRRH located in Sundance Park opened on July 18, and welcomed 8 new patients.  The new 50,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art facility is owned by Ernest Health and will employ more than 90 at full operation.  Jennifer Malatek, local health care professional in New Braunfels, is the CEO and Administrator for this new hospital.   The NBRRH will provide services in the unique arena of neurological care for stroke patients and traumatic head, neck and spine injuries.  The facility houses a full rehabilitation gym and swimming pool.  Congratulations on the opening of this new facility for our community!
  

• It will not be long before the more than 170 trucks per day beginning rolling in and out of the new Sysco Distribution facility located at IH35 and Schwab Rd.  The new 600,000+ sq. ft. location will house 350,000 sq. ft. of freezer/cooler space and 600 employees.  Welcome to New Braunfels Sysco.  Look for their opening in the fall of this year.
  

• HUNTER’S VILLAGE RESIDENTS CONTINUE TO GROW—Sage Bank, the first resident in Hunter’s Village, continues to get new neighbors.  Prodigy Learning Center, the newest, will open in August 2011 to welcome a new school year of students.  The second facility for the Prodigy Group, will offer child care services. 
  

• Comal County Commissioners have struck a deal with engine manufacturing company Caterpillar to provide financial incentives for a new parts manufacturing plant that will be relocating from Central Mexico to Schertz, but within the Comal County limits. The tax abatement agreement covers the first 8 years of the plant’s operations, and Phase 1 alone would create 60 new jobs, with 3 more planned phases of operation.
  
• In October 2010, TXI - Texas Industries, announced their plans to resume the expansion of their Hunter Cement Plant in New Braunfels. When complete, the expansion will top the 350-million dollar mark. It will also increase their cement-making capacity from 900-thousand tons to 2.3-million tons a year. And when they’re done, another 30 to 40 workers will have to be hired to help them handle that increased capacity. Work on that project is about 85% complete.
  
• In October 2010, Christus Santa Rosa Hospital in New Braunfels opened an advanced wound care center. Christus will use the center to provide advanced treatment for diabetes and chronic wounds. This center along with a new cardiac center and dialysis center brings over $20 million in new medical investment into the New Braunfels community.
  
• In September 2010, New Braunfels, Schertz and Seguin economic development groups are set to merge some areas of their economic development activities and market themselves as the regional 10/35 Economic Development Alliance to site selectors and prospects.
  
• Leading New Braunfels family has announced plans to turn its 2,400-acre cattle ranch along the Guadalupe River into a master-planned development over the next 15 to 20 years. The project will add at least 30 percent to the physical size of New Braunfels.
  
• New Braunfels Municipal Airport secured a contract with the Federal Aviation Administration to take over the cost and operations of the operation tower in September 2010.
  
• New Braunfels Regional Rehabilitation Hospital broke ground in September 2010 at the former site of the Sundance Golf Course following City Council’s decision to approve the 4B Board’s recommendation to give Ernest Health a 370-thousand dollar job training grant. Since then Ernest Health has green-lighted their more than 12-million dollar capital project here in New Braunfels.  Once it's complete, the 50,000 sq. ft. facility will create close to 100 new jobs, and over half of those jobs will be clinical positions like nurses, physical therapists, and occupational therapists. Construction should take about a year. Then the company will take 4 weeks to train their staff for rehabilitative care.
  
•  Texas-based online social stationer, Expressionery.com, will be one of a select group of brands included in the 2010 Daytime Emmy Awards gift bags.
  
• Ground was broken Friday for a 14-screen cinema in the quickly developing north side of New Braunfels at The New Braunfels Town Center at Creekside, a retail and mixed-use development.
  
• Christus Santa Rosa Hospital - New Braunfels is opening their new state of the art cardio-vascular center and will handle diagnostic testing, catharization, stent placements, open heart surgery and virtually any other cardio-vascular procedure.
  
• The Courtyard New Braunfels River Village Hotel exceeded 40 other Marriott hotels that opened in 2009 in occupancy and as a result, was recently awarded the Marriott’s 2009 North American Sales Ramp Up Award.
  
• The local Ashley Furniture franchise group known as Hill Country Furniture Partners located was recently honored in Furniture Today Magazine as the fastest growing furniture retailer in the nation in 2009 in both percentage and dollar increase.
  
•  The Baptist Health System has purchased a 56-acre parcel in New Braunfels where it plans to build a 220+ bed, full-service hospital and expected to open in 2012.
  
• In late March 2010, Sysco Foods, Inc announced intent to build a major distributioncenter - combining Round Rock and San Antonio facilities.
  
• Six local companies exanded in 2009 in New Braunfels - Detex Corporation, Ashley Furniture and Miner Corporation bought companies, Symons Corporation and The Scooter Store both received incentives for expansion and AutoGas was bought by another company, but the Research and Development Department remains in New Braunfels and is growing.
  
• Schobels, a third-generation family owned restaurant opened its doors this October. The 10,000 square foot building is located off IH-35 and FM 725 and employs approximately 25 employees.
  
• August was move-in month for The SCOOTER STORE employees to Comal Plaza on Business Hwy. 81.   The 3.8 million dollar incentive package is helping the  company officials to upgrade their existing  infrastructure at their main campus off Loop 337 and Independence Drive as well as to employ up to 500 more employees, paying 25% above the average county wage.   The company is now the largest private employer in Comal County. 
  
• Ashley Furniture HomeStores had expanded their new call center.  The center is adding forty jobs in response to the company’s acquisition of six former Finger Furniture Stores in the greater Houston area. New Braunfels-based Hill Country Furniture Partners now have fourteen Ashley Stores in all and is in negotiations to open three more stores in the Houston area within the next year.   

• The River Village Courtyard by Marriott project opened up to packed crowds. The 125-room hotel features a waterfront view and a 4,000 sq foot meeting space. The addition of this hotel and 5 others mark an increase of 600+ new rooms, the largest increase of hotel rooms in 20 years.
  
• Leisure Pools – After seven years in San Antonio, the fiberglass in-ground pool manufacturer chose New Braunfels as the place to build its 75,000 sq ft. manufacturing facility and expected to employ 50 people. Completion of phase I is expected to end in November 2008 with Phase II completion to be in 2010.
  
• EH Systems - Announced expansion in 2008, and relocated a 70,000 sq foot operation to 103,000 sq foot operation making SIP Panels. They added 3 new lines producing roof panels, steel studs, 24’ wall panels. The expansion required nearly $5 million investment in equipment and added 32 new jobs. In addition, EH Systems received training grant from NBIDC.
  
• Ashley Furniture - In November 2008, Ashley Furniture Store announced plans to expand its current warehouse facility to the tune of 28 million, adding 120 jobs.
  
• Creekside –414 acres, Target is the anchor store of phase 1, 250 million cost of construction over $26 million in public drainage and road improvements completed, part of a tax increment reinvestment zone. Super target opened in July 2008, followed by JC Penney’s, Famous Footwear, Maurice’s and Best Buy.
  
• Center for Entreprenuership –  A New Braunfels Incubator project, designed to teach skills to help prospective businesses get off the ground and be successful. Build NB provided $180,000 to initially fund the project. It is geared toward the culinary arts, designed to accommodate budding entrepreneurs from a variety of different fields.
  
• TownCreek –Mixed used development, in Phase I. Construction underway for up to 600 homes.
  
• Gulf States LTAC – Long Term Acute Care Hospital, 40 beds providing post-hospital care, $15 million cost of construction.
  
• River Village Courtyard by Marriott – broke ground in late 2008 and opened in July 2009. The 125 room hotel development features an outdoor deck with a Guadalupe river view, upscale restaurant and a 4,000 sq feet meeting room and conference space.
  
• Sundance Inn Health Center – Provides individualized medical rehabilitation. Developed by TriSun.
  
• Sam’s Distribution Center – Warehouse space for Sam’s club opened in early 2008 and will be providing up to 60 jobs. The distribution center is one of 3 in Texas.