Cedar Park To Recommend Developer For Ambitious Mixed-Use Project

CEDAR PARK, TEXAS — City staff members are poised to recommend a contractor for development of Bell Boulevard into a community focal point in the form of a mixed-use project containing retail, restaurant, office and residential space abutting the 12-acre Buttercup Creek Natural Area, according to city officials.

Toward the end of transforming a portion of the key artery into a "true gateway and destination for the community," city staff is urging city council to approve RedLeaf Properties as developer in a public-private partnership, city officials said in a press advisory. Among its past projects, RedLeaf Properties is the firm that developed the HIghland Mall redevelopment, city officials noted.

The site is envisioned as a community gathering place for city celebrations and destination point for myriad family-friendly activities, city officials said. The plans come amid consistently brisk growth for Cedar Park, twice named fourth-fastest growing city in the country by the U.S. Bureau of the Census in recent years.

City staff will be making their recommendation to city council at their regularly scheduled meeting s scheduled Thursday, Jan. 10.

“We are thrilled about entering this public-private partnership with RedLeaf Properties," Assistant City Manager Katherine Caffrey said in a prepared statement. "They are an Austin-based real estate developer with a stellar reputation for executing large-scale, multi-phase projects in partnership with public sector entities and fostering productive relationships with stakeholders. We believe this is key in realizing the Cedar Park community’s shared vision of the great potential for the Bell Boulevard District.”

City officials described RedLeaf as a master developer known for its "forward-thinking public entities such as cities and educational campuses" renowned for creating "vibrant, amenity-rich mixed-use communities." RedLeaf’s Central Texas projects include its role as master developer and partner with Austin Community College in a public-private partnership for the redevelopment of Highland Mall in Austin, co-developer for La Frontera Plaza in Round Rock, and master developer for the City of Austin Planning and Development Center in Highland. Moreover, prior to forming RedLeaf, company founder and principal Matt Whelan was responsible for the $2 billion Mueller Redevelopment while working for Catellus Development Corp., city officials added.

“Cedar Park has done a wonderful job in establishing a community vision for Bell and we are honored to have the opportunity to be a part of this exciting project," Whelan said in a prepared statement.

Added RedLeaf partner Rob Shands: “We are thrilled to begin this journey with Cedar Park. These projects take time and tremendous coordination to execute. We’re ready to roll up our sleeves and get to work. We look forward to the opportunity to engage with the community as we move towards execution.”

Caffrey praised RedLeaf further: “RedLeaf’s experience and reputation in developing transformational projects is exceptional. They have a demonstrated a comprehensive understanding of what it takes to successfully execute a project of this magnitude. We are confident that once completed, the Bell Boulevard District will be the Cedar Park destination for families and the community – as well as the place-to-be for businesses.”

If approved as developer for the project, the city will engage in a multi-year partnership with RedLeaf Properties, Caffrey said.

The RedLeaf recommendation is the culmination of a months-long process to procure a master developer and private partner for the Bell Boulevard Redevelopment Project, city officials said. The process began last May, with a Request for Qualifications (RFQ). Two developers were chosen to respond to an invitation-only Request for Proposals (RFP) in September, in the City’s effort to ultimately determine a sole partner.

City officials provided a primer on the envisioned project:

What is the Bell Boulevard District?

The Bell Boulevard District is located on Bell Boulevard (US 183), the primary north-south corridor for Cedar Park, between Buttercup Creek Boulevard and Park Street. While the area was once a vital community hub, it has not experienced the same level of economic growth seen in other areas of the city. In 2014, during a city-wide comprehensive planning process, the community expressed strong interest in seeing this area revitalized. Revitalization of the Bell Boulevard District is a top priority for Cedar Park.

The project is backed by a master plan utilizing redevelopment experts from across the nation, thorough financial modeling and forecasting for the public and private sector, and significant public investment in the project thus far. This area will become a 40-acre mixed-use development featuring retail, restaurant, office and residential space as well as the 12-acre Buttercup Creek Natural Area. The core of the Bell Boulevard District will be a walkable area designed especially for pedestrian traffic. The property poised for redevelopment includes approximately 20 acres of city-owned property and an additional 12 acres of parkland the City also owns.

For more information on the Bell Boulevard District, click here.

Get Patch's Daily Newsletters and Real Time Alerts

>>> Image via Shutterstock