Buda Mayor Lee Urbanovsky shared how the city has evolved from a quiet downtown to a bustling weekend destination and outlined its long-term planning approach in a recent episode of This Austin Suburb Was a Ghost Town. Now It's Packed Every Weekend. The conversation with host Justin McKenzie focuses on the fast-growing city between Austin and San Marcos and its strategy for managing growth decades into the future.
Urbanovsky, who has lived in Buda for more than 25 years, first ran for City Council in 2016 because he felt a council composed mostly of retirees was out of touch with younger families. He was elected mayor in 2020 after initially declining requests to run for the top seat. A career in development and construction shapes his approach to growth, and he cites consistency in the city's development process as his proudest achievement. "We can do it slow if we have to, but we need to be consistent and predictable," he said.
The episode covers several projects that follow from that long-term view. Garison Park, on land the city purchased in 2016, will open access to Onion Creek, which Urbanovsky describes as one of the city's most beautiful gems. Buda Championship Park, formerly the Sportsplex, has been expanded to eight softball fields with grandstands and turf improvements, and it hosted a soft-opening event with the Pony World Series. Additionally, 2021 bond projects are underway on Goforth Road, Old Black Colony Road and Austin Street, which runs parallel to Main Street and could become a second downtown corridor.
The heart of the conversation is downtown Buda. Urbanovsky moved to Buda in 2000, about a month before H-E-B opened, when downtown was, in his words, "a ghost town after about 6:00." Today he enjoys sitting on Main Street on a Friday or Saturday "just watch people, because it's people I don't know, which is amazing." He credits collaboration among the City Council, the Greater Buda Chamber of Commerce and the Buda Economic Development Corporation, which he says started during COVID when the city found ways to support small businesses. McKenzie also acknowledged Monica Davidson, CEO of the Greater Buda Chamber of Commerce and a Buda City Council member, for revitalizing business collaboration over the past two years. Urbanovsky agreed that "the collaboration between the chamber and the EDC and the city council as a whole has made huge strides," adding that "Monica and Jennifer absolutely made a huge part of that," referring to Davidson and Jennifer Storm, CEO of the Buda Economic Development Corporation.
The episode wraps with live music at the Buda Amphitheater & City Park, including September's Railcar Revival music festival, and Urbanovsky's invitation for residents to get involved through the EDC, the chamber or by reaching out to him directly. He advises new council members to "do your homework and be available." The full episode is available on The Building Texas Show.
For readers and businesses, Buda's experience illustrates how consistent development processes and strong institutional collaboration can transform a commuter suburb into a vibrant community hub. The city's proactive planning and investment in parks, infrastructure and downtown revitalization position it for continued growth, offering a potential model for other fast-growing regions grappling with similar challenges.
