More than 140 developers, brokers, investors, and city leaders filled Buda City Hall on Tuesday for the Hays (Caldwell) Commercial Real Estate Meetup, marking the largest gathering in the event's four-year history and a rare joint appearance by six economic development leaders from Hays and Caldwell Counties. The session, hosted by the Buda Economic Development Corporation, was built around a clear regional theme: one region, two counties, five communities.
Panelists Jennifer L. Storm of the Buda EDC; Victoria Vargas of the City of Kyle; Helen Ramirez, AICP, of the City of San Marcos; Holly Malish, CEcD, of the Lockhart EDC; Ari Arias of the Luling EDC; and Mike Kamerlander, CEcD, of the Hays Caldwell Economic Development Partnership outlined priorities, recent wins, and a collaborative outlook for growth into 2027.
Organizer Tim Dowling of The Roundabout in Buda said the turnout confirmed strong market demand for direct conversation with the people shaping local investment. "We've run this meetup for four years, and we've never seen a response like this," Dowling said. "Getting six regional economic development leaders in the same room, all sharing their real priorities for where their communities are headed, is a rare opportunity."
Storm welcomed the sold-out audience on behalf of Buda, framing the city's role as Austin access without Austin friction: a smaller, responsive business climate on I-35, a highly educated talent base, and roughly three million square feet of Class A industrial space available or under construction. She also highlighted The Depot on Main, a revitalized historic train depot reimagined as a launchpad for makers and retail startups, with a planned grand opening in early 2027. "I am proud to partner with my esteemed colleagues and economic development leaders across the region to collaborate and work together for the future of our connected corridor and our shared vision for growth in our communities," Storm said.
The panel portrayed a corridor that is diversified, strategically located, and deliberately collaborative. Hays County's workforce growth, Texas State University's innovation ecosystem, and site successes such as the H-E-B redevelopment in Buda were presented alongside Caldwell County's cost-competitive land, SH 130 and I-10 connectivity, and emerging high-value industry. Speakers stressed that companies gain choice across five distinct communities while still benefiting from shared infrastructure, permitting support, and a regional labor market of more than 2.7 million workers within a 60-minute drive.
Community highlights underscored how complementary the corridor has become. Kyle pointed to healthcare expansion, including St. David's new emergency center and ACC's growing health sciences presence, plus new Class A industrial inventory at Kyle Commerce Center. San Marcos described itself as the region's education and innovation powerhouse, with Texas State University, STAR Park, the regional airport, and an advancing aerospace and defense ecosystem. Lockhart celebrated Hill Country Foodworks' leap from 10,000 to 62,000 square feet and new downtown redevelopment frameworks. Luling, gateway to I-10, spotlighted X-Bow's production campus and a widening aerospace and retail footprint.
Leaders returned throughout to partnership over competition, describing economic development as job creation, honest deal-making, and "dot connecting," not blank checks. Workforce readiness, regional job fairs, career and technical education, and business retention emerged as shared priorities, while small business support to microloan partnerships was celebrated as essential to the quality of place that draws and keeps talent.
Kamerlander and colleagues framed the Austin-San Antonio Innovation Corridor as Central Texas' next defining opportunity, with aerospace and dual-use defense technology accelerating alongside advanced manufacturing, retail, and hospitality. The tone was confident and collegial: leaders, backed by regional partnership, presenting not as rivals but as a coordinated front. The Hays (Caldwell) Commercial Real Estate Meetup meets the second Tuesday of each month and serves professionals shaping commercial real estate and economic growth across Hays County, Caldwell County, and the Texas Innovation Corridor.
