It’s a new year, and with it, renewed hope for good things to come. I was encouraged by the news that our frontline healthcare workers received their first dose of the vaccine a couple weeks ago. I look forward to the vaccine becoming available to all portions of our community and our businesses bouncing back.
The Town has many projects and programs slated for the year. Our Parks and Recreation Department is hoping to bring back as many of our special events as possible and the opportunity to be able to come together as a community. As always, Town staff will work to keep you in the know when more information is available.
I have some exciting business news to share. Realty Capital announced four more tenants for its Class-A office campus, as part of the Lakeside International Office Center, located at 777 International Parkway. The four new tenants are Mind Matters Psychiatry, Revolution Plastics, Texas Bank & Trust, and Prime Capital Investment Advisors. These companies will join IntelliCentrics, a healthcare software company, which leased the entire top floor of the main building.
Lakeside International Office Center is comprised of a four-story, 120,000 square foot, Class-A office space building and a two-story, 18,500 square foot building, and a four-story parking garage supporting both buildings. This project is now 35 percent leased, between the two buildings, with more tenants interested. It is estimated, once fully occupied, the project will have a $50 million economic impact to the Town over the next 20 years, according to the cost benefit analysis.
Flower Mound is known for its beauty and another upgrade is on the way. In 2017, Keep Flower Mound Beautiful was awarded the Governor’s Community Achievement Award grant for $250,000 to be used for a community beautification project. The Town and KFMB agreed these funds should be earmarked for landscaped median improvements on FM 1171 (Cross Timbers Road) between FM 2499 and Garden Ridge Boulevard. The current landscaping was put in many years ago and is overgrown, showing major signs of distress, and is a completely different look from the newly-redesigned medians along FM 1171 west of Shiloh Road.
These medians were due for an upgrade by TxDOT, so having the grant money and state funding will come in handy. TxDOT designed the project and is responsible for managing the project until it is finished and handed over to the Town to maintain. As part of the project, some of the healthier existing Cedar Elm and Vitex trees will be kept while crews add in Liriope, Purple Winter Creeper, Little Bluestem, Autumn Sage, Blue Grama, Andorra Juniper, and Texas Lantana along with a mixture of mulch and rock. All the grass will be removed so the medians won’t need to be mowed, making it safer for drivers and landscape maintenance staff.
The Council voted to spend additional money, above the grant, so the project could be completed entirely, as designed, in one phase. The project will begin in May and is expected to be complete in September.
Early in December, our Fire Department coordinated a prescribed burn on the entire Flower Mound (approximately 12 acres). The burn removed the invasive plant species and will allow the natural prairie grass and wildflowers to thrive this spring. If you missed it or would like to see some amazing angles of our firefighters conducting the burn of the Mound, watch our Communications Department’s video at www.youtube.com/user/TownOfFlowerMound.
To keep you in the loop about the Town Manager search process, the Council narrowed down the candidate pool last month. This month, the Council will make their finalist choices and conduct the necessary interviews. I hope to have more progress to share with you next month.
If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to reach out to me at [email protected].
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