development news

Construction starts on new Pflugerville city hall and recreation center

A new City Hall, recreation center, and civic plaza are coming to Pflugerville in a multi-million dollar project aimed at revitalizing the city's downtown area.

Developers for the Pflugerville Downtown East project broke ground in early December, with completion expected by fall 2026. According to the city's website, one of the main goals behind the project is to centralize city services while creating a "socially vibrant" extension of downtown Pflugerville that will last for generations.

Construction is taking place at the 29-acre Pflugerville Tract, which is located at the corner of FM 685 and East Pecan Street.

"Through this Downtown East Project, we construct a first-of-its-kind space for Pflugerville residents and visitors to enjoy,” Mayor Victor Gonzales said in a statement. "It is a significant undertaking and shows the commitment of your city government with this investment in our downtown. It is a testament to hardworking community members who advocated for shared and social spaces including a city hall, multigenerational recreation center and civic plaza."

The new campus will include a four-story, 104,000-square-foot City Hall building that will house all of the city's municipal departments, City Council Chambers, public-facing services, governmental staff offices, and more. The City of Pflugerville is keeping the future in mind by reserving the entire third floor for expansions.

New Pflugerville City Hall rendering, Pflugerville Downtown East project Imagine the views of Pflugerville from the rooftop terrace at City Hall.Rendering courtesy of LPA Design Studios

New Pflugerville City Hall exterior rendering, Pflugerville Downtown East project

Rendering courtesy of LPA Design Studios

Completion of the Pflugerville Downtown East project is expected in fall 2026.

A fifth-floor rooftop terrace will provide views over downtown and over the new outdoor plaza, which will connect City Hall to the new recreation center. The plaza will serve as a community space with a stage for local performances, play areas for children, and more.

General contractors Swinerton Builders and Byrne Construction Services are charged with bringing this grand vision to life.

"This project will serve as a vibrant community hub, bringing essential services together while offering welcoming gathering spaces," said Pflugerville assistant city manager Emily Barron in a press release.

The mixed-use recreation center will be even bigger than City Hall. It'll span 140,000 square feet over three levels, and about 10,500 square feet of the ground floor will be dedicated to retail space.

New Pflugerville recreation center interior rendering, Pflugerville Downtown East project The first floor will contain a community lounge and a childcare center, as well as retail space.Rendering courtesy of BRS Architects

The rest of the building will contain a first-floor community lounge and childcare center, an indoor-outdoor turf area, an indoor pool, a gym, and a second-floor track and fitness area. The third level will include a multipurpose event space, classrooms, and outdoor patio.

Parking and supported infrastructure is also included in the project.

"Once complete, this project offers a profound impact on our City, as it extends downtown Pflugerville, encourages a walk along the Gilleland Creek Trail, and welcomes residents to gather in the heart of our city," Mayor Gonzales said.

Final Chapter

South Congress Books closing final chapter 2 years after big move

southcongressbooks.com

The store survived the move for a while, but it wasn't sustainable.

While they say all good stories must come to an end, Austinites never want that to be true of independent local businesses—especially this time of year. After relocating to Kerbey Lane in 2022, South Congress Books announced it would be closing its doors for good in the coming weeks.

The store announced the closure in an Instagram post on Friday, December 6:

“On the heels of Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Giving Tuesday, we bring you We Surrender December,” the post reads. “After two years of valiantly trying to survive (if not thrive) in our new location, we’ve made the hard decision not to renew our lease.”

The post goes on to thank customers for their business over the years, but shares that keeping the shop open beyond the current year is not “sustainable or prudent.”

The store first opened its doors on South Congress thirteen years ago, back before that particular avenue became home to international brands like Nike and Hermes. Over the years, rising rent on the once-quirky street has squeezed out unique local businesses like Lucy in Disguise in favor of chain stores.

As such, it was no major surprise when, in 2022, the small bookstore announced it was moving north of downtown. Loyal customers hoped that neighbors like the original Kerbey Lane Cafe would bring in a steady stream of foot traffic, but that has apparently not been the case.

Commenters on the farewell post all grieved the news, sharing that the shop would be missed.

In a small bit of silver lining, the shop did announce that it will maintain a presence on Abebooks.com (as Tornbooks) and Ebay (as South Congress Books). Austinites can also browse a special selection of the shop; books at Uncommon Objects (1602 Fortview Road) in South Austin and Antiques of Oakmont (1803-A W. 35th Street), just around the corner from the current location.

In the meantime, the Kerbey Lane store is offering a ten percent discount through December 24 and then 20 percent off between December 26 and January 5, 2025.

books closings