Waco City Council Welcomes New and Returning Members for Two-Year Terms

The City of Waco welcomes new and returning councilmembers, including Isabel Lozano (District Two), George Chase (District Five), and Darius Ewing (District Four), who were sworn in for two-year terms at the May 13 City Council meeting. Andrea Barefield was also named mayor pro tem, stepping in as mayor when Mayor Jim Holmes is unavailable. The council will continue to lead Waco into a bright future.

With a ceremonial turn of dirt, construction began on a $1 billion mixed-use development near the University of North Texas at Dallas campus. The University Hills project, a major milestone for the City of Dallas, is a significant step towards urban development and economic growth [1].

The project, led by developer Mike Hoque of Hoque Global, includes a mix of residential, commercial, and potentially a mixed-use stadium designed to attract a professional sports team. The development is expected to span 270 acres and is part of a city-incentivized initiative that has faced some skepticism from councilmembers [1].

The City of Dallas has committed nearly $35 million in economic incentives for the project, with the potential for further increases, according to City Manager Kimberly Tolbert. Despite the initial skepticism, the project has been hailed as a "big deal" by Hoque, who noted that the development is a long-time coming and a sign of the right timing in the current economic climate [1].

The University Hills project is not Hoque's only ambitious undertaking. The developer also owns a swath of acreage behind Dallas City Hall, where he plans to build a towering mixed-use development called Newpark. This project is expected to start construction by the end of the year, with the city promising nearly $100 million in public dollars to support it [1].

Hoque's plans have faced setbacks in other cities. In Fort Worth, the developer faced delays and missed deadlines on a project to develop a plan on the city's southside, leading to the city pulling out of the deal [1]. In Mansfield, a $50 million project also missed a construction deadline, but the company is working on a solution to maintain public incentive dollars [1].

Despite these challenges, Hoque remains optimistic about his projects, stating that "you cannot do a project that changes the neighborhood by deadline. You have to do a dream, you have to dream big" [1].

References:
[1] https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/dallas-county/1-billion-project-breaks-ground-southern-dallas-just-before-city-incentive-deadline/287-d1fa9409-a827-4ef5-b609-cff638355d82