Austin American Statesman

Today I bring you news from the fast-growing city of Hutto in Williamson County, north of Austin.

The developer of the Hutto Co-Op District has unveiled new renderings of a four-story office building and Hutto’s first parking garage for a mixed-use project. Both buildings are under construction in the district.

The Co-Op District is a 35-acre business, retail, entertainment and residential project being developed on U.S. 79 in Hutto, which has about 37,000 residents.

Due to open in the first quarter of next year, the 64,000-square-foot office building will have ground floor retail and offices with floor-to-ceiling glass, with opportunities for ceilings rising 10 feet or taller. Architectural details include wood soffits, decorative steel panels and an elevated pedestrian experience that will tie into the live/work/play feel of The Co-Op District, which will feature a walkable design connecting to the city’s historic downtown.

There’s no word yet on prospective tenants for the office or retail space in the building.

The design of the office and retail building is the work of Hip.Hop.Design Studio, led by architect James Cornetet and interior designer Nicole Cornetet.

Adjacent to the office building will be the Co-Op District’s state-of-the-art parking garage, designed by Walker Consultants and built by John King Construction. The six-story garage will have about 450 parking spaces.

The parking garage construction is due to open around the same time as The Co-Op District’s newest restaurant offering, Jack Allen’s Kitchen, which is set to break ground in the next 60 days. The Co-Op District is already home to Hutto City Hall, the Hutto Public Library and Texas-grown tenants such as Southside Market BBQ and Top Notch Burgers.

“The bar has been set very high at The Co-Op in terms of quality, craftmanship and design aesthetic, and we want to ensure that from the moment you arrive on site, to your parking experience, to your visit to a restaurant, shop or office space, the experience is not only favorable, but also memorable,” says Bob Wunsch of MA Partners, the developer of The Co-Op District.

The Co-Op District is located at the site of the original Hutto Co-Op, built in 1937, which served as one of the strongest visual symbols of Hutto representing its agricultural heritage.

The new district features four towering grain silos that have been preserved and will tie into the project’s master plan, bridging Hutto’s history with the city’s culture and allure to businesses, residents and tourists. It is meant to be a community gathering spot with activities and offerings for people of all ages.

To view the story from the Austin American Statesman, CLICK HERE.

The New Year always brings with it the excited anticipation of restaurant openings. Where will you be dining in 2024? Probably at some of these restaurants.

New locations of existing favorites and concepts seeing their first light will roll out throughout the year, from Cedar Park to Buda. Below is a list of some of the places we’re keeping an eye on for 2024.

Jack Allen’s Kitchen

Principals and concept: One of Austin’s most tenured and influential chefs, Jack Gilmore, brings his brand of upmarket comfort food to the Hutto Co-Op District, joining Southside Market, Top Notch Burgers and Cocina Jalisco. 

Location: 420 US 79, Hutto 

ETA: Summer

To read the article in its entirety, from the Austin American-Statesman, CLICK HERE.

Austin’s retail scene has seen a lot of change in the past couple of years. Local treasures have closed. But a new wave of expansion is happening. The market is hot.

Both existing retailers and newcomers are growing in Central Texas, and the list of stores, hospitality and entertainment projects coming to Austin in 2024 keeps growing.

The local retail market currently has an occupancy rate of 97%, according to commercial real estate firm Weitzman, which says the region remains the tightest major-metro retail market in Texas in terms of occupancy.

Here is a short list of new projects that are coming on board next year. We will continue to update this story as readers share what’s happening in their areas.

Jack Allen’s joining Hutto Co-Op District

The Hutto Co-Op District on Highway 79 continues to boom, with new restaurant tenant Jack Allen’s Kitchen arriving in summer of 2024. The restaurant will join Southside Market, Top Notch Burgers and Cocina Jalisco at the growing mixed-use development. The City of Hutto offices and the Hutto Public Library are also located at the 35-acre Co-Op District.

To read the article in its entirety, from the Austin American-Statesman, CLICK HERE.

Hutto may be full of new growth, but it now has a taste of old Austin. Iconic burger and fried chicken restaurant Top Notch opened on Wednesday at 420 U.S. 79 in the Hutto Co-Op District, a 35-acre mixed-use development that is also home to the new Hutto City Hall.

The new location of the longtime Burnet Road burger joint, memorialized in director Richard Linklater’s seminal 1993 film “Dazed and Confused,” joins fellow tenant Southside Market & Barbecue.

The owners have made efforts to transport the classic feel of the original to the new location, including aesthetic and service touches like the neon signage and car-hop stations.

Frances and Ray Stanish opened Top Notch in 1971, and Frances sold it to the team behind Austin-based Galaxy Cafe in 2010.

The Hutto location will be open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.