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Burnet EDC moves forward with proposed Badger Building renovation

The Burnet Economic Development Corp. has restarted renovations to the Badger Building in an effort to coax a tenant and help spur economic growth in the downtown area. File photo

The Burnet Economic Development Corp. has restarted renovations to the Badger Building in an effort to coax a tenant and help spur economic growth in the downtown area. File photo

CONNIE SWINNEY • STAFF WRITER

BURNET — Burnet Economic Development Corp. officials have relaunched renovation plans for the historic downtown Badger Building aimed at making the space more attractive for a commercial venture.

“We’ve been making some really good progress. We’ve been meeting recently with several contractors,” Burnet City Manager David Vaughn said. “We have a structural contractor that we’re very comfortable with and in the process of making an architectural selection with the architect.”

The floor plan of the Badger Building, 229 S. Pierce St., is approximately 5,400 square feet; however, adjacent buildings that were purchased by the EDC would increase the potential space for a single tenant or multiple tenants to 8,000 square feet.

In July 2015, plans for a potential partnership with a San Saba-based winery dissolved, temporarily halting renovation plans.

Vaughn said jumpstarting the project’s renovation could help coax prospective businesses to the site.

“The plan is to renovate it with the hope of bringing in a retail business for the downtown area,” he said. “Obviously, we still have hopes of bringing in a winery or recruiting a business similar to that to the building.”

Burnet EDC officials expect to spend $750,000 to $1 million on upgrading the structural elements of the building, including the facade.

“It’s one of the most beautiful buildings we have in town, but it needs a lot of love and a lot of care,” he said. “Not only does it give us a chance to renovate one of the most historic buildings in town but do it in a way that really helps the downtown area.”

Construction could get underway in a couple of months. The building could be ready for a tenant in about nine months.

“We truly believe if we get the right tenant in there that it will do a lot to revitalize the retail aspect of the square,” Vaughn said.

connie@thepicayune.com

2 thoughts on “Burnet EDC moves forward with proposed Badger Building renovation

  1. I find Mr. Vaughn’s statement about “revitalizing retail” on the square very interesting. When the Burnet Square was redesigned the City Council made the decision that it was in the long-term best interest of the city to encourage the buildings to be used for commercial offices rather than retail. The catalyst for that was so many of the retail business were not successful. This resulted in short-term occupancy and long term vacancies. This results in the buildings not increasing in value. Which prevent property taxes from going up. Long-term occupancy increases property values and tax revenue. The result is the space available for retail is about 30% to 40% of the square. Georgetown’s leadership choose to protect their square for retail. A building on that square has a taxable value 5 or more times Burnet. Look at Main street in Fredericksburg, they protected it for retail same success as Georgetown. Two different strategies and two very different results. Many want to blame poor retail success on the square as a parking problem but both Georgetown and Fredricksburg have worst parking problems than Burnet. Successful retail stores create the opportunity for more successful retail.

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