hub, both of which have been announced and are expected to become operational as development phases progress. From Selma’s perspective, part of the competitive advantage is process. The city has prioritized business friendliness and permitting efficiency, aiming to reduce friction for companies that want to establish operations quickly. “We’ve really focused on not making the process prohibitive,”Agee notes.“If businesses want to come here, we want to make it easy for them to do so.” A MEDICAL CORRIDOR TAKING SHAPE One of Selma’s most significant catalysts in the near term is the University Health Systems – Retama Hospital which is currently under construction. While still in progress, the pace of construction has been notable, with projected completion targeted for late next year. Selma expects the hospital to create a ripple effect of supporting uses, particularly medical office space and auxiliary services that typically cluster around major healthcare anchors. While Agee does not anticipate a medical district on the scale of San Antonio’s largest healthcare hubs, he does expect a corridor effect—especially given Selma’s limited available land and proximity to several neighboring communities. The city’s long-term hope is that the hospital will also encourage more lifestyle-oriented development— additional restaurants, smaller entertainment 82 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 07, ISSUE 01
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