Business View Civil Municipal June 2023

39 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 4, ISSUE 6 MANOR , TE XAS While courting large retailers, the city is also looking at encouraging smaller, entrepreneurial businesses to the area by reviewing codes, compensation plans being approved, and trying to identify opportunities for smaller operations. With the city’s major employer being the school district, management would love to connect these new businesses to the schools. As a city with young inhabitants, the importance of apprenticeships and work placement programs can not be understated. Workforce development for the school district and other industries is overseen by the Mayor currently. “These training programs will allow high school or college graduates to walk into jobs. While they work at these manufacturing plants, they get the opportunity to study and attain a degree. This is a large part of the overarching plan to provide a workforce to fill these roles and attract new businesses to the area,” says Scott Jones, Economic Development Director of Manor, Texas. In the same year, the city was able to secure a Chapter 380 agreement for the Butler tract, which is a large retail center that the community needed called Manor Crossing. This project should be built out by 2025. The city hopes to secure another Chapter 380 agreement for a retail and mixed-use development opposite the Butler tract at the intersection of 973 and 290, called Manor Commons. Manor Crossing will be built on 75 acres of land, and Manor Commons will cover 47 acres. “We hope to do something similar to what we achieved last year, with the particular agreements put in place and city council approval. About 60,000 cars a day drive through the intersection of 973 and 290,” says Scott Moore, City Manager of Manor Texas. City management is driven to keep this momentum and work with Travis County and other agencies that played a vital role in building out infrastructure.