Affordability keeps Temple area growing

Telegram file Parade of Homes viewers check out a new residence built for the 2015 Parade of Homes by Eagle Ridge Builders in the Valley Ranch subdivision in Temple.

Affordability keeps Temple area growing

BY SHANE MONACO

TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER

After a bumpy year full of issues, Temple and surrounding areas now are going full steam ahead on many long-awaited projects.

Growth, and preparations for that growth, has made up a large number of the projects as the area looks forward.

One thing that supports the growth is the fact Temple ranked among America’s 10 most affordable cities during the first three months of 2021, according to research compiled by the Council for Community and Economic Research. It included 265 metro areas across the United States, with Temple named the most inexpensive city in America for buying groceries — 23% below the national average.

Adrian Cannady, president and CEO of the Temple Economic Development Corp., said the city’s reasonable cost of living is one of the many reasons families from around the country and even within the state are choosing to call the Temple region home.

“The factors of affordability coupled with great career opportunities are positioning the Temple region as a destination for those who wish to enjoy an exceptional quality of life,” Cannady said. Transportation projects

Transportation has been a large point of focus for Temple, with many road projects already underway or on the horizon.

One of the city’s most expensive and long-running efforts is the Outer Loop Project in west and north Temple. The project aims to connect the northern and southern parts of Interstate 35 in Temple through a continuous series of roads.

The two-part project is expected to take until at least 2027 to be completed, with the various roads comprising the project to hold their current names and be called the Outer Loop.

The city also plans to start the expansion of Poison Oak Road as part of accommodating Belton Independent School District’s Charter Oak Elementary.

In an effort to invest in neighborhoods, Avenue C in East Temple and other nearby roads are being expanded and improved. The improvements to these roads include their widening and the addition of sidewalks and bicycle lanes. Growth requires infrastructure

City Councilman Wendell Williams, who represents West Temple, said the amount of growth being seen by the city requires the constant addition and improvement of infrastructure to keep up.

“Temple has been discovered and we are seeing unprecedented growth, and, fortunately, the city is doing a good job of keeping up with that growth as best they can,” Williams said. “There is a lot of stress on the budget to build all those roads, but you have to do it to have that quality of life that everybody wants in our community.”

In addition to working on roads, the city is working on adding more spaces to park in its downtown area by designing two new parking garages.

The two garages, at 1 N. Fourth St. and 107 N. First St., will provide more room for people wanting to come into downtown to shop or eat. In addition to having space for those coming in, the garage near the Hawn Hotel will provide space for future residents

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Todd M. Vincent Financial Advisor 9105 Adams Lane Suite A Temple, TX 76502 254-780-9806

todd.vincent@edwardjones.com Tommy Howell, CFP®, AAMS® Financial Advisor 2010 SW HK Dodgen Loop, Exchange Plaza, Suite 208 Temple, TX 76504 254-771-1288 tommy.howell@edwardjones.com Dustin H. Zanders Financial Advisor 127 Lake Road Suite 201 Belton, TX 76513 254-939-3387

dustin.zanders@edwardjones.com Daryl Riegel, AAMS® Financial Advisor 1005 Marlandwood Rd., Suite 101 Temple, TX 76502 254-791-4630

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Christine Eastham Kianes, AAMS® Financial Advisor 2015 Birdcreek Terrace, Suite 105 Temple, TX 76502 254-771-0196 christy.eastham-kianes@edwardjones.com Scot Hrbacek, CFP® Financial Advisor 3011 N. Main Street Suite C Belton, TX 76513 254-933-7680

scot.hrbacek@edwardjones.com Don Hyden, CRPC®, AAMS® Financial Advisor 5293 S. 31st St. Tuscan Square Suite 133 Temple, TX 76502 254-899-1007 don.hyden@edwardjones.com Cody Fenoglio, CRPC®, AAMS® Financial Advisor 1908 W. Avenue H Temple, TX 76504 254-770-0958

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Joshua Dildine Financial Advisor 207 E. 2nd Ave. Belton, TX 76513 254-939-5824

joshua.dildine@edwardjones.com Ken Reynolds Financial Advisor 213 Mill Creek Drive, Suite 120 Salado, TX 76571 254-947-5128

ken.reynolds@edwardjones.com Dylan Ripley, AAMS® Financial Advisor 4224 S. 5th St., Suite B Temple, TX 76502 254-598-2049

dylan.ripley@edwardjones.com Lance Cox Financial Advisor 7363 West Adams Ave, Suite 103 Temple, TX 76502 254-773-1945

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Gary Knight Financial Advisor 114 S East St. Belton, TX 76513 254-933-2436

gary.knight@edwardjones.com Betti Gardner Financial Advisor 511 Lake Road, Suite 104 Belton, TX 76513 (254) 933-3155

betti.gardner@edwardjones.com Jennifer Adams Financial Advisor (Se Habla Espanol) 12 N. 5th St. Temple, TX 76501 (254) 774-9170

j.adams@edwardjones.com Douglas Weisbruch Financial Advisor 1005 Marlandwood Rd., Suite 101 Temple, TX 76502 (254) 791-4630

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David Boothby Financial Advisor 1908 W. Avenue H Temple, TX 76504 (254) 770-0958

david.boothby@edwardjones.com John Taylor Financial Advisor 100 Kasberg Dr., Suite B Temple, TX 76502 254-774-9300

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Telegram file Jose Lara Jr., center, with A&S Underground out of Copperas Cove wipes off a section of drainage pipe as he helps install a storm drain on Hogan Road near State Highway 317 in West Temple. According to excavator operator Harry Salas, left, the company was installing the storm drain, a 12-inch water main and an 18-inch water main along Hogan Road.

that will reside in the building after it is remodeled.

The historic hotel, along with the nearby Arcadia Theater, Sears Building and Professional Building, all are being restored to house stores and apartments.

Temple Mayor Tim Davis said the city is either building these projects or giving tax abatements to them as a way to spur more investment.

“Typically, private investment follows public investment,” Davis said. “So when, through the reinvestment zone, the Santa Fe Business Center was built, that brought more people into downtown.”

Solar farms

Areas outside the city also are seeing changes, such as new solar farms planned for East Bell County.

The first solar farm, east of Troy, is the Big Elm Solar project, which is set to take up about 3,000 acres and cost an estimated $195 million to construct.

The second solar farm is east of Temple, between State Highway 53 and U.S. Highway 190, called the Chillingham solar farm. This project is estimated to cover about 2,300 acres of land and cost about $255 million to construct.

Bell County Judge David Blackburn said he expects many more such companies to come to the area in the years to come.

“If you live near a substation or transmission lines, you can almost be assured, in my opinion, that over the next few years that you are going to get approached because that is the process right now,” Blackburn said.

Bell County is seeing another growth-related project on the horizon, the expansion of the county jail at 1201 Huey Drive in Belton.

In May the Commissioners Court approved the issuance of up to $138 million in certificates of obligation to pay for both the jail and other needed infrastructure projects. Officials cited the current jail constantly being at or near capacity as the major need for this.

“This growth in our population, while having numerous benefits, also comes with growth in the jail population, and this growth comes with increased costs,” Blackburn said. “Growth requires more streets and roads to maintain, more parks to maintain, more police officers, more firefighters and more jail capacity. They are all increased costs.”

“This growth in our population, while having numerous benefits, also comes with growth in the jail population, and this growth comes with increased costs. Growth requires more streets and roads to maintain, more parks to maintain, more police officers, more firefighters and more jail capacity. They are all increased costs.”

Bell County Judge David Blackburn

smonaco@tdtnews.com June 27, 2021