Editor’s note: This story was published through a partnership between KSAT and the San Antonio Business Journal.
City leaders in nearby Boerne are nearing a deal to turn a public building downtown into a new business incubator that could draw more startups and talent to the area.
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The planned public-private project could also foster more redevelopment of underutilized spaces in the heart of the city.
“We have an agreement to negotiate lease terms with the city of Boerne for use of the former public works building,” said Amy Story, president and CEO of the Boerne Kendall County Economic Development Corp. “We’re very pleased with that commitment on their part.”
The incubator would operate as a nonprofit with its own board. It would target multiple industries and benefit from the relatively new Boerne Kendall County Angel Network, which is helping lead the effort to get it up and running.
Story’s group is also highly invested in the project, given the implications, it could have on broader economic development efforts.
“This is something we wanted to do for a long time. It’s the perfect site right off of Main Street,” Story said. “We’re looking forward to adding programs, mentorship and really just creating that environment that’s supportive of people coming here and starting their businesses.”
While the plan is to boost local entrepreneurship, the incubator, which could be operational by next year, might also draw interest from afar, including from some California companies and talent.
Story said in May, “Boerne has seen a lot of interest post-pandemic as the California influence is felt across the state.”
The deal for the former public works building is not yet done. The nearly 7,000-square-foot structure that would house the new incubator shares a parking lot with Boerne’s former City Hall. That building could also get a makeover as the municipality is putting it on the market.
“It’s just going to drive positive economic development all the way around,” Story said.
Click here to read the full story in the San Antonio Business Journal.