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Who Knew Leander Needed a $1 Billion Lagoon and Boardwalk?


atomheartbevo

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I never once, in all the times I've been through/around Leander, thought "they really need a lagoon and boardwalk", but I guess somebody did.

https://www.kxan.com/news/local/williamson-county/leander-announces-1-billion-development-that-includes-4-acre-lagoon-10-acre-boardwalk/

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City leaders in Leander announced plans this week to build a new billion-dollar development that will include a hotel and lagoon.

The 78-acre mixed-use project is called Leander Springs, and it’s set to be built at Farm to Market Road 2243 and the 183A toll road. As part of an agreement with Leander Springs LLC, city leaders approved $22 million in tax breaks.

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The current plans include a four-acre lagoon surrounded by 10 acres of boardwalk. On top of retail, restaurants and office space, the proposal includes building 1,600 homes. 

During a news conference Thursday at Leander City Hall, Mayor Troy Hill said, “This is the type of project that doesn’t come along very often, and, for Leander, it’s one more aspect of making us the best town in Central Texas, possibly the whole state of Texas.”

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The city laid out milestones that the project should meet during its development to receive rebates on property taxes, sales taxes and hotel occupancy taxes. For instance, during the first phase, a news release from the city stated that Leander Springs must have 35,000 square feet of commercial development and completed the lagoon by Dec. 31, 2023 to get the property and sales tax rebates. The project must also include development of 400 homes during that same time period. 

“Our conservative approach in the Leander Springs agreement helps make this project feasible for the developers while serving as a low risk opportunity for the city,” city manager Rick Beverlin said in a news release. “The deal allows us to immediately share in the economic benefits on a property that should provide excellent returns if developed to its best and highest use.”

The Leander Lagoon, folk! 

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I like how there's so few folks on it, when we know if they somehow pull this even halfway off, it'll look like this

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59 minutes ago, Xian said:

Lol. Is someone going around to suburbs offering this plan up?  Texas city just built one and I think a city right north of Houston was talking about one as well 

Texas city’s 12 acre lagoon - I give it five years before it fails

If you slack off on the maintenance just a little bit, hello green lagoon!

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1 hour ago, Xian said:

Lol. Is someone going around to suburbs offering this plan up?  Texas city just built one and I think a city right north of Houston was talking about one as well 

 

Texas city’s 12 acre lagoon - I give it five years before it fails

Driving down to Galveston earlier this year my gf tiktok pulled up some big ass lagoon and she said it looked badass. I had no clue what she was talking about and assured her she was  very wrong. about some badass lagoon in Texas City lol. Why are these a thing and I find it odd that Frisco or Plano don't have one yet. 

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6 minutes ago, Zepol87 said:

Why are these a thing and I find it odd that Frisco or Plano don't have one yet. 

They will eventually.  I am guessing that real estate agents/developers sold them on it, to make unattractive areas look hip and fun.  And maybe keep a few tourist dollars in the area, rather than somebody making a weekend trip somewhere.

Too bad they'll be bordered by shitty strip malls that could be in any city in Texas with a population of more than 100,000.

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There's a housing development in a north dallas suburb (The Lagoon at Windsong Ranch) that has one of these. Same company builds all of them as they have a few patents on the design. Looks kinda cool but I wonder about the long term maintenance required particularly when the pond liner needs to be replaced.

Screen Shot 2020-10-16 at 10.01.47 PM.png

Edited by Viking
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Lol. Is someone going around to suburbs offering this plan up?  Texas city just built one and I think a city right north of Houston was talking about one as well 
 
Texas city’s 12 acre lagoon - I give it five years before it fails

How long until the acid rain turns the water grey and rots out the liner?
Texas City put the goon in lagoon. 
How long until the urban utes that killed stroworld take this place down too?
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6 minutes ago, woohorn said:


How long until the acid rain turns the water grey and rots out the liner?How long until the urban utes that killed stroworld take this place down too?

Shit, id be worried about ground seepage.  There is a lot of unmarked disposals In that part of the world. 
 

You know, like back in the 50s when uncle jimbob at the refinery awarded his nephew’s newly setup “company” the contract to dispose of a few barrels of tank bottoms after that one turnaround.    Well who knows if nephew David didnt just decide to dump it all in that forgotten cow pasture down FM 2002. Speaking of which, have you seen Jimbobs new Cadillac?  Who’d of thought he could afford that on a PM salary? 
 

basically what happened with DuPont in West by god Virginia 

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1 hour ago, Viking said:

There's a housing development in a north dallas suburb (The Lagoon at Windsong Ranch) that has one of these. Same company builds all of them as they have a few patents on the design. Looks kinda cool but I wonder about the long term maintenance required particularly when the pond liner needs to be replaced.

What patents could they have on said design?  I could see if it was some kind of specialized filtration system that's going to keep that extremely clean or something.

It's a great gig, because maintenance will never end.

I'm assuming that since Leander is coughing up a bunch of tax breaks, it will be open to the public, unlike a lot of these other lagoons throughout Texas.  It's going to be the Caddyshack pool.

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4 minutes ago, atomheartbevo said:

What patents could they have on said design?  I could see if it was some kind of specialized filtration system that's going to keep that extremely clean or something.

It's a great gig, because maintenance will never end.

I'm assuming that since Leander is coughing up a bunch of tax breaks, it will be open to the public, unlike a lot of these other lagoons throughout Texas.  It's going to be the Caddyshack pool.

I didn't dig up the patents so I'm not 100% certain but I believe I remember seeing one was for a much more efficient filter that allowed the water to be turned over a lot less frequently than a normal pool. These things are huge and turning them over at a normal pool rate (2-4 times a day) would require massive pumps, filters, and electricity.

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3 hours ago, Viking said:

I didn't dig up the patents so I'm not 100% certain but I believe I remember seeing one was for a much more efficient filter that allowed the water to be turned over a lot less frequently than a normal pool. These things are huge and turning them over at a normal pool rate (2-4 times a day) would require massive pumps, filters, and electricity.

So it's piss?

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So after the 10-year maintenance contract expires and the "new & improved" Leander city council shops the contract around, during the RFP period...the lagoon becomes the world's largest mosquito hot tub.  

That project renderings make it look awfully dependent on retail and office leases.  Great time to pitch that to taxpayers.  

Is there any competent governing entities left in Texas?  Did I miss a meeting?  

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Every bedroom community thinks they’re a real town and just need that one thing to put them over the top as a destination city.

Just own it. You exist because you’re fucking cheap. If asked by a stranger where they live, the vast majority of your residents say Austin. They know no one will know where they are talking about if they utter your name or they are largely ashamed of you.

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10 hours ago, woohorn said:


How long until the acid rain turns the water grey and rots out the liner?How long until the urban utes that killed stroworld take this place down too?

This is why you pay a little extra for the TruCoat 

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16 hours ago, atomheartbevo said:

I never once, in all the times I've been through/around Leander, thought "they really need a lagoon and boardwalk", but I guess somebody did.

https://www.kxan.com/news/local/williamson-county/leander-announces-1-billion-development-that-includes-4-acre-lagoon-10-acre-boardwalk/

The Leander Lagoon, folk! 

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I like how there's so few folks on it, when we know if they somehow pull this even halfway off, it'll look like this

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Is this the same outfit that was going to build something similar in Rockwall?

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Every bedroom community thinks they’re a real town and just need that one thing to put them over the top as a destination city.

Just own it. You exist because you’re fucking cheap. If asked by a stranger where they live, the vast majority of your residents say Austin. They know no one will know where they are talking about if they utter your name or they are largely ashamed of you.

And they will tell you it’s only a 10 min drive to Austin
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Looking at that pic again
Leander-Springs-1.png?resize=597,336
I would like to see people renting little sailboats to sail around a 4-acre "lagoon".  I would almost pay to watch that.
And you can bet that, should this get built, that this will be the photo that adorns the Leander city website.

The reality will be a Hampton Inn with a McDonald’s and CiCi’s Pizza for dining options. Only $39.99 for all day access!
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17 hours ago, atomheartbevo said:

Looking at that pic again

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I would like to see people renting little sailboats to sail around a 4-acre "lagoon".  I would almost pay to watch that.

And you can bet that, should this get built, that this will be the photo that adorns the Leander city website.

image.gif.f8ec4696b899479adb887b105bf1f4d4.gif

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