Developer Blake Magee Company presented an updated plan for the Woodside Municipal Utility District, which includes a partnership with Pulte Group to expand Sun City’s active-adult community.

The project would annex the 162.5-acre Thompson Tract into city limits to build about 500 new age-restricted homes. Previously, the developer proposed the neighborhood addition without a commercial buffer or amenity center.

What happened: Amy Payne, a senior project manager with Blake Magee, presented updated development plans to council members in response to feedback from a May 26 City Council workshop.

Updates include:

• A 10-acre commercial buffer along Hwy. 195 to separate the road from homes
• An expanded 7.4-acre amenity site featuring a more than 10,000-square-foot community center
• More than $1 million in traffic signals and turn lane improvements at Hwy. 195
• An estimated buildout valuation of $350 million, generating roughly $1.2 million in annual tax revenue

Southwestern University in Georgetown will bring together art experts and leaders to commission a landmark art piece for the SU 560 mixed-use development, according to a July 7 news release from the university.

Learn more: Art curator Miki Garcia, director of the Arizona State University Art Museum, and cultural strategist Andras Szanto will lead the initiative, which will also include a newly formed council of professionals in the arts, higher education, business and philanthropy fields.

The university will commission the public art project, which will be a gateway piece that welcomes visitors, the release states.

About the development: SU 560 plans to integrate retail, offices, research facilities, housing, arts, green space and trails on a 560-acre tract of land directly east of the university.

The first phase of the development includes apartments, space for a hotel and conference center, and the planned city of Georgetown Customer Service Center.

Texas State Technical College’s Williamson County campus will add two degrees to its advanced manufacturing program this fall. Additionally, the Manufacturing Technology Center will open in the spring to house the programs. 

Reece Van Haaften, communications lead for TSTC’s Williamson County campus, said the college anticipates student enrollment tripling with the opening of the Manufacturing Technology Center. 

Why it matters: The new semiconductor technology and automation program teaches students the skills essential for the manufacturing of microchips, which are used in technology like cars and cellphones. 

Meanwhile, the robotics technology program instructs students on building and operating computer-controlled systems and factory robots. 

What they're saying: "Texas is undergoing a massive industrial expansion, particularly right here in Central Texas where high-tech and modern manufacturing are taking off,” said Joel McCracken, team lead for the advanced manufacturing program. “The demand for skilled technicians who understand automated systems, robotics and precision manufacturing isn't just growing, it's urgent.” 

Check out six stories trending in the Austin area July 27-30. 

1. 8 new and coming soon businesses to west Georgetown

2. Urban Egg to open its first Austin location this fall

3. Hao Hao Vietnamese & Chinese Restaurant planned for Pflugerville

4. Two Tim Hortons locations coming to Leander’s Hero Way, Ronald Reagan

5. A Little Shady announces opening date of Kyle location

6. Road work projects around CedarView development to be completed before Scheels opening

This summer, Texas is launching a new process to study the viability of data centers and other large projects seeking to connect to the state’s power grid. The process’ strict requirements could deter major industrial projects from coming to the state, experts warn.

The overview: The Electric Reliability Commission of Texas’ new "batch study process" will require that large projects be evaluated in groups, rather than individually. The process was developed in response to Texas’ data center boom.

What they're saying: All projects that would use at least 75 megawatts of electricity will be required to participate in the batch process—including industrial and hydrogen production facilities. However, industrial and manufacturing projects operate differently from data centers and may not be able to meet some of the batch requirements, industry representatives said July 29.

In a state that works to attract major companies and bills itself as business-friendly, that’s a concern, lawmakers said.

"Where are y'all at on trying to differentiate those types of traditional, enterprise, big commercial, large load projects?" Sen. Phil King, R-Weatherford, asked.