Bastrop is part of a growing Central Texas mixed-use development trend, with about 500 acres of retail, dining, medical and other uses planned within a 3-mile stretch.

What we know: Three developments—Sendero, Burleson Crossing East and Bastrop West—are in various stages of construction. 

Digging deeper: While Sendero and Burleson Crossing East both add retail and dining, Sendero plans to also bring housing and medical services.

Bastrop West, meanwhile, could bring the city’s first full-scale hospital, plus a new hotel and convention center.

“Growth is happening all across our region, and as a city, our responsibility is to help guide it,” Bastrop Mayor Ishmael Harris told Community Impact.

Why it matters: City and business leaders said the projects reflect Bastrop’s continued population growth and expanding commercial base.

Stay in the know with the latest updates on businesses and restaurants throughout the Bastrop area.

Aspen Dental (opened May 5): The national dental practice offers a variety of oral health services, ranging from dental hygiene and emergency care to oral surgery, implants and more. 

Bastrop Medicine Shop (relocated May 18): Owner Omar Fuentes moved to a larger spot just a few blocks east that will allow for more products, services and parking.

Chuy’s (opened May 18): The restaurant offers Tex-Mex menu items such as enchiladas, fajitas, flautas and more.

Espadas de Brazil (opens late spring): Drawing on experience from his Austin food truck, owner Robinson Figueiredo plans to bring a Brazilian steakhouse to the former Stem and Stone space.

Scooters Coffee (opens in July): The drive-thru franchise will offer hot and iced drinks, snacks and more.

PostalAnnex (opening TBD): Construction on the shipping and business services center is expected to be completed in July. Services typically include shipping via UPS, FedEx, DHL and USPS, as well as private mailbox rental, notary services and printing.

The 18-foot-tall troll at Pease Park—an art installation called Malin’s Fountain from Danish artist Thomas Dambo—has burned down, according to a news release from Pease Park Conservancy.

What happened: “The troll sculpture in Pease Park was lost to a fire early this morning, and we are heartbroken alongside the community that cherished it,” the news release states.

Austin Fire Department has responded, and it is an active investigation, according to the release. The fire’s cause is currently not known.

Looking back: In March 2024, dozens of community members celebrated Malin the Troll’s completion near the Pease Park Treehouse. Volunteers helped build the troll between March 1-15 that year.

Around 80% of Malin was built using found and repurposed material, including around 1,800 linear feet of eastern red cedar from a family-owned sawmill in Bastrop County for the internal structure. The exterior features repurposed wood from the J.J. Pickle Research Campus, according to previous Community Impact reporting.

Texas officials released a draft of their next state water plan in April, projecting that state and local governments will need to spend $174 billion in the next 50 years to prevent a water crisis.

The details: The three-member Texas Water Development Board voted April 16 to publish an initial draft of the 2027 State Water Plan, laying out what is needed to prepare for a future “drought of record,” when water demands are highest and supplies are lowest.

The $174 billion price tag is more than twice the cost projected in Texas’ 2022 state water plan, which was $80 billion.

The context: As Texas’ population continues to grow, water restrictions and shortages are becoming more common in areas throughout the state. At the same time, major companies are moving to Texas and communities are contemplating large data center projects, with some residents expressing concerns about high water use in the already drought-prone state.

The proposed plan includes 3,000 proposed water management projects and 6,700 strategies to increase Texas' water supplies through 2080.