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Retail follows rooftops: After housing boom stores crop up along Liberty Hill, Leander, Georgetown line

The Hwy. 29 and Ronald Reagan Boulevard corridor, spanning Liberty Hill, Leander and Georgetown, is rapidly transforming from a largely undeveloped area into a growing retail and residential hub.

The details: A surge of housing development over the last several years has increased inventory and created a buyer-friendly housing market, local real estate agents said. At the same time, major commercial projects, including a Walmart-anchored development, are bringing shopping and dining options closer to residents.

What else? Local officials said the commercial growth is intended to help balance the tax burden created by rapid residential expansion and reduce the need for residents to travel outside the area for amenities. Builders including Perry Homes, Lennar and Highland Homes continue to add neighborhoods, while Santa Rita Ranch remains less than halfway built out despite leading the Austin area in new home sales last year.

Officials said the challenge moving forward will be ensuring infrastructure, water and public services keep pace with continued growth across the corridor.
 
coming soon
The Pulao Company set to open this summer in Leander

A new Indian restaurant will open in Leander this June. The Pulao Company hopes to “bring families and food lovers together over fresh, authentic Indian food without compromising on quality,” owner Arun Rao said.

What’s on the menu: Owners Rao and Srikanth Nandigam hope to bring “fresh, flavorful pulaos,” a traditional one-pot rice dish. Beyond a variety of pulao dishes, the restaurant will offer a range of drinks, including a fresh juice bar, beer, chai and falooda—a cold dessert drink. Other classic South Asian dishes, like chaat and pani puri, will also be available.

  • 13920 Ronald Reagan Blvd., Ste. 100, Leander
 

Your Weekend To-Do List

Check out these weekend events across the metro area.

7th Annual Austin Greek Festival

Summer Classic Film Series opening weekend

May 22-24, times vary
Austin

May 22-24, times vary
Austin

More info

More info

 

Dripping Springs Fair and Rodeo 2026

7th Annual Antique Barn Sale & Artisan Show

May 22-24, 7:30 p.m. (daily rodeo performance)
Dripping Springs

May 23, 7:30 a.m.
Cedar Park

More info

More info

 
To submit your own event, click here.

CI Texas
Cost to prevent a Texas water crisis has more than doubled to $174B, state says

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.

 

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General Manager

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