Alica and Tom Harrison give perspective on commercial rent in Four Points

Local business owner shares reasons behind high rent

By CASSIE MCKEE
Four Points News

Commercial rents in Four Points are among the highest in the Austin area making it hard for some business owners to stay in business.

“When we opened in Steiner, this was the first and only retail shopping in the area,” Alica Harrison said. She and her husband Tom are co-owners of Wild Basin Fitness, located in the Vista Ridge Shopping Center in Steiner Ranch. They have been in business for 10 years and are going strong and steady, but they have seen the area change a lot over the last decade.

Alica Harrison said most of the retail in the Steiner area rents for $25-$30 per square foot plus triple net (taxes, insurance, expenses), which can add another $11-$15/foot.

“At that rate, we would be paying $253,000 to $317,000 a year in rent, which is completely unsustainable,” Harrison said. “This is one reason you see such high turnover in local retail developments. The rent and expenses are simply too high for most businesses to survive.”

Gail Whitfield, owner of The Whitfield Company and a commercial realtor with more than 30 years of experience, said Four Points is the third most expensive area of the city for business, coming in behind the Domain and the Arboretum areas.

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Incumbent Grace Barber-Jordan is being challenged for her seat on the Leander ISD board Place 4.

Scott Rowe is seeking Barber-Jordan’s position on the LISD board in the upcoming election.

LISD Place 4 candidates discuss district challenges, expectations

By ASHLEY SAVA
News Editor

On Nov. 8, residents will elect representatives for Places 3, 4 and 5 of the Leander ISD Board of Trustees. All three spots are being challenged.

The Hill Country News asked the following questions to each school board candidate and this week, the Place 4 candidates — incumbent Grace Barber-Jordan and challenger Scott Rowe — are featured.

Last week, the Place 3 candidates — incumbent Pam Waggoner and Chris Remy — answered these questions. Next week, the Place 5 responses between incumbent Russell Bundy and James “Jim” MacKay will appear in the Oct. 19 edition. Each response is in the candidate’s own words.

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OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

By KIM ESTES
Four Points News

Unable to meet the demand for its craft beer, Oasis Texas Brewing Company is expanding its present facilities by 8,000-square-feet to double production.

“We are unable to fulfill the demand in Austin much less Houston, DFW, etc. This expansion gives us the ability to produce a significant amount of more beer,” said Max Schleder, managing partner and president of Oasis Texas Brewing.

After the expansion is completed in early 2017, the brewery will occupy 20,000-square-feet of the property located on Comanche Trail next to The Oasis restaurant.

“We are adding an additional 20,000 barrels of capacity to our existing 10,000 barrel system. It requires additional cellar space and more fermentation tanks, cold rooms (where packaged beer is stored before shipping) and packaging equipment,” Schleder said.

For the new housing, existing structures are being demolished.

“The size of the equipment needed is too large to squeeze through existing doors. We are taking down buildings and installing a taller steel structure to accommodate new, larger tanks,” Schleder said.

The new building will look more modern but still speak to that familiar Hill Country vernacular, he noted.

Oasis Texas Brewing has experienced rapid growth since its opening in August 2014 by Schleder and those he called the brewery “all-stars,” Spencer Tielkemeier, Kirby Kirkconnell and Hamilton Stewart, all of Austin.

Their beers have won recognition, such as its Metamodern label that was named one of the Top 10 Session IPAs by Men’s Journal and the ThrillList.

It’s a beneficial moniker as session beers, or beer lower in alcohol, are the buzz in breweries.

“As the evolution of the craft beer world turns, session beers have become the new market focus,” Schleder said. “We have specialized in session beers from the start, which was a brilliant strategy by our head brewer, Spencer. We feel we are very well-positioned moving into this expansion,” Schleder said.

While implementing plans to expand production, Oasis Texas Brewing partners have taken time to also infuse a little more revelry into their taproom and food service venue. The taproom has added regular live music on the weekends and they hired Chef Josh Kotschedoff.

“Award-winning craft beer deserves a top notch craft kitchen. Josh has elevated our taproom game in a big way,” said Schleder.

For information on Oasis Texas Brewing beers or for taproom and kitchen hours and menus, go to OTXBC.com or call (512) 284-9407.

Project adding 246-units

By LYNETTE HAALAND
Four Points News

Tacara Steiner Ranch, a 246-unit apartment complex under construction at 4306 Quinlan Park Road, has leased two dozen units so far and expects construction to be finished by March.

“The views are amazing, and we are doing hard hat tours of the leasing office,” said Monica Felan, Tacara community manager.

Response has been great, she said, and as of this week, the clubhouse and leasing office are nearing completion and 25 units have been leased.

Weather permitting, the first units will be available next month and expected to follow the timeline of: one bedrooms available in November, two bedrooms in December, and three bedrooms in January 2017.

“We will finish all buildings by the end of March 2017,” Felan said.

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