Beard Kultgen Brophy Bostwick Dickson & Squires A 15,000-square-foot former warehouse in downtown Waco soon will be the headquarters of a growing, regional law firm. Beard Kultgen Brophy Bostwick Dickson & Squires, LLP broke ground on its complete renovation of the former Nabisco Warehouse building in the heart of downtown Waco with plans to occupy in the first quarter of 2011.

Franklin Place Local developers, 921 Partners LLC, began site preparations in September 2010 for Franklin Place, a four-story, 105,000-square-foot development in downtown Waco. The proposed $18 million mixed-use development, supported by a $2.5 million grant from the Tax Increment Finance district, will fill the block from Franklin to Mary avenues and Sixth to Seventh Streets and include 135 to 140 residential units on floors two through four, 10,000 square feet of Class A office space along Mary Avenue for 25 executive suites and 10,000 to 15,000 square feet of retail spaces along Franklin Avenue, including several existing businesses. 

Woolworth on Austin Avenue Woolworth Suites joins the momentum of the recent renovations on historic Austin Avenue. The project is a renovation of 605 Austin Avenue that will house fitness center, ground-level parking garage and Class A office suites upstairs ranging from 250 to 12,500 square feet. Renovations have begun and the project is expected to be complete by the spring of 2011. Kunkel Construction is building the project. Kenny Stevens of the Reid Company is representing the property. 

VA Regional has expanded its benefits processing regional office to create 100 new jobs in downtown Waco adding to the more than 800 jobs on site. The initial economic impact on the community as a result of the new hiring includes nearly $4 million annually in salaries alone. 

Associated Hygienic Products commences a $10 million expansion project for new production lines at their advanced manufacturing facility that opened in 2009. The expansion will create 55 new positions as well as retaining 152 jobs. A second expansion has been announced adding 50 more jobs and investing $12.55 million in two more production lines.

Central Texas Technology and Research Park broke ground on the $30 million Phase I of the research park, including remediation, renovation and reconstruction of 300,000 square feet of the former General Tire facility, culminating in a completed exterior and interior shelled facility.

Caterpillar Work Tools (Hydro Mechanical) constructed a $33.5 million, 75,000-square-foot precision manufacturing center creating 60 new jobs, including increased engineering presence. The project is Caterpillar’s fourth new facility to locate in greater Waco in four years

Central Texas Technology and Research Park launched the Baylor Research and Innovation Collaborative. The $50 million project is the renovation of a 300,000 square-foot facility for advanced research led by Baylor University and partners including Texas State Technical College, McLennan County, the cities of Waco and Bellmead and area chambers of commerce. It will spur the creation of thousands of jobs.

Fleetwood Homes Waco operation launched a $2 million expansion that will create an additional 95 jobs.

National Pharmacy Contact Center launches a $4.5 million renovation of a 52,553 square-foot at the Waco VA Hospital campus to provide customer support nationally. The project creates 224 jobs at an average salary of $45,000 and brings the total investment at the VA campus to more than $60 million in recent years.

Allergan launches the second phase of their multimillion dollar expansion at its pharmaceutical production site in Texas Central Park. The $10 million investment includes new clean rooms, packaging areas, and state-of-the-art production line.

Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center opened its new $185 million campus at Waco's southern gateway, Interstate 35 and Highway 6. The campus includes a women's and children's hospital and is a partnership between Hillcrest and Scott & White of Temple.

Flint Hills Resources, a division of Koch Industries, invested $2.5 million in expansion of their fuel resources, including ethanol capabilities, in East Waco.

Texon Polymer, a division of Myers Industry Lawn & Garden, expanded its manufacturing operation as a result of consolidation. The additional 60,000 square feet and product line is a $2 million investment that will create 50 new full-time employees.

NYK Logistics expanded its third party logistics facility, adding another 30,000 square feet.

Carter Blood Care acquired 6.5 acres in the Colonnade office park to build a 20,000-square-foot Central Texas headquarters. The $8 million investment in the operation center will create 50 new positions.

L-3 Platform Integration constructed an 87,000-square-foot, $10 million hangar adding to their 1.4-million-square-foot campus on the Texas State Technical College Waco Industrial Airport. The project adds 100 jobs to the more than 1,600 employees in Waco.

Waco Veterans Administration Hospital renovated building 93 Center of Excellence Research Facility and a new 32-bed psychiatry unit in Building 8. Both part of the $49 million expansion and renovation projected to add 200 jobs at the Waco Campus.

Dakota Premium Hardwoods opened a 20,000-square-foot lumber distribution center in Texas Central Park. The company invested more than $500,000 and created 22 new jobs.

Environmental Quality Management Associates launched initial operations after receiving the Waco region’s first Emerging Technology Fund grant, a $1.5 million investment creating 18 new positions.

Examination Management Services Inc. expanded its Waco operations, adding an additional 5,500 square feet and 66 jobs to the 600-person team in greater Waco.

Clearview Managed Services, a data management firm, opened a data center in downtown Waco.  The $28.5 million, 42,000-square-foot renovation includes approximately 20,000 square feet of raised floor space. The investment in downtown Waco created six new positions and is a new resource for businesses.

SC2 opened a 60,000-square-foot supply chain operation at 600 General Parkway to support the Caterpillar Logistics Services.

Associated Hygienic Products constructed a world-class 310,000-square-foot disposable baby diaper manufacturing and distribution facility in Texas Central Park. The $41 million project employs 115 in its advanced manufacturing operation.

Allergan began a multiyear, multimillion dollar expansion plan at its pharmaceutical production site in Waco and completed the $14 million first phase production line upgrade. 

Waco Town Square constructs Austin Avenue Flatts, the first phase of the 250,000-square-feet $50 million project.

Texas Machine-Tool International opened a $1.83 million, 24,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in the Bellmead Industrial Park. TMI designs and manufactures machine tools and will hire 10 new employees.

Coca Cola North America launched a $30 million production line expansion (to include Powerade, FUZE and more) as part of its continued growth at the 600,000-square-foot facility in Texas Central Park. Employment has grown to more than 300.

Tractor Supply Company constructed a $10.7 million, 347,000-square-foot expansion of its distribution center on Interstate 35, more than doubling the size of its current facility and adding 44 employees.   

Caterpillar Logistics (Parts Network) completed a $38.9 million, 750,000-square-foot parts distribution center in the new Gateway area of Texas Central Park. The facility employs more than 140 people and provides aftermarket parts to six Cat dealers in North America.

Geochemical Technologies Corporation opened a 1,500-square-foot office and isotope laboratory in Waco that specializes in forensic geology and water analysis creating five positions.

Caterpillar Work Tools launched a $5 million dollar expansion project.

Coca-Cola Enterprise (Waco Coca-Cola) constructed a $4 million, 60,000-square-foot Waco sales and distribution center on Texas Central Parkway that retained 96 employees.

Convergys announced plans to locate a call center in the anchor 52,000 square-foot building in McGregor Industrial Park in McGregor. Convergys employs more than 400 people.

L-3 Platform Integration added a 100,000-square-foot wing refurbishment facility in Texas Central Park to their Waco campus. The $500,000 project added 100 jobs.

TriVan Truck Body invested $2 million to retrofit 69,000 square-feet of manufacturing and office to supply the petroleum, city, and freight hauling markets, creating 50 new jobs for the Waco area.

Wells Fargo expanded its Institutional Trust Services center into a 12,000-square-foot building, allowing for additions to the ITS professional services team to accommodate 70 new team members and future growth.

Texas Farm Bureau constructed an $8.5 million conference center at their headquarters campus in Waco. The three-story facility is located on 60 acres, features data recovery space and designed to serve as a base of operations in the event of major disaster.

Wardlaw Claims Service constructed a 42,000 square-foot headquarters and training center campus on Texas Central Pkwy. Facility includes corporate offices, a 24,000-square-foot training center and an automotive training facility.

CenTex Aerospace, Inc. completed a $400,000 expansion project to increase to a 20,000-square-foot hangar at the Waco Regional Airport, creating 12 new positions. The company offers STC modifications to improve performance and utility, flight testing and certification services to individuals, FBO’s, the FAA and OEMs.

MailMax Direct launched a $2 million expansion adding 69,000 square foot and 10 new positions

Caterpillar Logistics Services establishes a 975,000 square-foot distribution facility creating 40 jobs and generate $7.9 million in capital investment.