By DAVID LOPEZ
Special to the News
Agreements between the City and Varco Real Estate were approved durin
g Tuesday’s City Commission Meeting for a new multi-million-dollar, mixed-use commercial development. It was the final step in a 22-month long process that will result in the construction of a resaca-front retail-office-restaurant project scheduled to begin March 2019.
The land for the project is on almost 10 acres fronting Business 77 across from Heavin Resaca Trail and Amphitheater belonging to the San Benito Economic Development Corporation.
“This means great things coming. San Benito will move up, and I think this is the beginning of it all,” said Mayor Ben Gomez. “That property has been stagnant there for a long time and I think it’s about time someone comes in and develops it,” said Gomez.
The waterfront project is estimated to cost between $5 and $7 million in construction alone and will consist of between 40,000 and 50,000 square feet of leasable space to be developed over the next two to three years.“This is great for the City of San Benito,” said City Manager Manuel De La Rosa. “The Varco Real Estate San Benito retail development project is the first we have seen here in quite some time, and it’s been a pleasure to work with the developer and his professional team which has developed similar throughout the Rio Grande Valley,” he said.
Carlos E. Varela, partner of Varco Real Estate, noted in his proposal to the City that based on their most recent projects, he estimates the project will provide 300 full and part-time time jobs, approximately $7 million in improvement value, and $10 million in annual sales.
The project is scheduled to bring in 20 new tenants as well as a number of professional offices, suites, and potentially a new financial services company.
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To : Booo Yaaaa
To clarify on ur statement on above resaca project. If u read closely nowhere does it states that the City of San Benito is paying for the above mentioned project. Nor will it be money out of citizens pockets. That project is by Varco a developer who is spending His Money to develop in our town to bring business to our town n provide jobs.
To: Nate
If the developer is spending all that millions in our town really i can care less if he shows and provides a design of a regular 1 office building and on the property he posts a different design. Ohh well its his money n he can show n do what ever he wants in my books as long as he had faith n the desire to spend money in our town to provide jobs n sales tax .
Its like u guys are jst waiting on a chance to bash the town n bring San Benito down. I encourage u guys to run for office or take time to go to the city meetings. Get envolved for ur city instead of criticizing it.
As for the old buildings on the downtown San benito yes they do need fixing or cleaning n some even torn down. But those buildings belong to residents ,citizens, family owned business. Those buildings do not belong to the city. Now damm if u do n damm if u dont. If city goes crazy giving out citations to owners of buildings what happens. Well citizens will be at city hall next day crying n complaining that the city is overreacting charging them ect.. ect.. if we dont charge them n leave them alone then we have citizens like urself saying city dont do anything. So really i encourage u to run for city official n guide the city to the right path. Its easier to sit there n complain than to take ur comments or suggestions to the city. CITY OF SAN BENITO IS ALWAYS IN NEED OF PEOPLE LIKE URSELF TO JOIN ONBOARD. U have my vote. Con todo respeto .
This picture of the design is not the same as the one they have posted on the property!?! You might want to do some investigating
They should have Not approved this BS.. waste of money.. like the damn so called MUSEUM.. all those thousands / millions should of been invested in fixing ALLLLLLL OF THE STREETS OF YOUR QUE BONITO SAN BENITO . .. AND cleaned up the empty runned down houses and lots how about downtown skanky abandoned businesses…still with logos on.. lol like Alexandre’s jewelry..and that electric store still with dust on windows.. lol can’t believe the rains ..haven’t even washed off the dirt.. only stupid or those with scamming intentions.. people will invest in this sorry town.
Lol… The dirt is probably on the inside of the windows… Goes to show.. imagine what kind of rodents, dust, potential health hazards are lingering in those former businesses.. yikes. I now think why no one might even want to enter ..city workers rather live with the nasty sight… of this town…than improve it. Que Bonito San benito .. needs to be changed to que horible San Benito. ..lol. how…pathetic..and they are building a plaza by the resaca lol…