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Sugar Land eyes high-tech energy
center
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| By: ANDREA BROCKMAN,
Reporter |
February
04, 2003 |
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| Sugar Land should
target its business development efforts in Biomedical/Life Sciences
Research & Development, Energy, Regional and Corporate
Headquarters, Financial Services, and Specialty Electronics, says a
special study commissioned by the city's economic development
corporation. |
The city hired AngelouEconomics to conduct a target industry
study focusing on TxDOT Tracts 3, 4, and 5, between U.S. 59 and
Highway 6 as well as the Fluor Daniel property.
The goal was to
come up with the best and highest use for each site. Other
organizations assisting in funding the $110,000 phase I study
included Alltell, Ondeo/Nalco, and the Greater Fort Bend EDC.
Last week Angelou presented a report to Sugar Land City Council.
The report identified five industry sectors the City should target
for its business development efforts:
The study provides
detailed information on each sector, including the strengths and
weaknesses of Sugar Land in attracting them, as well as information
on the city's competition.
The report also showed the benefit of
a research center in the Sugar Land area, specifically the proposed
Texas Energy Center.
Sugar Land is already in excellent shape to
attract business with high income residents, a top ranked school
district, strong utilities and high growth, says Amy Holloway, Vice
President of Economic Development for Angelou.
"Sugar Land is
extremely clean, family oriented with a safe environment. It is
oasis in the Houston area," she says.
However, its proximity to
Houston could hurt Sugar Land in attracting business "because of the
negative perceptions of Houston," Holloway says.
Some other
disadvantages for Sugar Land include few housing options for young
professionals and the lack of entertainment options.
Chris Engle,
Vice President of Research and Analysis for Angelou, says that Sugar
Land should focus on attracting businesses in the fields of
biomedical and life sciences, energy, financial services, specialty
electronics and corporate headquarters.
He says that Sugar Land's
proximity to U.S. 59 is a natural magnet for retail business. While
and advantage for its sales tax revenue that brings to the city, it
does not create many jobs. "Sugar Land wants to bring balance back
to the city," he says.
He says a long term goal of the city is to
attract nanotechnology business. "This is high risk, but it will
hugely impact the economy, and its something the city should
pursue."
Engle says the city should focus on attracting
businesses while at the same time increasing the residents' quality
of life. "We want to try to keep what is wonderful about Sugar Land
while increasing business."
Angelou has come up with three
alternatives for Sugar Land to develop the tracts, including options
for different ratios of residential and commercial development to
assist the city in determining the financial tradeoffs in land-use
planning decisions regarding the TXDoT properties.
Angelou says
Sugar Land's next step is to "be patient." Carrying out these
changes is difficult to time, but it could have a 15 to 20 year
horizon.
"You have a choice for the future of the city. What do
you want to do with these last 880 acres? Do you want to be a
transit point? Do you want to be a long term residential
development?" He says if Sugar Land uses that land for residential
development, the city will risk decreasing its quality of life.
"It's your decision to make, and it is time to sell your vision
to the community. You need to promote and market Sugar Land as open
for business,'" Angelou says.
Sugar Land Economic Development
Director Joe Esch says that after community input, he will come back
to council and address a plan for developing the Texas Energy
Center.
Sugar Land Mayor David Wallace says that he would like to
see the city create a research center correlated with the University
of Houston and try to move on to marketing these target industries.
"We want to try and create a win, win situation for Sugar Land,"
Wallace says.
Herb Appel, president of the Greater Fort Bend
Economic Development Council, says "We encourage you to give your
full time and attention so that what happened tonight has the
opportunity to hatch. We've got to do this and we've got to do it
now."
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| ©Fort Bend
/ Southwest Sun 2003 |
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