la Frontera In the News

Round Rock Leader

Newcomers' Guide

February 26, 2001

La Frontera commerce center home to upscale stores

by Bill Frisbie, Leader Staff

When plans for the La Frontera commerce center were first presented to Round rock in 1998, City Council Member Carrie Pitt said the 328-acre development would change the face of Round rock forever.

Just how big is this multimillion dollar facelift? Consider this:

The 800,000 square feet designated for retail is expected to employ 2,200 workers and generate more than $2.7 million in annual tax revenue for the city.

Traffic at the intersection of FM 1325 and Interstate 35 is projected to increase by as much as 80 percent after the facility is completed.

Round Rock residents need not commute to Austin for Class A office space, upscale apartments and full-service hotel accommodations, according to La Frontera officials.

The more than 136 acres designated for office space will eventually surround a three-acre park, a half-mile jogging trail and community amphitheater. An e-commerce center will frame a five-acre lake.

La Frontera is a complex so vast that is will have not one but two Starbucks locations and a state highway cutting through it.

When portions of the retail section at La Frontera commercial hub opened in July 2000, it seemed the only items not for sale were hay bales and milk buckets - a noteworthy distinction considering the 328-acre development at the intersection of I-35 and FM 1325 was once a dairy farm.

For now, customers must content themselves with the likes of Barnes & Noble booksellers, Starbucks Coffee, a circuit City electronic store and Bed, Bath and Beyond - all part of the development's 800,000 square feet of commercial space that opened in the summer. The $70 million open-air shopping segment of La Frontera is home to an array of upscale speciality stores and eight restaurants.

The retail site is expected to generate more than $2.7 million in additional annual tax revenue for Round Rock schools and municipalities.

The dining establishments that are part of La Frontera's restaurant cluster include TGI Fridays, Red Lobster and Logan's Roadhouse.