Intermandeco Plans New MPC in Lockhart

A developer is cooking up a master-planned community on the southeast side of Lockhart, famously known as the Barbecue Capital of Texas.

The 178-acre project, by North Texas-based developer Intermandeco, is set to deliver a mix of single-family homes, townhomes or apartments and commercial space to the 1500, 1600 and 1700 blocks of South Commerce Street, the Austin Business Journal reported.

On September 3, Intermandeco representatives presented their vision for the project to the Lockhart City Council, which unanimously approved zoning for the site. The zoning plan designates 28 acres for medium-density commercial use, 18 acres for high-density residential and 132 acres for medium-density housing.

The property is owned by the Marilyn Riddle Trust, but developer Brett Corwin, a project manager with Intermandeco, represented the project at the meeting. Corwin has overseen several large developments across Texas, including Paramount in Kyle, Brooklands in Hutto and Northfork in Liberty Hill.

Preliminary plans for the community include the construction of 400 to 500 single-family homes, with the possibility of adding up to 500 apartments or townhomes in the high-density areas. The commercial spaces will be concentrated along South Commerce Street, while the northeast portion of the site will feature storage-type facilities, serving as a buffer between the community and a nearby prison.

Corwin did not provide a timeline for the project.

Lockhart planning director David Fowler noted that while the area had initially been zoned for industrial use, it is quickly transforming into a residential hub.

Situated 30 miles south of Austin and home to around 15,000 residents, Lockhart has benefited from a spike in new housing developments, including Red Oak Development’s $1.5 billion Seawillow Ranch, as well as Ashton Gray’s and Perry Homes’ 902-acre and 472-acre communities.

Although nearby business Texas Materials Group, which operates a ready-mix concrete facility, initially raised concerns about increased residential traffic, Fowler said those issues have been addressed.

With the project now approved, Corwin stated that he would collaborate with the development team’s engineer to create an official plat detailing more specific plans for the site.

— Andrew Terrell