Austin-Area County Greenlights Manufacturing Company Town

Visions in the Austin business community of a manufacturing company town might soon become a reality in nearby Caldwell County.

Caldwell County Commissioners approved a development agreement pitched by two companies: Earthship, which is based in the county’s seat of Lockhart, and an entity called Greenwood Ventures Group, which shares a Sugar Land address with developer Ashton Gray. The unanimous approval allows for what’s been dubbed a “proto-town innovation hub” to be built on two parcels spanning 538 acres at 1307 Westwood Road, the Austin Business Journal reported.

Joshua Farahzad of Earthship has described the project as the sort of company town set up seen in places like China for creating a work life ecosystem around manufacturing. Caldwell County documents outline the project as a “demonstration of civil construction technologies; demonstration of advanced manufacturing prototypes in the areas of robotics, space and energy research facilities; and temporary living quarters for individuals engaged in research within the property.”

A review of the general terms and conditions of the agreement do not show any county financial obligations, just an understanding that the size and scope of the project might be amended and that certain general county property development requirements, such as minimum property line setbacks and dark sky ordinance regulations would be observed.

Maps and survey details submitted in the county documents are skeletal, and the stakeholders declined to provide clarity or costs to the outlet. Caldwell County Judge Hoppy Haden also declined to comment other than to say the opportunity for the county’s residents is exciting. The Ashton Gray entity purchased the two parcels in 2022.

Prime Data Centers is building a $1.3 billion data center in the county, and suburbs within the Austin-San Antonio corridor are growing rapidly. Caldwell County is one of the least populated areas in that corridor, with the most recent U.S. Census Bureau 5-year estimate putting the county’s population just above 47,000 people. Should a proposed 1,649-home subdivision come online in Dale, 32 miles southeast of Austin, that population will only grow.

— Eric Weilbacher