Home Depot to open biggest
store at Mueller thus far
Retailer will pump in revenue, add jobs to the airport
redevelopment
By M.B. Taboada
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF Wednesday, November
28, 2007
Home Depot is joining the lineup of retailers that
will add jobs and pump revenue into the Mueller redevelopment.
The home-improvement giant, the biggest retailer to
become part of the transformation of the former airport,
will build a 141,000-square-foot store at Mueller.
The store is scheduled to open in late 2008.
Earlier this year, three anchor retail tenants —
Best Buy, Bed Bath & Beyond and Marshalls —
opened at Mueller, at Interstate 35 and 51st Street.
Other retail tenants include Old Navy and Shoe Pavilion.
As Austin's largest public-private venture, the mixed-income,
mixed-use Mueller development is expected to have as
many as 10,000 residents, generate thousands of jobs
and add $1 billion to the city's tax base. Demitra Wilson,
regional communications manager for Home Depot, said
she does not know how many people the store will employ.
But typical stores have 80 to 150 employees.
As part of the Mueller project, Home Depot must feature
sustainable design certified by Austin Energy's Green
Building program. The store will use local construction
materials and energy-efficient heating, lighting and
air-conditioning systems, and it will sell a variety
of green building materials. More than 50 percent of
the construction waste will be recycled, and there will
be one tree for every four parking spaces.
Home Depot will aim for a three-star rating through
the Green Building program, the first Austin-area Home
Depot store to implement such guidelines.
Regional retail has always been part of the equation
for Mueller, to help pay for itself, boost the city
tax base and bring needed reinvestment east of the highway,
said Matt Whelan, senior vice president of Catellus
Development Group, the master developer of the Mueller
project.
"It will create a destination," Whelan said.
"Customers who go to Home Depot will also support
the small retailers and local retailers."
mtaboada@statesman.com;912-2942 |
