Windcrest EDC reports 200,000-square-foot industrial lead, discusses Builders Mark access and regional retail outreach

Mario Hernandez, Windcrest executive director, told the Economic Development Corporation board on an operations report that the EDC has two new commercial leads, including a Taiwanese manufacturer that plans to tour Windcrest International Business Park on Friday.

Hernandez said the larger prospect is looking for about 200,000 square feet and would be "very power intensive," and that the project could create roughly "300 production jobs." He said the company is in a preliminary site‑selection phase and that a site visit is a "big, first step." "They're still in their preliminary site selection process and but agreeing to to visit, us as as a potential site is always a a big, first step," Hernandez said.

Why it matters: a lead of that size would be the largest industrial prospect discussed at the meeting and would directly affect Windcrest International Business Park planning, utility coordination and future marketing priorities.

The board also discussed a pending property sale and access easement language for Builders Mark, currently owned by Ted Alexander and proposed to be sold to Collins (working through Merit Real Estate). Hernandez summarized negotiations over a map the parties circulated showing permanent access requests. He said Builders Mark had assumed it had full access to Innovation Way and a primary mall road (referred to in meeting materials), but title work shows the access rights need to be documented. Hernandez described three colors on the map: the red area (the primary, agreed access area that the EDC expects to grant), black outline/hatches (areas currently required for access), and a green area the buyer initially sought to guarantee access across but which the EDC has resisted. "We're probably gonna have to have it, voted on, next meeting," Hernandez said of the formal approval of the access language; he added he did not anticipate calling a special meeting.

Hernandez and board members clarified details including whether the sale includes the parking area behind the building; he confirmed that parking is part of the sale but that some joint‑parking rights currently tied to ICP remain to be cleared up in the closing documents. Board members discussed whether the buyer intends to demolish the existing building; Hernandez said demolition is possible if the industrial lead materializes but not guaranteed for other prospective retail uses. Hernandez said access and easement language will be incorporated into the transaction documents and then reviewed by staff and the mayor before returning to the board for approval.

Hernandez also reported on a regional retail and real estate trade show in Dallas (ICSC), which he and Vice President Rainbow Presti attended. He described the conference as a networking opportunity that now places more retail decision‑makers in small, accessible booths with explicit location requirements, helping Windcrest staff to identify matches. Presti said the event provided useful face‑to‑face contacts with both prospective new businesses and businesses already moving into the area. "I thought it was an amazing networking opportunity," Rainbow Presti said. She added that the regional event may be more productive than the larger national show given Windcrest's market size.

Hernandez and Presti described follow‑up work in progress: target lists, contact stacks, and a plan to review results 90 days after the trip to judge whether attending the regional event annually is worthwhile. Board members asked that staff return with a written 90‑day evaluation and recommendation on future attendance.

The EDC also briefly reviewed smaller, local real estate prospects and pad‑site opportunities, noting some retail prospects might better fit pad sites or existing smaller buildings rather than large ICP‑style industrial buildings.

Ending: Hernandez said staff will continue follow up on leads and that the access/easement documents for Builders Mark are expected to return to the board for a formal vote at the next regular meeting. Presti and other board members encouraged continued attendance at regional retail conferences if follow up demonstrates value.