The Hays County Commissioners directed its legal team to negotiate a contract with the city of San Marcos to purchase the remaining property adjacent to Centro Cultural Hispano de San Marcos — located in Precinct 1 in a historic district at 211 Lee Street in San Marcos. The county would contribute up to $500,000 if the contract, which will be on the next meeting agenda, is approved. The property is currently owned by San Marcos Consolidated Independent School District, and in court, Hays County Commissioner Debbie Gonzales Ingalsbe said there is an offer to buy the property by a developer that plans to build an apartment complex.
Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra dismissed what he said are rumors that the property would be donated to or operated by Centro Cultural Hispano.
“The intent is to support the city of San Marcos in buying this property from the Independent School District so that it will become a cultural center operated through a grant program, that it wouldn't be a routine burden on any agency and not to be donated to any nonprofit or to be operated by any said nonprofit, specifically Centro,” he said. “This is purely an intent to create a one-time expense to help make sure that this culturally meaningful space doesn't turn into a three-story apartment complex.”
Ingalsbe said the item was important to her because the property is located within a historic Hispanic neighborhood.
“My fear is that it can potentially displace long-term residents, … altering the community's character,” she said. “Any new developments, such as an apartment complex, would certainly do that.”
Vickie Dorsett, Hays County budget officer, said it would cost approximately half a million dollars for Hays County’s portion of the purchase.
“We could fund that out of your undesignated miscellaneous capital improvement funds that are budgeted for FY25 if this is going to be a project that we're going to secure the agreement this fiscal year,” Dorsett said. “If not, it would come out of your $3.5 million for undesignated projects in FY26.”
Becerra said he was told this deal had a “short fuse,” so it would likely be coming out of Fiscal Year 2025 funds.
It was asked if there would be action taken that day on the item or at the next meeting.
“I'm ready to take action today, but I understand that there may be some questions from our court members,” Ingalsbe said.
Hays County Commissioner Morgan Hammer asked if SMCISD would be willing to make a deal.
I would hope the Independent School District would realize the benefit of [the] county and city trying to buy it and maybe coming to terms with us, rather than a developer,” she said. “For sure that would … be great for them to do.”
Hammer asked who would be responsible for maintaining the building, to which Ingalsbe responded that is still something that would need to be decided.
“There's still a lot of discussion that needs to take place,” she said.
Becerra said that there would be some sort of space created on the land that would not be a fully formed building but still provided the opportunity for communal gathering.
“My hearing of the descriptions kind of gives me the impression — but, you know, they're just impressions to be ferreted out by community engagement — is almost like an open roof place where you can have Mercado and other types of settings,” Becerra said. “I'm referring to an identified space that still remains ultra-low maintenance so not an enclosure necessarily.”
Hays County Commissioner Walt Smith said he was wary of the additional costs that could come in the future from even a covered awning.
“I think I can be supportive; I just need to … know a little bit more as we start to move through the process,” Smith said. “I know where the property is, but I don't know anything about it. I want to make sure we're not buying a headache instead of being a savior in the situation. I understand that the fuse is really short as well.”
Becerra said he thought the court should take action to give the $500,000, and then let the rest of the project be completed by the city of San Marcos and Tax Incremental Reinvestment Zones.
“In other words, saying, ‘Here's what we've got. Make it work,’” he said.
Ingalsbe said if the court was comfortable with the half a million dollar investment then they could state that it was “up to” that amount then have the legal department work out the specifics of the agreement.
Becerra made a motion that the county “grant authority to our civil division to get into the purchase contract with the city of San Marcos and TIRZ 2 — San Marcos downtown tours Tax Incremental reinvestment zone — and to work with buying that property… off of Lee Street, exclusively to purchase up to $500,000.”
Ingalsbe seconded the motion.
Hays County General Counsel Jordan Powell said her office would come to an agreement that would be brought back to court next week for approval.
The court approved the motion unanimously.
