Building Beyond Austin - BUDA
- Glenn Hart
- Apr 5
- 8 min read
Updated: Apr 7
Growth and Development - Tuesday, April 7th, 2026
Presenting Sponsor
WELCOME FROM CITY OF BUDA
Micah Grau - City Manager - City of Buda
Micah Grau serves as City Manager for the City of Buda, where he leads day-to-day municipal operations and works closely with City Council to implement policy, guide strategic priorities and address needs of a rapidly growing community in Central Texas.
Micah joined Buda in 2017 as Assistant City Manager and appointed City Manager in 2022 after serving both interim and deputy roles. Micah has provided continuity during a period of significant growth, with focus on organizational leadership, infrastructure planning and maintaining quality of life as development accelerates.
Prior to Buda, Micah held multiple leadership positions with the City of Hutto, including Interim City Manager, Assistant City Manager, Director of Finance, and Budget and Special Projects Coordinator. His background in municipal finance and operations gives a well-rounded perspective on managing growth, allocating resources, and delivering city services effectively.
Active in the profession, Micah has served in leadership roles with the Texas City Management Association and is a member of the International City/County Management Association (ICMA). He is an ICMA Credentialed Manager and Certified Mediator, and is a graduate of the Strategic Government Resources Supervisor’s Academy.
Micah holds a Master of Public Administration from Texas State University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Texas A&M University.
FIRELESS FIRESIDE CHAT
Panel Sponsor
Jennifer Storm - Executive Director - Buda Economic Development Corporation
Jennifer Storm serves as Executive Director of the Buda Economic Development Corporation, where she leads business recruitment, strategic planning, and partnership development for one of the fastest-growing communities in the Austin region. Known for her high-energy, community-first approach, Jennifer focuses on attracting investment while also building a strong foundation for local businesses and entrepreneurs to thrive.
Under her leadership, Buda has emerged as a competitive destination for high-quality employers and innovation-driven companies. Her work has helped drive major corporate investments, support small business growth, and launch initiatives like business incubators and local incentive programs that strengthen the city’s long-term economic resilience.
In 2025, Jennifer was named Economic Developer of the Year by the International Economic Development Council — becoming the first Texan to receive the honor. The award recognizes exceptional leadership, innovation, and measurable impact in advancing economic prosperity, highlighting her role in positioning Buda as a hub for high-wage job creation and forward-looking development.
Prior to her work in Buda, Jennifer held leadership roles across Texas in education advocacy, retail, and construction industry organizations, giving her a broad perspective on economic growth from multiple angles. She remains actively involved in regional partnerships and boards, helping align economic development efforts across Central Texas.
Jennifer is widely recognized for her ability to connect vision with execution — bringing together public and private stakeholders to create real, lasting impact for the communities she serves.
Glenn Hart - Business Development Consultant & Founder of LinkedGlenn
Glenn Hart, widely known as “LinkedGlenn,” is a Central Texas–based business development consultant and the founder of LinkedGlenn — a platform built to connect the people shaping Austin’s rapidly evolving built environment. With more than two decades of experience across commercial real estate and business development, Glenn has developed a reputation as a well-connected and highly engaged voice within the region’s AEC and development community.
Through LinkedGlenn, Glenn curates and shares insights on Austin’s growth while hosting high-impact industry events that bring together developers, public officials, brokers, and industry leaders. The platform was originally created to track and interpret local real estate activity — “connecting the dots” across projects, trends, and policy — and has since evolved into both a digital hub and in-person network for meaningful industry connection.
Known for blending market insight with personality, Glenn has built a platform that is equal parts information, connection, and community — creating space for real conversations, new relationships, and business opportunities across Central Texas.
LinkedGlenn Coffee Social, a networking extravaganza every Friday at Mozart's on Lake Austin. Come join us this Friday!
BUDA DEVELOPERS PANEL
Panel Sponsor
Dax Benkendorfer - Development & Leasing Partner - Balcones Real Estate Group
Dax Benkendorfer serves as Development and Leasing Partner at Balcones Real Estate Group, where he focuses on the acquisition, development, and leasing of industrial assets across Central Texas.
Since launching his commercial real estate career in 2018, Dax has completed more than 345 transactions totaling over 2 million square feet, establishing himself as an active and results-driven player in the region’s industrial market.
At Balcones, Dax is involved across the full lifecycle of a deal — including site selection, design coordination, development strategy, leasing, asset management, and acquisition underwriting. His work is centered on identifying opportunities in high-growth corridors and executing projects that align with both tenant demand and investor expectations.
Prior to joining Balcones in 2025, Dax served as Vice President at Live Oak, where he led leasing activity, tenant retention, and business development efforts for both office and industrial portfolios. His experience on both the landlord and deal-making side gives him a well-rounded perspective on how to structure and execute successful transactions in a competitive and evolving market.
A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, Dax has spent his entire professional career in Austin and brings a deep understanding of the region’s growth dynamics, market trends, and industrial demand drivers. He is known for his hands-on approach, market insight, and focus on delivering value-driven outcomes for partners and clients alike.
Tower Business Park - BUDA
Tower Business Park is a newly delivered Class A light industrial development in Buda designed to support the next wave of business growth along the I-35 corridor. Located along FM 2001 in Buda’s ETJ, the project provides modern, flexible space for a range of users — from local expanding companies to regional and national operators establishing a Central Texas presence.
The development spans approximately 23 acres and consists of six industrial buildings totaling roughly 160,000+ square feet. Suites are designed with flexibility in mind, starting at around 7,200 square feet and scaling up to accommodate a variety of tenant needs, particularly in advanced manufacturing, aerospace, defense, and technology-oriented sectors.
Tower Business Park is built to modern industrial standards, featuring 20’–24’ clear heights, grade-level and dock-high loading, strong electrical capacity, ESFR sprinkler systems, and HVAC-ready spaces. Many suites include built-out office components, allowing for quicker occupancy and operational readiness.
The project reflects a broader shift in Buda’s economic strategy — targeting higher-wage, innovation-driven employers while providing the type of product that has historically been undersupplied in the market: high-quality, small-bay industrial space. Early tenants include companies in advanced manufacturing and defense technology, reinforcing the park’s role in attracting targeted industries.
As one of the first modern industrial parks of its kind in Buda, Tower Business Park represents a critical piece of the city’s evolving economic base — delivering flexible, scalable space that supports job creation, business expansion, and long-term regional competitiveness.
Shani Armbruster - Director of Acquisitions & Entitlements - Milestone Community Builders
Shani Armbruster serves as Director of Acquisitions & Entitlements at Milestone Community Builders, where she plays a key role in identifying, securing, and advancing residential development opportunities across Central Texas. With a focus on land strategy and entitlement execution, she works closely with municipalities, consultants, and internal teams to move projects from early-stage planning through approvals and into development readiness.
At Milestone, Shani is actively involved in some of the region’s most notable growth corridors, including her day-to-day work on Buda’s Persimmon master-planned community. Her role requires navigating zoning, land use, infrastructure coordination, and community engagement — ensuring projects align with both market demand and the long-term vision of the cities they serve.
Known for her detail-oriented and collaborative approach, Shani brings a strong understanding of the entitlement process and the complexities of delivering large-scale residential communities in fast-growing markets. Her work sits at the critical front end of development, helping transform raw land into thoughtfully planned neighborhoods that support continued population growth across the region.
Persimmon Master Planned Community
Persimmon is a large-scale, master-planned residential community in Buda spanning more than 775 acres and planned for approximately 2,100 homes at full buildout. Positioned along the FM 967 corridor just minutes from South Austin, the project represents one of the most significant new residential developments in Hays County.
The community offers a wide range of single-family homes across multiple lot sizes (50’, 55’, and 65’ products), with floor plans ranging from approximately 1,750 to 3,600+ square feet and configurations from 2 to 6 bedrooms. Home prices generally range from the mid-$500s to mid-$700s, appealing to both move-up buyers and families seeking more space within close proximity to Austin’s job centers.
Persimmon is designed as a fully integrated neighborhood with a strong emphasis on lifestyle and connectivity. Planned amenities include a resort-style pool, pickleball courts, clubhouse, playgrounds, and pavilion spaces, along with an extensive network of trails, parks, and open green space that tie the community together.
In addition to residential development, the project incorporates significant infrastructure planning to support long-term growth — including roadway improvements, utility coordination, and phased development aligned with Buda’s broader expansion strategy.
As one of the largest active master-planned communities in the region, Persimmon reflects the next wave of Central Texas growth — delivering scale, attainable housing options, and community-oriented design in one of the Austin area’s fastest-growing corridors.
Tim Dowling - Partner - Buda Capital Partners
Tim Dowling is a partner at Buda Capital Partners and a local developer deeply embedded in the Buda community, where he lives and actively invests. He is leading the development of The Roundabout in Buda, a community-focused mixed-use project designed to serve as a new gathering place for one of Central Texas’s fastest-growing cities.
Dowling’s work on The Roundabout reflects a hands-on, locally driven approach to development — blending retail, dining, entertainment, and public space into a walkable destination built around how people actually live and spend time.
With a focus on public-private collaboration, Tim works closely with city leadership, economic development partners, and local stakeholders to align development with community needs while maintaining strong financial fundamentals. His philosophy centers on creating destinations — not just developments — where local businesses thrive, residents gather, and long-term value is created for both investors and the broader community.
Known for his entrepreneurial mindset and community-first perspective, Tim brings a practical, on-the-ground view of what it takes to deliver successful mixed-use projects in high-growth markets like Buda and the greater Austin region.
Roundabout in Buda
The Roundabout in Buda is a community-focused mixed-use development designed to serve as a true gathering place for one of Central Texas’s fastest-growing cities. Located along FM 967, the project spans approximately 18–18.5 acres and includes roughly 60,000–65,000 square feet of retail, restaurant, and commercial space across a series of thoughtfully designed buildings.
Unlike traditional strip retail, The Roundabout is intentionally designed as an experience-driven destination — blending dining, retail, wellness, and office uses with walkable design and outdoor activation. The project features multiple restaurant concepts, boutique retail, fitness and wellness users, and neighborhood-serving services, with a strong emphasis on locally owned businesses that reflect Buda’s character.
Anchored by a mix of food, beverage, and entertainment uses, the development includes significant lifestyle amenities such as pickleball courts, sand volleyball, playground areas, shaded gathering spaces, and over a mile of connected trails linking into the surrounding park system. These elements are designed to extend dwell time and create a place where residents don’t just shop — they spend time.
Positioned near major residential growth — including thousands of nearby rooftops coming with Persimmon — The Roundabout represents a new model for suburban retail in Central Texas: walkable, locally driven, and built around community experience rather than just commerce.
Stick around for drinks and networking thanks to Happy Hour Sponsor Hancock Whitney Bank
Look for future LinkedGlenn LinkedLetter newsletters for details on the next Building Beyond Austin coming to Liberty Hill in May!
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