VAN ALSTYNE, Texas — Van Alstyne is betting on borrowed money to build its future, as the City Council approved a $16 million bond package to extend water and sewer infrastructure west of U.S. Highway 75, clearing the way for a significant commercial development and future expansion northward.
The bond carries a 5% interest rate and will cost approximately $34 million to repay by 2057. City officials say the investment is essential to support growth that is already arriving at Van Alstyne's doorstep — pre-development meetings have already taken place for what city spokesperson Mike Shaw described as a "potential big commercial development" on the west side of the highway near FM 121.
> "Part of this bond will help with the infrastructure for that — for water, for sewer — and that would carry north of that for even future development," Shaw said. "As Van Alstyne continues to grow, we have to do the best we can to keep up with it."
The infrastructure extension targets a planned commercial zone west of US-75 and north of FM 121, an area primed for retail and business development. Shaw said the city is focused on making sure infrastructure capacity is in place before vertical construction begins, though no construction timeline or specific business commitments have been finalized.
Residents voiced support for the move, with homeowner Kevin Soucie noting the lack of nearby retail options currently forces residents to "drive 15 miles one direction to go to the store." City officials say the infrastructure expansion is designed to accommodate growth well beyond the immediate commercial project.
