The Orange City Council will vote Tuesday on an economic development package to attract a new HEB store to be constructed at the current site of Northway Shopping Center off Interstate 10.
The proposed economic development deal includes the city giving a grant of $1.5 million to HEB for construction “infrastructure,” plus a 33 percent rebate on all sales taxes for 10 years.
In addition, the city will pay for $4.19 million for improvements, with $1.5 million allocated for improvements to Meeks Drive, which currently runs behind Northway Shopping Center. Meeks will curve and connect to 16th St. Another cost the city pay will be $1.42 million for drainage improvements including a retention pond.
HEB, a Texas icon of grocery stores, has had a small “pantry” store along 16th Street North, a couple of blocks south of Northway Shopping Center, since 1990.
The corporation previously worked with the City of Pinehurst to plan a new, larger store at the site of the former MacArthur Shopping Center on MacArthur Drive. The city announced the plans in November 2016. Pinehurst does not have an economic development corporation to offer incentives.
However, HEB never built the store.
The City of Orange Economic Development Corporation board of directors will meet at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday to discuss and vote on the HEB agreement. Then the Orange City Council will meet at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday to also vote on the proposed deal. Both groups must approve the agreement.
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