EDIE ZUVANICH
Special to the Press
A new retail and residence neighborhood is rising from an underused area along one of the city’s main corridors. A development called The Ferguson will soon be under construction at 1300 W. Second St.
“This project revitalizes a previously vacant city block at the center of everything, with access to infrastructure, historical context and proximity to Taylor’s main attractions and new jobs,” said Pawel Hardej, principal at Metropolitan Development Company LLC. The project developers say their company prioritizes “housing within reach.”
The community is located five minutes from Samsung Austin Semiconductor’s new facility and two minutes from Main Street. Its location on Second Street puts the development within easy access to US 79. The concept fits in with Taylor’s comprehensive plan which prioritizes infill housing over development in the extraterritorial jurisdiction.
“The city of Taylor’s comprehensive plan was built around the idea of infilling the core of the city where infrastructure already exists,” said Tom Yantis, Taylor’s Assistant City Manager. “The Ferguson project proposes to do exactly that. We are excited that the vision in the comprehensive plan is now coming together through the tools that are now available in the new land development code.”
Since Second Street is a business corridor, The Ferguson will have five four-story buildings along the street offering ground-floor retail with residences above them, intended for live/ work lifestyles.
It will also feature eight garden homes with private yards and garages, 16 townhomes and 60 condominiums. Units range from 575 to 1,534
See FERGUSON • page 2 square feet and start in the mid $200,000s, according to the developer.
“Thanks to Taylor’s updated comprehensive plan and flexible, mixed-use zoning, we’re creating a diverse, walkable community that echoes Taylor’s past while embracing modern growth.
With Samsung, Tesla and other businesses moving in, Taylor is experiencing a stylish resurgence — a return to its early 1900s vibrancy with contemporary conveniences,” Hardej said.
The pricing places the residences in the “ missing middle” housing sector for Taylor, since the average market value for a house with homestead exemption is $309,083, according to Williamson Central Appraisal District.
While groundbreaking is not expected until late spring 2025, the sales company is already taking reservations for the 89 planned units. The sales video highlights an idyllic Taylor lifestyle including shots of brisket being sliced, a frosty mug of beer being poured, an upscale coffee shop, a music performance at Heritage Square, a shot of Old Taylor High and aerial footage of the city’s downtown.
