During Tuesday afternoon’s meeting of the Brownwood Municipal Development District Board of Directors, Deputy City Manager Ray Tipton stated that site work is underway at the Shops on Commerce.

“They did start site work late last week,” Tipton said. “They do have some equipment there doing some preliminary dirt work. They’ll be putting a silk fence up then starting the major excavation here pretty quick.”

The 41,000 square foot shopping center – announced by the City on Jan. 17 of this year – will be located at 537 W. Commerce. Ross, Ulta Beauty, Five Below, Bath & Body Works and James Avery will be housed in the Shops on Commerce.

Meanwhile, the Preserve at Mustang Ridge housing development is working on final approval for civil engineering, Tipton reported, with the expectation to start moving dirt the first part of 2026.

During a City Council meeting on June 24 of this year, Tipton said of the Preserve on Mustang Ridge, “It will be a residential subdivision of 55 duplexes built near the Brownwood Middle School, which will be 110 actual housing units. Overall investment by the developer would be approximately $20 million.”

Tipton also informed the BMDD board Tuesday that through the first two months of the 2025-26 fiscal year, sales tax revenue is $34,000 greater than what was anticipated in the budget.

Tipton also reported that during the recent President’s Awards Program, sponsored by Texas Downtown, in Waco, the Brownwood Event Center won three awards – Best New Construction for the Icehouse Stage and Reunion Lawn; Best Economic Game Changer for the Brownwood Event Center Complex; and the People’s Choice Award for Best New Construction also went to the Icehouse Stage and Reunion Law.