Activity kicking up in Somerton
Burger chain, townhomes on way
Somerton has been experiencing some recent activity. I’ve learned of a couple of new projects in the city thanks for Cesar Neyoy, reporter for Bajo El Sol, our Spanish sister newspaper.
Burger King and city officials recently celebrated the groundbreaking ceremony of the new restaurant, with preliminary construction work beginning last Wednesday.
Council members, municipal officials and representatives of the Barnett Management Company, along with the construction company in charge, took part in the event. The restaurant will be built on property located at the northeast corner of Main Street and Bingham Avenue.
Héctor Tapia, interim city administrator, said that construction will be completed May 9 and the restaurant will open that same month.
The building will be more than 3,237 square feet, including a children’s area, a component that was not in the original plan but the city convinced investors to include it for better service to the public, Tapia said.
The impact on the community, he added, will be at least 35 jobs, plus revenue to the city by way of municipal permit fees during the construction phase and sales taxes once the restaurant is in operation.
Tapia noted that Burger King was recruited in May with the help of Buxton Consulting of Texas, a firm hired in 2016 to strengthen the management of new private investments in the city. Under this contract, Buxton is currently in talks with 17 franchises in the areas of food and entertainment, among others. *** In another project, private investors represented by local resident Fernando Villegas recently obtained approval of plans for the subdivision Townhomes at Somerton Square. An old abandoned housing complex will be demol-