This Austin Suburb Was a Ghost Town. Now It's Packed Every Weekend

"Downtown Buda was a Ghost Town. After about six o'clock there was nobody walking around." Today, Buda's Main Street buzzes every evening and all weekend.

Justin McKenzie is back in Buda, Texas, with Mayor Lee Urbanovsky. Buda is one of the fast-growing Austin suburbs, on I-35 between Austin and San Marcos. Lee has lived in Buda for more than 25 years, joined City Council in 2016 and has served as mayor since 2020. They talk about why he ran (and why he said no twice before running for mayor), planning 20 to 30 years ahead, why a development process that is "consistent and predictable" matters to builders, Garison Park and Onion Creek, Buda Championship Park (formerly the Sportsplex), the 2021 bond projects on West Goforth Road, Old Black Colony Road and Austin Street, and the Buda EDC's HIVE and retail incubator.

The heart of the conversation is Main Street growth — and how the Greater Buda Chamber of Commerce and the Buda Economic Development Corporation helped small businesses get through COVID. The episode wraps with live music at the Buda Amphitheater, including Railcar Revival.

Guest: Lee Urbanovsky, Mayor of Buda, Texas
Host: Justin McKenzie, The Building Texas Show

City of Buda: https://www.budatx.gov
Mayor Lee Urbanovsky: https://www.budatx.gov/326/Lee-Urbanovsky-Mayor
Buda Economic Development Corporation: https://www.budaedc.com
Greater Buda Chamber of Commerce: https://www.budachambertx.com
Discover Buda (tourism): https://www.discoverbudatx.com

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/6vVjumItU0Y
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More episodes: https://www.buildingtexasshow.com

0:00 Cold open: Downtown Buda was a ghost town after 6 PM
0:25 Back in Buda with Mayor Lee Urbanovsky
0:44 Why Lee ran for Buda City Council
2:16 From council to mayor: "I said no twice"
3:03 Planning 20 to 30 years ahead
4:13 Permitting in Buda: consistent and predictable
5:53 Garison Park and Onion Creek
7:22 Buda Championship Park, formerly the Sportsplex
8:34 2021 bond: Goforth, Old Black Colony and Austin Street
9:55 The Buda EDC HIVE and retail incubator
10:41 Downtown Buda then vs. now
11:58 Chamber, EDC and city working together
13:20 How to get involved in Buda
14:22 The Buda Amphitheater and Railcar Revival
15:56 Thank you, Mayor Urbanovsky