MISSION — Killam Development and the city of Mission broke ground Monday at the Anzalduas International Bridge, ceremoniously marking the beginning of construction on a new 175-acre industrial park and teasing future groundbreakings.
Dubbed the Sharyland Business Park, this and other developing infrastructural improvements were made possible through the partnership between Killam Development, the city of Mission, Hidalgo County and the U.S. Economic Development Administration. The EDA authorized a $3 million grant to fund the projects on the property in 2020.
“In 2019, we purchased a 3,400-acre property from the Hunt family because we saw an enormous opportunity here,” Cliffe Killam, president and CEO of Killam Development said. “Since then, we’ve been working hard, hand-in-hand with the community, to design and develop a master plan that will include new housing, commercial, retail, green space, hike and bike trails and other amenities.”
The seller of the 3,400 acres was Hunt Valley Development, which was founded in 1997 and specializes in commercial and industrial building operations.
Killam Development is a private, family-owned business that’s been serving South Texas for over 100 years.
According to Killam, over 500 people participated in a series of workshops to help create a vision for Mission’s future and the new industrial park, which will include cold storage, manufacturing and distribution facilities.
Eventually, the park is planned to grow as large as 1,000 acres.
“Certainly, this is going to be one place where they’re going to create jobs,” U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, said at the groundbreaking Monday. “With the Killams, I’ve known the family for many years, once they go into something, they want to do it right.
“I think this will be a catalyst for maybe other developers who’ll say, ‘Hey, look what’s happening here.’”
Mission Mayor Dr. Armando O’Caña echoed Cuellar’s sentiments saying this project will motivate other investors to create similar projects in Mission, making the city one of the fastest growing areas with access roads to national markets.
City officials expect the park to spur an economic boon with the help of the EDA, and have their eyes set on turning the Anzalduas International Bridge into a commercial bridge in the near future.
“The master plan is phenomenal,” Daniel Silva, CEO of the Mission EDC, said. “It’s going to be a great place for people to live and you’re going to see a lot more here in the city of Mission.”
