2026 Full of Economic Development Wins for the City of Bryan & Residents
Two buildings in Historic Downtown Bryan are on track to be restored, after the Bryan City Council approved a Chapter 380 Economic Development Agreement at the Sept. 15 Special Meeting to support the project.
The agreement finalizes a strategic public-private partnership with NN Out Properties to restore and reuse the old Hotel Bryan and the Ryan Building, located at 211 and 217 S. Main Street, for the quality-of-life benefit of the city, residents and visitors. Multiple obligations must be met by the developer over the 10-year agreement.
The agreement is just one of a number of economic development success stories from Fiscal Year 2026, thanks to the vision and leadership from Bryan City Council, the Bryan Business Council and the city’s economic development team.
“We are open for business in Bryan, which is a win for everyone in our community,” said Mayor Bobby Gutierrez. “Large development and industrial projects benefit residents, as each project brings new jobs and provides increased tax revenue — which is particularly important as the city’s cost of doing business continues to climb. The increased revenue from these projects allows the city to continue providing the same great services residents expect from us, without having to raise taxes.”
The city intentionally invests in a variety of economic development projects, including Downtown Bryan projects like Hush & Whisper Distilling Company and Sunbeam Bagels/The Owl Pub & Grill, and major investments from national and multi-national corporations.
“Bryan is part of the national economic conversation, competing successfully for transformative investments,” said Director of Economic Development Todd McDaniel. “We offer abundant access to land, water, electricity and an impressive talent pipeline. The city’s economic development success this year is a testament to the long-term business vision we’ve built.”
Fiscal Year 2026 Economic Development Projects
Axis Pipe & Tube Expansion
The most successful economic development project in the city’s history got bigger this fiscal year. Mexico-based manufacturer Axis Pipe & Tube expanded to Bryan in 2013, and is currently the city’s largest taxpayer. In December 2025, Bryan City Council approved an agreement opening the path for Axis to begin a $110 million expansion project. The plan will provide increased tax revenue for the city and $4 million worth of new jobs.
Amazon Delivery Station
Faster package delivery is now a reality in Bryan. Amazon’s last-mile delivery facility began operations in December 2025 and officially launched in April 2026. The 90,000-square-foot facility processes more than 13,000 packages a day, with the potential to double that capacity. The facility also carries more than 10,000 of the most commonly purchased items, allowing for same-day delivery for some items. Once Amazon purchased the land that was jointly owned by the City of Bryan and Brazos County, construction took less than one year.
26th & Main Restoration
The restoration of a historic building at 26th and Main Streets is well underway. The building was purchased by Doug French, owner and CEO of Stylecraft and Tenant First, and the construction process has uncovered layers of history, some of which will be implemented into the restoration. The City of Bryan assisted with façade and life safety grants.
The Lumin & Parking Garage at Lake Walk
The successful Lake Walk development continues to grow, as construction began this fiscal year on The Lumin and an associated two-story parking garage, thanks to partnership with Bryan Commerce & Development, Inc., the city's economic development arm. The innovative building will bring five floors of office space and ground floor restaurant and retail space to the mixed-use district located minutes from Historic Downtown Bryan, the Texas A&M campus and RELLIS. The building is expected to open in 2027.
Centex Roto Molding Expansion
Centex Roto Molding is headquartered in Bryan Business Park and uses rotational molding equipment to produce large plastic products for many industries. This year, the city — via the Bryan Business Council — assisted Centex with an equipment expansion project to enhance its production capacity. As part of the agreement, Centex will increase its property value by at least $5 million and create 50 additional full-time jobs.
ThisWay Global Research and AI Compute Center
A research center at the RELLIS campus is back on track thanks to new ownership. Bryan first approved an economic development agreement for the project in 2021, but the project halted in November 2025 when the original developer filed for bankruptcy. In June 2026, City Council moved forward with a replacement agreement with a new owner, ThisWay Global, which is expected to resume construction on the $298 million facility.
Messer Americas
This year, the world’s largest privately-held industrial gases company chose Bryan for its next expansion in Texas. Messer will build a state-of-the-art air separation unit to separate air into its basic components. The facility’s products will support a variety of local and regional industries, including food and beverage, healthcare, manufacturing, metals, chemicals and aerospace. Messer will fill 16 high-paying full-time jobs and is expected to complete the facility in late 2027.
Kristen Distributing Expansion
Locally-owned-and-operated beverage company Kristen Distributing will expand their operations in North Bryan. In August 2026, the Bryan-Brazos County Economic Development Foundation sold the company 56.9 acres adjacent to their current location. Kristen will build a distribution facility of up to 200,000 square feet on the property, and must begin construction within 24 months. The company supplies approximately 1,300 products to 23 counties in Central Texas, with the expansion expected to increase their volume.
NN Out Properties Downtown Revitalization
The most recent project will transform the old Hotel Bryan and the Ryan Building, located at 211 and 217 S. Main Street, into retail and target tenant space on the ground floors and loft space on the upper floors of the Hotel Bryan building. The developer has a proven track record of success, completing several meaningful revitalization projects in Downtown over the last 10 years and contributing to the sense of momentum in the area.
As part of the agreement, the developer must close on both buildings by Dec. 1, 2026, and start construction on the Ryan Building by April 1, 2027, and the upper floors of Hotel Bryan by Sept. 1, 2027.
