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New tenants: San Benito's first resaca development lands more businesses

Jan. 27—SAN BENITO — San Benito's biggest commercial development in decades appears to be pulling out of the coronavirus pandemic's economic slowdown.

Resaca Village, the city's first resaca-side commercial development, has booked three new tenants, including two restaurants.

Meanwhile, the city's Economic Development Corporation is granting developer OrigoWorks a second extension to launch Resaca Village's second, third and fourth phases along a 9.8-acre tract across from the Heavin Resaca Trail.

"We felt they had to work a little harder," City Commissioner Rene Garcia, who also sits on the EDC board, said Wednesday. "We're all concerned. San Benito isn't known as one of the destination places in the Valley so it's harder to attract (tenants). I know they're working hard."

New tenants

After opening in September 2019, about six months before the pandemic out break here, the developer filled two of the plaza's 12 spaces with a Texas Regional Bank branch and a Tropical Smoothies Café.

Now, new tenants include Calacas Tacos and Beer, Frankie Flav'z Craft Burger House and Cold Stone Creameries, Jaime Alardin, part of OrigoWorks' development team, said.

"We have a synergy," he said. "They are tenants at other plazas. Every time we build a plaza, they want to grow with us at the plaza."

While Calacas is expected to open in about two weeks, Frankie Flav'z plans to move in in late March while Cold Stone is coming in April, he said.

"Once Calacas opens, it's going to bring a lot more traffic," he said. "There's going to be movement."

The developer is counting on Calacas, which is drawing steady business at other OrigoWorks plazas, to open the door for other restaurants and shops to book spaces, Alardin said.

"We have one prospect that's very interested," he said. "We have people calling for information."

Coronavirus pandemic's impact

The developer cited the pandemic's economic slowdown as the factor behind Resaca Village's sluggish start.

"It's been tough on new businesses," Alardin said. "It's been kind of slow. The interest of new prospects is growing day by day."

For the development's second phase, OrigoWorks is planning to draw a mix of restaurants and retail shops.

"On the resaca side — that's all restaurants," Alardin said. "On the bank's, we do a mix of retail."

EDC's second extension

Citing the pandemic's economic slowdown, the EDC is granting the developer a six-month extension to launch the development's second phase.