A recent episode of The Building Texas Show, published July 13, 2026, challenges the prevailing narrative that Central Texas aerospace and defense growth is centered in Austin. Host Justin McKenzie sat down in Buda, Texas with Jennifer Storm, CEO of the Buda Economic Development Corporation, and Monica Davidson, CEO of the Greater Buda Chamber of Commerce and a Buda City Council member, to discuss why smaller I-35 corridor cities are becoming the real footprint for these industries.
According to Storm, aerospace and defense firms are choosing Buda over Austin, Round Rock, and Pflugerville, often seeking 10,000 to 20,000 square foot spaces rather than greenfield developments. “People are saying aerospace and defense is coming to Austin, but that's not true. It's coming to Buda and Bastrop and Lockhart and Kyle and San Marcos,” she recounted a recent caller telling her. The episode highlights how Buda has built momentum in under a year through initiatives like The Hive incubator, which moved 60 entrepreneurs through four cohorts in its first year across industries from salons to AI apps to drones. A new retail incubator is also opening in Buda's restored 1884 train depot on Main Street.
The discussion also covered the Hays CISD teacher externship program, which placed 17 educators inside local businesses this summer. Storm was candid about her recent recognition from the International Economic Development Council, accepted at the Library of Congress, and equally candid about the community's positioning against its larger neighbor. Davidson, who has doubled Chamber membership in two years, described her role bluntly: “I want to be where business begins in Buda.”
The episode delves into the mechanics behind the growth. Storm explained that the Buda EDC uses rebates rather than abatements, paying incentives only after jobs are delivered, which she frames as a low-risk taxpayer investment tied to a single mandate: economic prosperity. Davidson detailed how the Greater Buda Chamber rebrand widened the tent to include South Austin, Mustang Ridge, Luling, and Lockhart businesses, while partnering with anchors like US Foods, Texas Lehigh, and Jardine's. The pair also unpacked the origin of Buda's trademarked title as the Wiener Dog Capital of Texas, a Lions Club idea from the 1980s that is now the city's largest annual event.
For more insights, the full episode is available on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
