NBU Headquarters Project
Building to Serve You Better
New Braunfels Utilities future headquarters project was conceptualized in a 2017 Facility Master Plan which outlined the need for a single, purpose-built facility to unify NBU’s administrative, customer-service and field service operations. After evaluating more than 30 potential properties, NBU purchased a 77-acre site located at 5467 FM 482, conveniently located at IH-35 and Engel Rd. The location was selected based on its accessibility, scale and ability to support long-term operational goals including the following:
Consolidation of facilities: Currently, staff is spread across multiple locations including the Main Plaza office downtown, the Service Center on FM 306, the Customer Solutions Center on Seguin St. and numerous field operations facilities around the service territory.
Improved efficiency and productivity: By eliminating the need for residential and commercial customers to visit multiple sites and improving collaboration among NBU departments, the facility will function as a true one-stop shop for NBU customers.
Enhanced customer experience: The headquarters will include modern customer service areas, expanded customer meeting and parking space and upgraded technology for faster and more convenient services.
Space for current and future growth: The existing facilities are at capacity and the new site will accommodate both existing and future workforce to appropriately support our customers in the future.
Construction is expected to be completed in 2027. We look forward to sharing more details with our community as the project progresses.
Project Details
This facility is being built on a 77-acre site located at IH-35 and Engel Road. A total of 251,050 square feet of development will account for a 142,465 square foot office building, 60,366 square foot warehouse, 25,051 square foot equipment building and 23,168 square foot maintenance buildings.
Our new headquarters will feature infrastructure to support future electric vehicle (EV) parking, along with systems for collecting and reusing rainwater and HVAC condensate to reduce water consumption.
In 2024, NBU sought community feedback on the new headquarters project through hosted informational meetings, participating in a National Night Out event and with frequent communications with future neighbors, Magnolia Springs.
The Main Plaza and the Service Center were sold to the City of New Braunfels and will be repurposed for future economic development. NBU is currently leasing them back from the City while construction on the headquarters is underway.
The construction of NBU’s new headquarters is being funded through ratepayer dollars as part of our long-term capital improvement planning. The estimated lifetime project costs are projected to be $184 million. This includes all associated costs such as land purchase, planning, labor and construction. The financed costs are spread out over 30 years, which is the minimum lifespan of this facility.
Backstory on the Project
When the NBU Headquarters project was initiated, NBU was pursuing the design of its new headquarters facility in parallel with a workforce study to more accurately forecast the number of employees needed to serve our growing community in the long term. The study showed that if a facility were to be constructed on NBU’s property at the end of Westpointe Drive, it would be filled within ten years of opening if it housed the entire organization under one roof.
In light of the land constraint, NBU revisited the assumptions in its Facilities Master Plan, which had recommended combining the workforce from the FM 306 Service Center and the Main Plaza office complex into one facility. We also revisited our analysis of available land within NBU’s service territory to check assumptions and revisit evaluation criteria.
According to 2020 Census data, in the last decade, New Braunfels experienced a 56 percent growth rate in population and has been consistently recognized as one of the fastest-growing cities in the country. While this area’s growth has provided new opportunities and amenities for citizens, it has required New Braunfels Utilities to be even more strategic in its planning. Though not many land options were left within the NBU service territory for centrally locating a facility to ensure efficient utility operations and customer convenience, finding NBU’s future Headquarters site remained a top strategic priority.