Century Oak Plaza, Julie's Cocina to share grand opening event Wednesday, March 22
Frank Shubert/The Highlander
The community is invited to see the latest additions to Cottonwood Shores Wednesday, when Julie's Cocina and the adjacent Century Oak Plaza will share a grand opening.
Julie’s Cocina and Century Oak Plaza are sharing a grand opening Wednesday, March 22, expanding the commercial face of Cottonwood Shores.
In August of 2014, Texas banker, Wayne Hartman, was looking for commercial real estate investments in the Marble Falls area. He had just purchased The Burke’s Outlet/Grand Buffet building the previous Summer and was looking to buy more. A friend told him that Dollar General had land under contract on Farm to Market Road 2147 in Cottonwood Shores. As a banker, Hartman had financed several Dollar Generals in Texas, so he put the adjacent land West of it under contract and purchased it.
Hartman was introduced to local architect, Marley Porter, who had developed and built the On The Rocks Restaurant, Huey O’s and finished a PUD for the surrounding acreage. He was hired to design a strip center for the site.
The first tenant approached for the center was Frankie Marquez and his mom, Julie Briceno, who owned the very popular, Julie’s Cocina. They had no interest in moving to lease in another location, but would be interested in buying.
After Dollar General began construction, Hartman subdivided his lot and sold the western portion to to the family of Julie's Cocina with a shared driveway easement. A soft opening "to work out the kinks" of the new restaurant was slammed, with some people waiting an hour just to get in, but Wednesday will be the official opening.
Porter was instructed to finish plans for a smaller, 8200-square-foot center, and help Marquez with design and permits for a brand new, Julie’s Cocina. Fighting one of the rainiest 12 months on record, Marquez built Julie’s Cocina and Porter built Century Oak Plaza and transformed the highway scene of Cottonwood Shores.
“We wish to thank TxDOT, the mayor and city council of Cottonwood Shores, Marley Porter, the LCRA, our fine Subcontractors, Retail Solutions, and our new tenants who have committed to make this dream a reality,- GG Ganache, Wallpapers To Go, Garza Made Construction, Living Architecture & Construction Management and Hush Yoga and Spa,” read the announcement from Century Oak Plaza read.
