Marley Porter

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.

By Glynis Crawford Smith

The Highlander

The Cottonwood Shores City Council gained a new member Thursday, Jan. 18. Brigitte Thomas was sworn in to fill the unexpired term of Marley Porter in Place 2 on the council.

Porter's resignation was accepted during the same meeting.

Porter, an architect and developer, has been involved in many projects in Cottonwood Shores and surrounding cities, including Marble Falls and Granite Shoals, but primarily by donating his time for design and grant work.

"Mayor Donald Orr and I sat down just after the first of the year and talked about all the decisions coming up before the Council on our CastleRock Development,” said Porter. “As architect and partner in the development, I would be constantly abstaining from voting to avoid any potential perceived conflict of interest.