NBU Headquarters Project
An Update on NBU’s Headquarters (January 2024)
In December 2021, we paused the planning and design phase for the NBU Headquarters (NBU HQ) at the Trinity Well Field and Treatment Plant site. In January 2022, the NBU HQ project team began an exhaustive search for alternative properties within NBU’s service territory. There was no stone left unturned; the team evaluated countless properties and approached many property owners throughout the process.
In February 2023, one of the sites identified as suitable for our HQ location was listed for sale, and we quickly worked to get the property under contract in May. Extensive feasibility studies were conducted to confirm its suitability, and at the NBU Board of Trustees meeting on September 28, our board took action to authorize the purchase of the property at Engle Road and IH 35.
A major milestone was achieved when, on November 1, 2023, NBU closed on the property located at IH-35 and Engel Road, just 15 minutes from all major IH-35 exits within our service area.
New Braunfels Utilities is pleased to announce our collaborative efforts with the project team as we embark on the Schematic Design phase. During this crucial stage, the project team meticulously defines the spatial layout, physical specifications, and interconnections of all essential building spaces and components. Our dedicated design team will subsequently validate or refine the overall building square footage, project budget, schedule, and occupancy dates.
We look forward to sharing more details with our community as the project progresses. Stay tuned for further updates as they become available.
Construction Timeline:
Construction of the new NBU Headquarters is scheduled to commence in January 2025, with an anticipated completion date in spring 2027.
Frequently Asked Questions
New Braunfels Utilities has outgrown its Main Plaza and Service Center facilities, and they are simply not adequate for the complexity and security of our community’s critical utility infrastructure. The new Headquarters will allow NBU to consolidate operations and meet the demands of growth and improve efficiency required to continue providing essential services to the community.
Operations at the new facility will be in compliance with the City of New Braunfels’ noise ordinance NO. 2015-43.
As of September 2023, NBU has 360+ employees, but not all will work at the NBU Headquarters. Some will continue to work at remote facilities such as treatment plants. Like many employers, post-COVID-19, NBU’s workforce includes some employees who work from home and many others that work in a hybrid arrangement, splitting their time between home and office.
Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
For additional information, please email us.
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.