Josh Hawes, Executive Director, Spring Branch District – Houston
In an interview with Invest:, Josh Hawes, executive director of Spring Branch District, Houston, highlighted the initiatives supporting the district’s economic development. He emphasized, “It is to keep the district as diverse and wonderful as possible, encouraging more people and businesses, including restaurants, to move into this area.”
What recent changes have impacted Spring Branch District and its business community?
We’ve seen a significant increase in the number of restaurants and other businesses, which has altered our approach to economic development. We look at how to spend the money differently to see better results, and how we can give more support to the business owners. We used to market ourselves in a certain way — with billboards, radio, and print campaigns — but the strategy started shifting last year. We have now hired a group doing online marketing, mainly through Instagram and Facebook. It has made a huge difference over the past year, as we work towards economic tourism. Business and property owners have started coming in droves to our monthly committee meeting, appreciating the district’s efforts on this development.
Many businesses, from restaurants to fitness centers, have been featured on our platforms through influencer partnerships. The change is visible overnight. For the first campaign, the marketing group featured a short-form story on Instagram about a recently opened beauty spa. By the end of the second week, the spa was fully booked for the next two months. Now, it is fully booked every weekend and only receives walk-ins on weekdays. There is also a YouTube documentary series about Spring Branch in the pipeline, which will show the development of Spring Branch and its historical landmarks, including one of the oldest churches in Texas.
How will you sustain the momentum as more people discover the district?
It is catching lightning in a bottle — we have all these Instagram followers to direct to our website. One of the things that makes Spring Branch unique is not having a lot of large chain businesses. We have mom-and-pop entrepreneurs who see the value of developing their businesses here. In fact, we did a story about a cake shop closing down their store in other parts of town and reopening here. We have to keep building on this momentum and make sure people know that the catalyst for their business is here.
How are you balancing commercial growth with the demand of community-focused residential development?
There are a lot of initiatives supporting affordable housing in the district, such as the ongoing tiny home development. Many residential developers are coming up with various solutions for the area, including converting an apartment complex into a mixed-use development comprising both commercial and residential spaces.
How is the interest in office use affected by the increasing influx of people to the region?
There aren’t a great number of offices in the district. The business parks and larger office buildings are located along the Beltway. But as more people are moving in, we see an increasing number of buildings converted into coworking spaces.
How do you balance Spring Branch’s historic identity with contemporary development?
We are indeed building our brand towards a new direction, but we are keeping what makes Spring Branch the heart of Houston. Efforts are made to preserve the district’s cultural character while accommodating growth for the businesses.
How are you improving mobility within the district’s infrastructure?
Phase two of the district’s hike-and-bike trail was completed recently. Despite the heat and humidity, over 150 people showed up for the ribbon-cutting event. In phase three, we are working with Harris County Precinct Four and Harris County Toll Road Authority to finish up the segments within the district. Once it’s all done, the 11-mile trail will connect Addicks Reservoir to White Oak Bayou Greenway, integrated into the Houston Parks Board’s overall design for connectivity throughout the entire city.
What collaborations are in the works to improve public safety and infrastructure?
One of our long-term plans is the revitalization of Haden Park. Originally, we were partnering with TIRZ 17, but their priority shifted to flood mitigation. While it’s unfortunate that we didn’t get the funding for Haden Park, we’re getting a brand new, state-of-the-art fire station and HPD command center. We are also getting $2 million from the city to start renovating another park in desperate need of revitalization and public safety improvement. Phase one alone would make the park more pleasant for the visitors. We have partnered with our sister city in Korea for this project, and they are putting a pagoda in the park, which will be completed in August this year.
How do international collaborations shape the neighborhood’s identity and its global appeal?
We’ve always had a bit of a global appeal. The new Indian restaurant on Clay Road has added to the growing diversity. Also, the Korean community and businesses have been one of our strongest partners for decades. Without them, this district wouldn’t have gotten up and running. Our ongoing collaborations keep the history alive and the connection strong. On the district’s 20th anniversary, the Korean Community Center representative here delivered the news of pagoda funding from our sister city, Ulsan. We directed that towards the ongoing park revitalization project straight away.
What are your top priorities for the next few years?
It is to keep the district as diverse and wonderful as possible, encouraging more people and businesses, including restaurants, to move into this area. We are also working towards even better public safety. Crime, violent and nonviolent, is down. People feel safe being outside, shopping, eating, and walking on our trails. But these are not something we do alone. There are so many possible partnerships at the local, regional, and international levels, which are critical to the district’s growth.
