The latest episode of The Building Texas Show, titled "The Aerospace & Defense Companies Picking Buda Over Austin," highlights how the city of Buda, Texas, has become a magnet for aerospace and defense firms, challenging the prevailing narrative that such growth is centered in Austin. Host Justin McKenzie sat down with Jennifer Storm, CEO of the Buda Economic Development Corporation, and Monica Davidson, CEO of the Greater Buda Chamber of Commerce and a Buda City Council member, to discuss why companies are choosing Buda over larger cities like Austin, Round Rock, and Pflugerville.
According to Storm, aerospace and defense firms are often seeking 10,000 to 20,000 square foot spaces rather than greenfield developments, and Buda offers right-sized space, workforce access, and lower rent. "People are saying aerospace and defense is coming to Austin, but that's not true. It's coming to Buda and Bastrop and Lockhart and Kyle and San Marcos," Storm recounted a recent caller telling her. The episode is available now wherever podcasts are heard.
The conversation delved into the mechanics behind Buda's growth. Storm explained that the Buda EDC uses rebates rather than abatements, paying incentives only after jobs are delivered, which she frames as a low-risk taxpayer investment tied to a single mandate: economic prosperity. Davidson detailed how the Greater Buda Chamber rebrand widened the tent to include South Austin, Mustang Ridge, Luling, and Lockhart businesses, while partnering with anchors like US Foods, Texas Lehigh, and Jardine's.
The episode also covered The Hive incubator, which moved 60 entrepreneurs through four cohorts in its first year across industries from salons to AI apps to drones. A new retail incubator is opening in Buda's restored 1884 train depot on Main Street. Additionally, the Hays CISD teacher externship program placed 17 educators inside local businesses this summer.
Davidson, who has doubled Chamber membership in two years, described her role bluntly: "I want to be where business begins in Buda." The pair also unpacked the origin of Buda's trademarked title as the Wiener Dog Capital of Texas, a Lions Club idea from the 1980s that is now the city's largest annual event.
Storm was candid about her recent recognition from the International Economic Development Council, accepted at the Library of Congress, and equally candid about the community's positioning against its larger neighbor. The episode provides an insider look at how Buda built momentum in under a year, showcasing the city's strategic approach to attracting aerospace and defense firms.
