We are pleased to present this inaugural edition of the Galveston Development Guide. In a collaborative bet ween the G alveston Economic D evelopment Par tnership (GEDP) and the Cit y of G alveston’s I ndustrial Development Corporation (IDC ), this guide has been developed to highlight the competitive advantages available in G alveston as a premiere location for living, wor k ing and investing
We say this with confidence from our own exper iences of : LIVING in G alveston – for its amazing qualit y of life, natural resources, diversity, educational oppor tunities, small-town – coastal environment and more; WORKING in G alveston – as the employment center of G alveston Count y, oppor tunities for wor kforce training and upsk illing, shor t dr ive times, access to capital and an ever-improving infrastruc ture; INVESTING in G alveston – for its histor y in innovation and entrepreneurship, proven resilienc y in times of cr isis (from hur r icanes to national pandemics), proximit y to the 4th largest metropolitan area in the countr y, and an ecosystem that is buoyed by its public institutions, committed community banks, and strategic position for oppor tunity into the future.
O ver this past year, we all have been challenged by the impac ts incur red by the Coronavirus Pandemic Collec tively, G alveston responded as a resilient communit y. The economic engines of G alveston (including M ar itime, Education and Healthcare, Tour ism and Financial/I nsurance) adapted and lead by example. G alveston’s Public sec tor maintained a steadfast role in providing guidance and confidence that appropr iate ac tions and resources were being utilized.
Bassett Chair - Galveston Economic Development Par tnership
The Honorable Craig Brown Mayor - City of Galveston
M ost impor tantly the residents and businesses of G alveston, as histor ically has been the prac tice, responded with gr it, determination and perseverance to ensure that Galveston would not be defined by this pandemic. I nstead, G alveston continues to exemplify a resilient communit y that is positioned to grow out of this pandemic with boundless oppor tunities ahead!
Keith
MARITIME:
I mplementation of the Por t Masterplan
I nfrastruc ture investments
Royal Caribbean Cruise Terminal
Laydown area for wind produc ts Ship channel improvements
Green Marine Cer tification Programs
TOURISM:
Recreation/spor ts tourism oppor tunities
Tradeshow/Convention development
Beach nourishment
Cruise industr y development
Tourism growth and diversification
EDUCATION & HEATHCARE:
Comprehensive education and healthcare excellence
I nnovative Public/Private Par tnerships
Diversity and workforce development
College town amenities and programs
EMERGING TECHNOLOGY:
Expanding emerging technology ecosystem
I ncubator/Accelerator expansion
Local, regional and state wide collaborations
I nnovation and entrepreneurship programs and ac tivities
Growth in talent, space and capital formation
RESILIENCE - BUSINESS CONTINUITY:
Business continuity tools and resources
Continued expansion of business continuity network
I nnovative technology and strategies for business continuity
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOLS:
Strategic investment areas
I nnovation network and entrepreneurship resources
I ncentive and resource leverage
Human, natural and financial resources
Business development tools and resources
Galveston positioned for growth
Galveston tourism strong and diversified
Galveston sec tors resilient and growing
The Galveston Economic Development
Par tnership is a private, membership based non-profit 501(c)(6) organization
Phone
409 770 0216
Industr y positioned for growth and expansion
Innovation and entrepreneurship sweeping the island
Residential market is strong and diversifying
21 Projects and Development
New and ongoing development in Galveston
22 GEDP Membership | Sponsors
Membership information and sponsors of the webinar series and this guide
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 8029
Galveston, T X 77553
Physical Address
UTMB Customs House Building
First floor, East Wing) 1700 Strand Galveston, T X 77550
alveston, Texas offers an abundance of resources that culminate into a communit y r ich in histor y, diversified with significant public and pr ivate sec tor assets and an open por tal for sustainable growth and development oppor tunities. The Galveston economy is anchored by Maritime, Tourism, and Education–Healthcare industries that drive Galveston’s economic engine.
GALVESTON’S TOP TEN EMPLOYERS
STRONG ECONOMIC CLIMATE
Suppor ting these anchors is a robust finance and insurance sec tor, growing retail and commercial centers and a housing mar ket exper iencing redevelopment at an exponential pace.
These assets coupled with a Cit y significantly investing in infrastruc ture, transpor tation, par ks and neighbor hoods create a unique location for business development, an exceptional quality of life and ultimately the per fect location to live, work and invest for the future.
CITY OF GALVESTON
GALVESTON ISD
GALVESTON COLLEGE
NAVIGATION DISTRIC T GALVESTON COUNTY
UNDERSTANDING GALVESTON BY THE NUMBERS
There is a diverse array of competitive advantages for business development and site selec tion in G alveston To understand the numbers you must understand the population, commuters, visitors, businesses and students
G alveston is much more dynamic than the simple data you might find when researching this cit y. G alveston’s base population is just over 50,000 residents. However, G alveston operates as a cit y of between 75,000 - 100,000. This is due to the vibrant collec tion of five distinc t population sec tors that combine on a recurring basis.
Visitor Destination
Over 7 Million tourists per year visit Galveston Island
Employment Center
Approximately 40,000 jobs on the island
Commuter Workforce
Over 60% of the island workers live off-island
Vacation/Second Home Hub
Estimated over 70% of homes on west- end of Galveston are second homes
College Town
Approximately 10,000 college students on the island
Source: US Census Bureau April 2021
Cost of Living index
The Cost of Living index estimates the relative price levels for consumer goods and ser vices. When applied to wages and salaries, the result is a measure of relative purchasing power. The cost of living is 4.4% lower in Galveston, (95.6) than the US Average.
INDUSTRY SNAPSHOT
Over the nex t year, employment in Galveston is expec ted to expand by 411 jobs The fastest growing sec tor is expec ted to be in Health Care and Social Assistance
and Warehousing Retail Trade
ECONOMIC CLIMATE
We are positioned for the future. Future growth is a realit y that is evident across the greater HoustonGalveston region. Developments continue at an accelerated pace along the I-45 Corridor from Houston to G alveston G alveston’s proximit y to the nation’s 4th largest cit y presents a unique oppor tunit y to take advantage of all that Houston has to offer while benefitting from the quality of life and economic climate of an exceptional coastal barrier island – Galveston, Texas.
Sec tors Presenting Oppor tunities for R apid Growth:
EMERGING TECHNOLOGY
World Class Research
Home of the Galveston National Lab at the University of Texas Medical Branch (1 of only 2 in the countr y), Home to a national M aritime Training Academy – Texas A&M Universit y at G alveston (1 of only 6 in the countr y); Home to G alveston College (voted #1 Communit y College in Texas); I ncubator space (public and private) in development; Emerging Tech ecosystem that continues developing with numerous initiatives and collaborations.
HOUSING
Infill Redevelopment
Exponential growth of vacation rental proper ties; concentrated effor ts focused on infill redevelopment; oppor tunities for work force housing; un-paralleled location for second home destinations; commercial-retail site development connec tivity
INDUSTRIAL
Location. Location. Location.
4th most popular Cruise Terminal in the U.S.; undeveloped land availability adjacent to deep water; continued expansion and diversification of existing industr y ; location
MULTI-MODAL TRANSPORTATION
Connecting to the World
Houston- G alveston Ship Channel; Galveston Ship Channel; 2 Class 1 R ail Lines; S choles I nter national Air por t; I-45 I mprovements; connec tivit y within the Houston region and to the world.
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
Training for jobs
Workforce supplies are challenged across the countr y ; Unique and creative solutions are being explored; Galveston’s proximity to the 4th largest Cit y in the countr y, utilization of job training programs with G alveston College and the Texas Workforce Commission; and as a college town with an abundance of students provides oppor tunity of new strategies and the leveraging of existing assets.
SPORTS TOURISM
Hitting a home run
One of Galveston’s strongest emerging sec tors; abundance of natural resources; existing destination tourism sec tor that suppor ts events, tournaments and exhibitions; inventor y of available facilities; and more…
RESILIENCY DURING DISASTER - HAVE A PLAN
Ever y business should have a plan should disaster occur. With hurricane season upon us, now is the time to prepare The Business Recover y Guide contains information focused on helping you prepare, recover and get back to business.
Business Recovery Guide link
Introducing the Verity - Economic Impa Por tal, a new business continuity tool f Galveston. Contac t the GEDP to learn more about the real-time track ing of im pac ts during natural disasters
Click for more information
CITY OF GALVESTON TOP TAXPAYERS
City of Galveston
Comprehensive Annual Financial Repor t ACFR2020 (galvestontx.org)
Galveston Island Park Board Master Plans Maps & Plans | Galveston Park Board, T X
Galveston Independent School Distric t Galveston ISD Strategic Plan 2017 ‐2022 GISD Strategic Plan / GISD Strategic Plan
University of Texas Medical Branch
The UTMB Strategic Plan – Institutional Vision 2021 - 2025 https://w w w utmb edu/strategic-plan
Texas A&M University at Galveston 2016 – 2020 Strategic Plan strat plan 1pager-s.pdf (tamug.edu)
Galveston College 2017 – 2022 Strategic Plan NEW-HORIZONS.pdf (gc.edu)
Por t of Galveston Strategic Master Plan
Por t- of-Galveston-Strategic-Master-Plan-FINAL-Repor t-121219
Galveston is an ideal location for strategic business development. The island ’s diversit y, resilienc y and economic indicators all point toward a strong economic outlook . Future growth is based on dynamic Strategic Plans.
Galveston Economic Development Par tnership and the City of Galveston Economic Development Plan
The Galveston Tourism industr y has been challenged this past year with a national pandemic, uncer taint y for the cruise industr y, cancellation of festivals and events, the winter freeze and ultimately the demands of a challenged workforce. G alveston is resilient and a premiere tour ism destination The oppor tunities for tourism and hospitality sec tors is strong and out-per forming other markets across the Gulf Coast and beyond.
PARK BOARD AND CVB LEADING THE WAY
The Galveston Park Board of Trustees and Galveston Island Convention and Visitors Bureau have greatly assisted in the response and proactive marketing to lead Galveston’s tourism industr y through recover y and into the future.
» $1.8M in road, ditch and drainage work . Through a Public/Pr ivate Par tnership for Enter tainment & Amenity Oppor tunity ( JLL)
» Beach Nourishment plans for 2021-2023 to include D ellanera, 8 M ile, Babe’s B each and par t of the histor ic S eawall Funded by FEMA, Babe’s B each RESTORE, and T X GLO Total cost of Beach Nourishment is $74.8M for 2021-2023
» Increase visibility of recreational and leisure market and increase convention book ings
Newest Visitor center is mobile!
Park Board managed parks have seen an increase in revenue year over year G alveston’s proximit y to Houston and regional mar kets, like Austin and Dallas, are seeing an influx in new residents which bodes well for the island as a drivemarket destination.
The rate for park ing along the seawall increased from $1 to $2 per hour prior to Spring Break. During March, the number of transac tions increased by more than 50% year over year indicating a significant increase in the number of visitors.
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS:
27 foot,1975
has been remodeled and retrofitted for the 21st centur y and ser ves as an anchor for events around the island.
*Excludes Cavalla Historical Foundation (CHF) payments per fee schedule agreement **Includes ½ of CHF
collec tions
Photo: Galveston CVB
This
D odge Travco motor home,
M Mo Mor More t th tha than a ore a M Me Med Medi Medic Medica Medical Medical S Sc Sch Scho Schoo School School. edical
Health Education
Established in 1891 as the University of Texas Medical Department, UTMB Health now offers a variety of educational programs through the School of Medicine, School of Nursing, School of Health Professions and Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and ser vices over 3,000 students with more than 900 faculty members
Health Science Research
UTMB Health performs life-saving research ever yday through numerous federal and private grants to advance discoveries and treatments for human health Our cutting-edge discoveries transform the lives of our patients from illness to health
Emerging Technologies
The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) established Medical Branch Innovations to commercialize cutting edge health care innovations developed by world renowned scientists, clinicians, and engineers These health care innovations are born out of real world gaps in the health care continuum and validated within the walls of a world class health sciences center at UTMB
Inpatient and Outpatient Healthcare
UTMB Health offers a full range of primar y and specialty health care ser vices throughout Southeast Texas With over 90 primar y and specialty care clinics and four regional hospital campuses, UTMB Health provides the largest and most comprehensive network of health care in the region.
Community Engagement
UTMB Health works directly with the public to build relationships and improve the health of the communities we ser ve Engaging with the community to educate and advocate for good health can have signi cant impact on the well-being of populations and individuals
alveston’s educational and healthcare sec tors anchor the foundation of the Island ’s economic base The Universit y of Texas M edical Branch, Texas A&M Universit y at Galveston and Galveston College offer acclaimed programs and degrees. The G alveston I ndependent S chool Distr ic t and a number of pr ivate schools provide the framework in the development of innovative training oppor tunities amongst a diverse array of educational pathways. Combined, these programs and institutions deliver exceptional training oppor tunities and workforce development resources
GALVESTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRIC T
G alveston ISD enrolls 6,708 students across 13 campuses and accepts students from the cities of G alveston and Jamaica Beach. Galveston ISD also ser ves unincor porated areas of G alveston Count y, including the communities of Por t Bolivar and Cr ystal Beach on the Bolivar Peninsula. The school distric t is fully accredited by the Texas Education Agenc y.
GISD PROGRAMS
GISD cur rently has t wo high school programs, five middle school programs, six elementar y schools, two S chools of Choice and 4 Pr ivate S chools There are 1,251 GISD employees.
Ball H igh S chool offers oppor tunities for graduates to be wor k force, militar y and college ready I n collaboration with G alveston College, dual credit courses are available for additional college hours. GISD is a tech hub for emerging oppor tunities as well.
Galveston Ball H igh School recently acquired a synthetic cadaver as par t of the biomedicine program. This is one of four such medical training cadavers in Texas schools.
GALVESTON COLLEGE
G alveston College (GC ) is a fully accredited communit y college, accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and S chools Commission on Colleges to award the Associate and Bachelor degrees.
The inaugural Bachelor of Applied Technology class recently graduated 13 students during the COVID pandemic.
Providing academic, workforce education, continuing education, and developmental programs, GC offers innovative teaching methods, tak ing full advantage of current technologies.
Enrollment per semester in credited programs is approximately 2,400 students of diverse population Additionally, 1,450 individuals take advantage of the Continuing Education programs. Galveston College collaborates with local businesses and organizations and with Ball High School for dual credit classes
2,400 students enroll each semester
1,450 par ticipate in Continuing Education classes
Programs have consistently gained local, state, and national acclaim in areas that include health occupations programs, wor kforce development initiatives, NJC AA athletics, innovative fundraising, culinar y ar ts, and special student ser vices
Citizens recognize and suppor t Galveston College as a staple of the island. The college is fiscally sound and strongly suppor ted
STUDENT TO TEACHER RATIO 15:1
TEX AS A&M UNIVERSIT Y AT GALVESTON
Located on Pelican Island at the Por t of Galveston and close to the ship channel, Texas A&M Universit y at G alveston ( TAMUG) is uniquely situated for its mar ine and mar itime academic programs As an ocean- oriented branch campus of Texas A&M Universit y System the campus is accredited to award baccalaureate, master's, and doc toral degrees
Known affectionately as 'Sea Aggies', oppor tunities for marine studies are vast. The Maritime Academy is one of only six in the US and the only academy integrated into a Tier1 academic institution which trains over 300 cadets annually for maritime ser vice and employment around the wor ld. Programs are offered in Biology, Fisher ies, S ciences, Business Administration, O cean Engineering among others.
The Texas’ delegation in Congress successfully included $389 million in an appropriations bill for a new ship with state - of-the -ar t training and disasterresponse capabilities. The ship yet-to-be -built, known as a National S ecur it y Multi-M ission Vessel, would be able to train up to 600 cadets at sea and ser ve double duty as the only hurricane relief vessel in the Gulf of Mexico
Enrollment at TAMUG is over 2,500 students:
» 87% Employed within 9 months of graduation
» $78,033 Mean Star ting O fficer S alar y in US Merchant Marine
» 83% S atisfied with career preparation
» 80% Graduate in 6 years
UNIVERSIT Y OF TEX AS MEDIC AL BRANCH
For more than 125 years, UTMB has been educating generations of health care professionals, mak ing wor ld- changing discover ies through ground-break ing research and providing compassionate, state - of-the -ar t lifesaving health care to a rapidly growing patient population.
I n addition to the healthcare education, UTMB has the only Level1 Trauma center south of Houston. UTMB is also home to one of only 2 national labs for biodefense. The G alveston Center for Technology and Wor kforce D evelopment at the UTMB Customs House is positioned to grow technology based star t-up - companies
MARITIME
Galveston is home to the first por t in Texas and the 4th busiest cruise homepor t in Nor th America. Maritime remains a strong engine for growth for the cit y, count y and state, significantly contr ibuting to jobs, tax revenues and the economy. The G alveston Whar ves has ear ned Green Marine cer tification, mak ing it only the second por t in Texas to become accredited in this voluntar y environmental program for the Nor th American marine industr y.
LONG-TERM SUCCESS
» Third cruise terminal in development - target opening 2022
» 12+ construc tion projec ts to advance the master plan
» Earned cer tification by Green Marine, a voluntar y environmental cer tification program for Nor th American marine industr y
» Pelican Island - develop for cargo, industr y
» 850 total acres with over 307 developable acres
20-Year Strategic Master Plan
To position the por t for long-term success:
West - Expanded cargo area, move cargo business from East Por t area
Mid - Cruise park ing garages, remodeled Cruise terminal 1, Pier 19-22 commercial village
East - Cruise terminals, commercial/marina village, mass transit
Building upon G alveston’s histor y of innovation and entrepreneurship, the G alveston Center for Technology and Wor kforce D evelopment at the UTMB Customs House is a launching pad for technology based star t-up companies. UTMB has par tnered with the GEDP in the redevelopment of the Customs House Incubator This collaborative is designed to leverage resources, enhance the local and regional economies, create new jobs and ultimately dr ive the emerging technology ecosystem for Galveston and Galveston County.
Pic tured above is the pilot wet-lab that is currently being renovated on the 3rd floor of the Customs House. These renovations are being completed with the assistance of an EDA grant and scheduled for completion in Q4 of 2021.
R E S O U R C E P A R T N E R S
The O ffice of Technology Transfer
The office of Technology Transfer manages UTMB intellec tual proper ty assets while promoting and encouraging scientific research
Medical Branch Innovations (MBI)
MBI is a subsidiary of UTMB established to commercialize cutting edge health care innovations developed by world renowned scientists, clinicians, and engineers
Customs House Incubator
In collaboration with the GEDP, UTMB will utilize this space for emerging tech star t-ups This center will offer programs and ser vices for star t-up emerging tech companies
Photo cour tesy UTMB
2020 Accomplishments
» Focused NIH Clinical and Translational Science Award on innovation and Entrepreneurship
» Initiated the only Blackstone LaunchPad site in the Houston region
» Selec ted as I- Corps@NCATS training site
» Par tnered with GEDP to expand incubator space
» Established an Innovation Hub at the Health Education Center
» Joined the Incubate Galveston collec tive to foster innovation in the community
» Identified joint initiatives with TAMUG
2021 Oppor tunities
» Increase usage of studio resources
» Expand incubator resources
» Increase par ticipation in training and mentoring oppor tunities
EMERGING TECH ECOSYSTEM
CAPITAL
INNOVATION & ENTREPRENEURSHIP STUDIO
The studio brings together experienced innovators, UTMB resources, and institutional and communit y par tners to suppor t clients as they navigate the complex ecosystem of infor mation and resources necessar y to develop new drugs, devices and interventions, and ser vices.
The studio customizes its approach based on the needs and interests of the client and ser ves as a point of access for training, mentor ing, collaboration, specialized exper tise, incubator space and oppor tunities for financial suppor t throughout the projec t life c ycle.
The Customs House Incubator located at 1700 Strand
UTMB conduc ting research to understand the COVID 19 disease
Photo cour tesy UTMB
clec tic and diverse housing options dot G alveston from histor ic homes to water front living, downtown lof ts to family dwellings. With investment in Galveston ongoing and development strong, the current housing market is growing as well
Based on the compar ison of Year End 2019 vs Year End 2020, residential real estate value and transac tions have increased. Across the Island the dollar volume of sales increased 46%, following the number of transactions which also increased by 23%.
The highest percentage of transac tions occurred on the West End of Galveston, while other high ac tivity
levels were reached within many different neighborhoods throughout the island.
The median selling pr ice INCREASED 14%, from $292,750 in 2019 to $333,125 in 2020; the average number of days a proper t y was on the mar ket decreased 12% from 74 days to 65 days.
Data provided by Sand and Sea Proper ties
Galveston is currently experiencing a wide array of new developments. New construction, expansion and diversification, infill redevelopment and projec ts from retail to industr ial are included in cur rent investments across the island
Por t Lay Down Yard -Harborside Drive and 33rd St. Por t proper ty used for wind produc ts
Galveston Island Dr y Goods Company - Corner of 23rd and Strand, now open
Texas Tail Distiller y - 2416
Postoffice - New location with Distiller y, cocktails, food, lawn games and live music
Firehouse - Originally the Star State Company #3, built in 1903, acquired by the Galveston Historical Foundation in 2017, and have begun refurbishing
W. L. Moody Building - (For mer ly Colonel Bubbie’s) “Gracie’s” moved to the renovated 1st floor retail space. Work continues on 2nd/ 3rd floor apar tments
Panda Express - Corner of Stewar t Road and 61st Street Opened to a line of cars wrapped around the park ing lot!
United States National Bank (USNB) Downtown Lof ts - Corner of 22nd and Market, offers lofts with a view and a rooftop pool & bar
Little Red Box Grocer y - 905 43rd Providing access to fresh healthy foods at affordable prices. Order and pick up
Falstaff Complex - R enovations continue on the for mer Falstaff Brewer y to include a restaurant and hotel
American National Insurance Employee walkover and park ing Garage completed
Home 2 Suites by Hilton - 4000
Block of Seawall - construc tion continues on this projec t
Galveston Brewer y - 4,400 SF will triple produc tion and add a climate controlled seating area
GEDP
Growing for the future
The G alveston Economic D evelopment Par tnership is a membership -based, 501(c)(6) private, non-profit organization In 2020 the GEDP created the Galveston Center for Innovation and Transformation as a 501(c)(3) suppor ting organization.
The wor k of the GEDP is made possible through the suppor t and par ticipation of our members, Executive Committee, Task Forces and community par tners. The GEDP thanks our current members and suppor ters and looks for ward to welcoming new members into the work of the GEDP.
The GEDP currently manages Maritime, Tourism (Spor ts Tourism), Emerging Technology and Business Continuity Task Forces. There is a membership ser vices committee and a monthly President ’s Roundtable for current events and member network ing
For more information on the GEDP and oppor tunities available, please visit our website at w w w.gedp.org. For membership infor mation you can download the GEDP Membership Packet or call 409-770-0216.
Thank you to our sponsors for the 2021 Webinar S eries and the GEDP Galveston Development Guide
