Old FM 2243: Bagdad Road to US 183

Old FM 2243: Bagdad Road to US 183

Written by John Garrett Saturday, 07 July 2007

Old FM 2243 is one of four east-west corridors in Leander, providing commuter access to US 183 and the new Capital Metro Park & Ride. This roadway connects Leander southwest to Jonestown and west to the Hill Country.

With the H-E-B Plus! addition, new retailers are flocking to the area. Additionally, this corridor offers quick access to the surrounding residential areas.

This winter, the first railcar will arrive at the Capital MetroRail stop adjacent to the Park & Ride. When operational, this service will provide yet another transportation option near Old FM 2243.

1. The Bagdad Road and Old FM 2243 intersection improvement design is underway. The design phase is scheduled to be finished by Nov. 1 and construction is expected to begin in February. Construction along Bagdad Road will run north to San Gabriel Parkway.

The left-turn lane project on southbound Bagdad Road from the 2004 bond program has been combined with the November 2006 bond program in an effort to save money. In the meantime, the City of Leander is working on intersection improvements including cameras and sequential timing of the lights to minimize wait times until construction is complete.

2. As part of the 2004 bond program, the City of Leander completed the right-of-way acquisition along FM 2243. Roadway improvements and widening are under consideration, and the city will move forward on design after the next bond election in November 2008.

3. The Bagdad Cemetery began with a land donation by the Babcock family, one of the founding families of the town of Bagdad, for the grave of their son in 1852. Many Confederate soldiers are buried there, and the original portion of the cemetery indicates the burial spots of former slaves. A shed on site was used for funeral ceremonies, and is now being restored for that purpose once again.

The cemetery continues to serve the community. A new section is planned with an additional 20 acres for growth.

The Bagdad Cemetery Association hosts an Annual Homecoming the second Sunday in June. Mirroring the tradition of families cleaning around the grave sites and then picnicking, the association welcomes families of those buried in the cemetery to gather on the grounds.

4. The Pickle-Mason House was built in 1871 by Porter Pickle for his family. The house was sold to Augusta K. and Zora Mason Davis in 1913 and has remained in the family since. In 1988, the house was recorded as a Texas Historical Landmark because it was the first home in western Williamson County with screened windows.

5. Noble Capital will break ground on The Shops at 2243 by January 2008. The 18-acre site will include office space, pad sites for restaurants and banks and 100,000 sq. ft. of retail shopping center space.

6. Sandlin Ventures Development, Inc. broke ground in June on a 10,000 sq. ft. industrial building expected to be complete by Jan. 1. The site will also feature a 6,000 sq. ft. retail strip center with construction scheduled to begin in November.

7. Living Water Lutheran Church owns this piece of land. Although no construction is in progress, the church hopes to have a building on the land within the next two years.

8. Brown Plaza will be a mixed-use commercial complex. The 19-acre site is in the planning stages.

9. The Forum at the H-E-B Plus! shopping center is 40 percent leased. Blockbuster and GameStop are in the build-out stage and will be open by the end of August. Luxury Nails opened its doors for business July 6. The retail space also includes Jack Brown Cleaners, Goodwill, TGF Hair Salon, Subway, Papa Murphy’s Take ‘n’ Bake Pizza, Twin Liquors, Fantastic Sam’s and PostNet. Seven pad sites are still available for lease.