By Brittany Anderson
KYLE — A little over nine months after a fire destroyed two local downtown Kyle businesses, progress is starting to be made on cleaning up the area and preparing for something new.
Shortly before 2 a.m. on Jan. 27, the Kyle Fire Department responded to a fire that had broken out at Papa Jack’s on Center Street and spread next door to Jack's Axes, an ax throwing business that had not yet opened. Although there were no injuries, both businesses were a complete loss. The Hays County Fire Marshal concluded the investigation shortly after, ruling it purely accidental.
The city of Kyle purchased Jack’s Axes during a special city council meeting held on Saturday, July 23. Demolition on the building began on Oct. 25 and crews worked for several days.
A project page can be viewed at www.cityofkyle.com/publicworks/110-w-center-street, where more information will be released as plans progress.
City representatives say that the city council is “looking to redevelop the building in line with the Kyle Downtown Master Plan,” which has been in development since earlier this year. The Downtown Master Plan is an effort to preserve and protect the city’s charm while allowing for downtown improvements, and opportunities for community feedback on what residents would like to see have also been provided.
As for Papa Jack’s next door, owner Greg Henry started the process of clearing the building of debris and salvaging what he could back in July. An insurance company investigation had prevented the work from beginning sooner. Henry was looking at possibly renovating the property, although there were “many moving parts” and no dates or decisions had been solidified.
Although the exact future of what these two downtown buildings will become is unknown for now, residents can anticipate that with the city’s growth and plans for downtown revitalization, it is something to look forward to.
