- Nuclear research will anchor Proto-Town, with Earthship filing plans for a 7,600-PSF reactor project costing $23M.
- Proto-Town attracts tech startups and defense firms, including Allen Control Systems, a drone-defense innovator.
- Earthship’s town concept receives official support, with state Rep. John Cyrier joining the venture.
- Company towns remain a rising trend in Texas, diversifying local economies and CRE activity.
Expansion of Nuclear Research in Proto-Town
Earthship, led by Merle Nye and Joshua Farahzad, is developing Texas’ newest company town, Proto-Town, located in Lockhart between Austin and San Antonio, reports The Real Deal. This week, Earthship submitted plans for a 7,600-PSF nuclear research reactor at 2600 Mineral Springs Road. The $23M project will further position Proto-Town as an innovation hub focused on tech manufacturing and advanced research, with nuclear scientist Thomas Eiden recruited to lead the initiative.
Attracting Next-Gen Defense and Tech Companies
Proto-Town’s appeal extends beyond energy innovation. Allen Control Systems, a defense technology startup focused on anti-drone robotics, has joined the town’s roster of companies. The venture, spurred by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, exemplifies the kind of advanced manufacturing and tech enterprise Proto-Town aims to foster. This aligns with broader momentum in defense-driven industrial demand, particularly in major hubs like Los Angeles, where aerospace and defense users are increasingly shaping leasing activity. Former county commissioner and Texas Rep. John Cyrier has also become a key partner backing the project.
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Why It Matters for Texas CRE
Nuclear research and defense tech investments bolster Proto-Town’s role as a future employment and innovation cluster in Texas. The company town trend is taking hold, following in the footsteps of developments like Starbase and Snailbrook, supporting commercial real estate momentum across the region. Proto-Town’s mix of high-value research, manufacturing, and entrepreneurial culture could serve as a model for similar projects statewide.
Broader Texas CRE Developments
Elsewhere in Texas, Centurion American’s Mehrdad Moayedi acquired 20 condo units in Dallas’ Harwood District following a foreclosure sale, signaling investor interest amid distressed sales. Nord Group, a New York landlord, filed for bankruptcy on its Houston multifamily asset, its third attempt on the property, while Fannie Mae moves to dismiss the case.
In Dallas, redevelopment and city hall relocation talks include sites like Bryan Tower and the former Dallas Morning News building, pointing to big-ticket CRE opportunities. Additionally, Tricolor founder Daniel Chu sold two Highland Park homes under the cloud of a federal fraud investigation, as the company went bankrupt late last year.
