Waldorf Astoria Texas Hill Country just got one step closer to coming to fruition after the Fredericksburg City Council approved a resolution that provides a clear path forward for the project’s development, resolving an issue over a thoroughfare that would bisect the property.
The key component of the resolution is the approval of a revised conceptual alignment for a future roadway considered in the City’s Comprehensive Plan. The reworked alignment integrates with the resort and residences master plan, while preserving the city’s long-term transportation objectives. In a special joint meeting, the city council approved the revised alignment “as an acceptable conceptual alternative alignment for the future roadway.”
The annexation and development agreement further directed city parties and the property’s owner “to negotiate a proposed annexation and development agreement addressing the project and the revised alignment.”
“This is an incredibly positive milestone for Waldorf Astoria Texas Hill Country and for our relationship with the City of Fredericksburg,” said Mark Harmon, developer of Waldorf Astoria Texas Hill Country. “From the beginning, our vision has been to create a world-class destination that is authentically rooted in Fredericksburg and the Texas Hill Country. We appreciate the City’s foresight and willingness to work collaboratively with our team on a practical path forward that supports both the future of this project and the community we are proud to be part of.”
Development of Waldorf Astoria Texas Hill Country puts a luxury resort with a well-established brand name in the heart of Texas Hill Country, a region with bucolic typography of rolling hills and limestone outcrops and a climate that allows for wine production. It’s no wonder many refer to Texas Hill Country as the next Napa Valley. Harmon and his development partner, Robert Radovan, are making a prophetic bet on it, bringing one of the legendary luxury brand names to the Lone Star State for the first time.
Site work on the resort, which is expected to open in 2029, is already underway, and the development team continues to advance infrastructure, design and construction planning for the project, which is less than one mile from downtown Fredericksburg and surrounded by the region’s wineries, landscape and cultural attractions.
“Fredericksburg is not simply the location of this project, it is fundamental to its identity,” said Radovan. “The architecture, landscape, hospitality and overall guest and residential experiences have been conceived around the character of the Hill Country. Our goal is to introduce a new level of luxury hospitality while creating an economic engine that supports the broader Fredericksburg community and introduces even more visitors to the businesses and people that have made this destination so special.”
Consider Hill & Vine, a culinary destination nestled in the heart of Fredericksburg that marries Texas home-cooking with Texas wine. Jesse Barter, owner of the establishment, is also a board member of the Fredericksburg Convention and Visitors Bureau. He has been a stalwart of support for Waldorf Astoria Texas Hill Country as an economic catalyst. “The project will bring greatly needed mid-week business to the community, help the city’s growing capital needs, assist in keeping residents’ taxes lower and become a social hub of the community,” he said.
“As someone who lives, works and is raising my family in Fredericksburg, I care deeply about how our community grows and evolves,” said Kathryn Sharrock, director of sales for Waldorf Astoria Residences Texas Hill Country. “What has always excited me about this project is that it isn’t intended to exist apart from Fredericksburg—it is designed to embrace it and be a part of it.”
Plans for the resort include a clustered, ranch-style resort and residences woven through expansive green spaces and oak woodlands. It will include an expansive spa facility and wellness offerings, pools and Michelin-starred culinary experiences.
“We recognized early what makes the Texas Hill Country extraordinary and believed it had all the ingredients to emerge as one of the country’s most compelling luxury destinations,” said Tim Sparapani, developer of Waldorf Astoria Texas Hill Country. “The continued investment we’re now seeing across the region only reinforces that conviction.
Now, with further definition of the roadwork framework, the resort’s development team and the city will work toward a voluntary annexation and development agreement for the property. That process will not only establish the project’s long-term viability, but also create economic benefits for the community by establishing a tourism economy through new tax revenues, jobs, increased visitor spending and additional patronage of local restaurants, wineries, galleries, shops and other businesses throughout the year.
“We are building for the long term, and we are excited to move into this next chapter alongside the City,” Harmon said. “We have a tremendous team, an extraordinary piece of land and one of the world’s most respected luxury hospitality brands. This action represents a significant step forward in our work with the City and provides additional momentum as Waldorf Astoria Texas Hill Country advances toward its launch.”