The City of Tomball and the Greater Tomball Area Chamber of Commerce’s (GTACC) efforts to expand the retail and commercial business growth is showing even more signs of waking from its economic slumber.

It its quarterly “Business Development Update” issued to its members, the GTACC reported that several new retail, commercial and residential developments are in various stages of completion.

Most notably, the Chamber reported the Veterans Administration (VA) could begin final negotiations for a long-awaited, and long-delayed, Veterans Clinic in Tomball. The two most likely locations for the clinic are the ninth floor of Tomball Regional Hospital, or the building that housed the former Klein’s Super Market on Main Street.

Representatives from both facilities submitted proposals to the VA and for the past six months, the VA has been reviewing those proposals, as well as financial concerns for both sites.

According to the Chamber, a final lease is “required to be awarded” by Sept. 15. If all goes according to plan, the new clinic, wherever it’s located, should open sometime in 2012.

Meanwhile, perhaps of most interest to local shoppers is the announcement that Kohl’s clothing store will open a site at the Tomball Marketplace in November. According to the Chamber, Kohl’s construction permit was issued by the City in March for a 64,000-square-foot facility behind Woodforest National Bank.

Also opening soon at Tomball Marketplace will be Community Bank, a 1.23-acre facility facing the SH 249 access road.

The renovation of the old “Four Corners” intersection of FM 2920 and SH 249 is seeing a significant upgrade, at least in the northwest corner, with the construction of a 6,500-square foot multi-tenant building at the site of the former Shell station.

The building is being constructed by Urban Meridian Group and is following an architectural design of the nearby Tomball Towne Center.

Other new retail developments to open recently, or are soon to open, are Verizon Wireless at the site of the former Hollywood Video in the Tomball Towne Center, Aaron’s Rentals on Business 249 south of the FM 2920 intersection, Shipley Donuts at the site of the former Wendy’s hamburger restaurant on Business 249 and FM 2920, a Beck & Masten Kia dealership on Business 249 and a Service King Collision Repair shop in the same location.

A pair of major residential developments long in the works are still expected to get underway soon. The Reserve at Spring Lake, a 232-acre development along Zion Road east of Ulrich, will feature 75 one to five-acre home sites.

Also, Pine Country of Tomball is planned for a location two miles west of SH 249 and FM 2920 on Tomball Cemetery Road. The development will feature 68 residential lots and four estate lots. According to the Chamber, “this development will be fashioned after Powder Mill Estates with asphalt streets and open ditches.”

Lots are expected to fetch $40,000 to $45,000, while homes will range from $250,000 to $400,000.

The City of Tomball and its council are hoping an increase in residents and new businesses will expand the city’s tax roll. So far, that appears to be happening.

The Chamber relayed that the city’s April 2011 sales tax check received from the State Comptroller’s Office came in at 6.57 percent more than the April 2010 check. In addition, the Chamber reported that city tax collections “so far this year are $612,068 compared to $574,361 at this same time in 2010.”

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