Moffeit CHANDLER - The SilverLeaf development here may mark the start of an initiative by city officials to increase housing in the area and attract more businesses and industry as projections show growth west of Tyler will play a role in advancing Chandler’s economy.

"We want more businesses in here and more retail so people don’t have to drive to Tyler if they don’t want to," city administrator Jim Moffeit said. "We think the economy is coming back, and we’ve got a couple of projects that are going to help us.

"We know we’re not going to get a Wal-Mart or Lowe’s anytime soon, but that’s something the Economic Development Corporation is working on. What type of business should we be pursuing?"

The answer to that question appears to be retail, a sector some might say should not be targeted by Chandler officials, Moffeit said.

"But when you’re underserved, I think retail might be a way to go. We need to identify the needs of the city and determine what types of businesses could fit here. We’ve talked to all the franchises in the Tyler area, including Dairy Queen and KFC and all those groups, and the Chamber of Commerce has had a couple of people show interest."

City and chamber officials continue to report they’re working on bringing a motel to Chandler, but few details have been released on that project, citing the sensitivity of negotiations.

"Land is expensive in Chandler, and I don’t know why," Moffeit said. Developable property is owned by a few people, and they’re not ready to sell, I guess."

Chandler City Council member Ann Hall, a realtor for Coldwell Banker in Tyler, did not immediately return an e-mail seeking comment.

While the city tries to figure out where and how to develop commercial properties, it is working to revive the housing market here.

"Two or three years ago when the economy started sliding, our housing permits slowed. For a number of years, we were doing about 30 permits a year. We see a little bit of improvement in that now. The builders are building houses with smaller footprints in the $150,000 range. In the past, they’ve been closer to $100,000."

The estimated median home value in Chandler in 2007 was $123,586. That same year, 25 permits were issued on home construction at an average cost of $134,600. In 2006, 23 permits were issued at an average cost of $143,700.

A combined 58 permits were issued in the previous two years. Since 1996, the most building permits acquired for single-home construction was in 1997, with 39. The average cost that year was $79,900.

"Four new homes have just been completed on Noonday Road, and some have been built in the Stonebriar addition. We have lots available, primed and ready - about 35 in the south part of town."

And SilverLeaf at Chandler, an $8 million development on FM 2010, will provide more than 80 apartments to seniors 55 and older on fixed incomes.

Chandler’s Economic Development Foundation, which Moffeit chairs, provided a $100,000 loan to Solutions Plus in April to help cover the cost of infrastructure.

"What I think is going to help us a lot is this Loop 49 toll road," he said. "I think the western expansion of Tyler is going to spell more homes. And we’re going to grow, whether you like it or don’t like it."

Moffeit acknowledged, however, that Chandler can only grow so much, even following an economic boom with the construction of Loop 49 and population growth across Texas.

"I think we’re going to continue being a bedroom community," he said. "I think we’ll pick up some commercial business and industry, and we would be a good place for a medicalsupply distributor. We’ve got to get on a roadmap for our planning.

"This town, in the past, was on a month-to-month plan. It had an annual budget and did not look outside it. We’ve got to get past that."

Visit loop49.org to view a map of the toll road and rates.