H‑E‑B is moving ahead with a massive new supermarket at McKinney Falls Parkway and William Cannon Drive in East Austin, a roughly 115,285‑square‑foot build that state filings peg at about $40 million. The project is slated to break ground in mid‑2026 and wrap up in late 2027, positioning it as one of the largest recent retail bets in southeast Austin and a potential game changer for neighbors who have been driving long distances for groceries.
TDLR Filing Spells Out Size, Cost And Timeline
Paperwork filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation and reported by MySA describes the project as a 115,285‑square‑foot H‑E‑B with an estimated construction cost of $40 million. The filings list July 13, 2026, as the planned construction start date and October 20, 2027, as a tentative completion date, a schedule that lines up with H‑E‑B’s previously stated goal of opening the store in late 2027.
H‑E‑B Unveiled Site And Pledged $1 Million In Local Support
H‑E‑B first announced the McKinney Falls and William Cannon site in late 2024 as part of a dozen Austin‑area projects and paired the news with a $1 million donation to Austin Habitat for Humanity to back nearby affordable housing efforts, according to the company’s newsroom. "At H‑E‑B, we’re always looking for ways to invest in our stores and the community," Cathy Harm, senior vice president for the Central Texas region, said in the release.
Why East Austin, And Who Is Still Waiting
Community advocates have argued for years that parts of East Austin and the city’s eastern crescent lack full‑service supermarkets. H‑E‑B’s planned store would land near Persimmon Point, a 126‑unit affordable housing development the company is helping support, Community Impact reports.
Just down the road, Del Valle remains a sore spot in the grocery conversation. MySA notes that H‑E‑B still owns land there but expects to sell it back to a developer with a repurchase option. Residents and advocates say a full‑service supermarket in that area could significantly reshape daily shopping habits and even transit patterns.
What Happens Next On The McKinney Falls Site
If H‑E‑B sticks close to the schedule outlined in filings, construction crews would move in by mid‑2026 and work toward an October 2027 finish, keeping a late‑2027 opening in play, according to H‑E‑B’s newsroom. Company officials have emphasized that large store builds involve years of planning and that permitting, utility work and site prep can nudge those dates around as projects move from paper to reality.
Jobs, Growth And The Bigger East Side Picture
The company has said its dozen Austin‑area projects will add thousands of jobs across the region, a boost that local leaders expect to arrive alongside new retail choices and potential transit connections, according to Community Impact. H‑E‑B has already advanced other work along the eastern crescent this year, including a large store in Manor, and residents are watching permitting and construction milestones closely as the McKinney Falls project moves ahead, Urbanize Austin notes.
