Austin-based CesiumAstro is in discussions to purchase the West Austin Business Park, a 23-acre property near State Highway 71 and Sweetwater Village Drive, according to a report from the Austin Business Journal. The company intends to convert the site into its global headquarters. The campus, referred to as Lot 7, consists of three buildings totaling 270,000 square feet and is located within Bee Cave’s extraterritorial jurisdiction. The property has been at the center of a legal dispute for over a year.
No agreement has been finalized. “We’ll share updates on any expansion once details are confirmed,” said Ken Smith, CFO of CesiumAstro.
Bee Cave city officials have indicated that CesiumAstro is expected to acquire the property from Velocis, a Dallas-based firm that developed the site with KBC Advisors. This transaction would be part of a settlement designed to resolve ongoing litigation related to the project. In December, Bee Cave City Council unanimously approved an updated settlement after an executive session; however, this agreement has not yet been filed in court.
If completed, the deal would largely resolve Bee Cave’s dispute with Velocis and shift development plans from an industrial warehouse facility to office and assembly space for satellite communications equipment. City officials emphasized that CesiumAstro’s intended use does not include distribution operations.
This distinction was central to Bee Cave’s lawsuit against Velocis in 2024. The city argued that developers breached a 2015 development agreement by planning an industrial warehouse project unsuitable for nearby residential areas—a claim Velocis contested. Under the revised settlement, warehouse and distribution activities are prohibited.
The redevelopment plan involves converting 76 loading docks into windows and retaining only four truck bays. Truck traffic would be limited to eight 18-wheelers per month—far fewer than originally proposed—with all deliveries requiring advance notice and police escort. Developers also agreed to contribute $500,000 to the city.
Mayor Kara King described the outcome as favorable for residents: “better outcome for our community than a last mile warehouse distribution center.”
Legal proceedings continue regarding other claims related to the project; issues involving former city manager Clint Garza are scheduled for trial in February.
CesiumAstro recently raised $65 million in funding last year following a $60 million round in 2022 and holds contracts with both the Space Development Agency and U.S. Air Force. The company’s workforce now exceeds 200 employees as it seeks additional space for future growth in Austin.
