Dairy Queen/Hempstead

A renovation and alteration project for a Dairy Queen location at 442 10th st in Hempstead, Texas, is registered with TDLR. The filing identifies the project as Dairy Queen/Hempstead, with work scheduled to cover approximately 200 sq ft of space. The estimated cost for this scope of work is $60,000, which computes to $300 per square foot.

The scope of work described in the filing is specific and focused on exterior and interior updates. The plan includes covering the outer brick with faux stucco and replacing the existing red tin roof with a similar material. Additionally, the covered parking area is slated to be closed in to create extra dining space. Interior updates include redoing all flooring and painting both the inside and outside of the structure.

Project Status and Registration

Karen Smith is listed as the owner or developer of record for this privately funded project on private land. Jeffrey A Gutknecht is the registered accessibility specialist associated with the filing. The project was registered with TDLR in April 2026, with a construction start date of May 2026 and a target completion date of September 2026. Although that completion date has passed, no plan review or inspection has been recorded since, so whether it proceeded is not confirmed in the public record.

In the context of Waller County construction activity, this project’s estimated cost is below the county median for renovation and alteration filings. The median estimated cost for comparable projects in the county is $338,372, while this project is estimated at $60,000. The scheduled build window of 126 days is close to the county median of 138 days for similar work. However, the cost per square foot of $300 is above the county median of $64, reflecting the intensive nature of the exterior and interior updates described in the filing.

The location is in ZIP code 77445, a census area with a population of about 14,943 and a median household income of $63,650. The housing stock in this area is mostly owner-occupied, with a median owner-occupied home value of $270,900. These Census estimates for the ZIP code provide context for the local market where the renovation is taking place, though they do not directly indicate the commercial status of the specific business location.