The 711 acre site was previously occupied by Robert Mueller Municipal Airport, which was operational as Austin’s main commercial airport from 1930 to 1999, after which it was replaced by the bigger and better Bergstrom International Airport several miles to the north.
For several years, the prime, centrally located real estate sat unused, until city council approved a development plan for a unique mixed-use, new-urbanist community that follows the “Highest and Best Use” principle to a T.
The innovative master plan aims to accommodate 13,000 residents as well as 13,000 employees, with 4 million square feet of commercial space and 5,700 homes centered around 140 acres of open, public space.
A variety of home types are available, ranging from affordable to upscale, including apartments, condominiums, row houses, garden homes and more traditional, rear-loaded single-family. There seems to be a focus on creating a modern aesthetic throughout the project; commercial and public buildings are of a distinctly contemporary feel as are many of the homes, interspersed with homes of more classic and traditional architectural styles along the way.
Community and walkability are heavily emphasized within the project. Bike lanes and pedestrian paths are at least equals to automobiles, a far cry from the typical automobile-friendly Texas development. A variety of sustainable measures were undertaken to ensure the project remains environmentally friendly, including a 1:4 ratio of trees to parking spaces in car parking areas to reduce the heat island effect and extensive recycling efforts during the deconstruction of the existing airport facility, among many others.
Development site: http://www.muelleraustin.com/
Developer site: http://www.catellus.com/
All photos from development site.
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