The Transformation of South Lamar

[Novacek]

This is purely the parcel west of Lamar there? You've got to think the other strip center on the other side (with Wheatsville, etc.) will come into play soon then.

[StoOgE]

It's also a half dead shopping center. A few restaurant pads out front do well, but almost everything else closed over the years and it's turned into seasonal pop ups and close out liquidators.

It's actually a kind of bad location as getting into the shopping center is hard. You either wait to turn at the light on Lamar or have to go up the giant hill on 360.

Build it now. Also, ZNA is going to lose their shit at this

[Echostatic]

Wow. That would be significant. As long as Texican stays I'm all for it.

[StoOgE]

Originally Posted by Echostatic

Wow. That would be significant. As long as Texican stays I'm all for it.

I'd imagine those restaurant pads would go last and the area right with Tuesday Morning/Starbucks would go first for retail/residential development and the TRU site first for office/commercial.

Hopefully some of those restaurants that are pretty busy would be able to move into new digs before they tear them out. They are basically the only thing of value to the neighborhood in that complex.

[urbancore]

Originally Posted by StoOgE

It's also a half dead shopping center. A few restaurant pads out front do well, but almost everything else closed over the years and it's turned into seasonal pop ups and close out liquidators.

It's actually a kind of bad location as getting into the shopping center is hard. You either wait to turn at the light on Lamar or have to go up the giant hill on 360.

Build it now. Also, ZNA is going to lose their shit at this

They will lose their shit, then when it’s built take credit for the influx of voters.

I don’t think there will be much they can do to stop it, really.

[urbancore]

Originally Posted by Novacek

This is purely the parcel west of Lamar there? You've got to think the other strip center on the other side (with Wheatsville, etc.) will come into play soon then.

It certainly needs to.

[Echostatic]

Wow, it even looks like Save Our Springs supports this.

The Save Our Springs Alliance, a local environmental advocacy group, has not yet taken a formal position on the proposed project.

However, the group’s attorney, Bobby Levinski, said that from an environmental standpoint, it could bring “significant benefits to the water quality of Barton Creek and Barton Springs.”

“Right now, the existing shopping center is a ... slab of concrete over the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone, built right along the edge of Barton Creek,” Levinski said. “From what I've seen of the proposal thus far, the redevelopment would remove over 11 acres of impervious cover (pavement) from the site, and it would treat the remainder of the pavement with SOS-standard water quality controls. I also understand that the proposed development would shift the buildings away from the creek and restore those areas to green spaces, which could help reduce streambank erosion.”

[drummer]

It's almost as if smart density is environmentally friendly when done correctly.

[lonewolf]

Originally Posted by Echostatic

Wow, it even looks like Save Our Springs supports this.

as they should. this project reduces impervious cover on that parcel from 84 to 67% (per the article anyway)

[Mopacs]

Haven't been through that shopping center for awhile. I believe the Neiman Marcus Last Call anchor store recently closed, in addition to the Toys R Us (here and everywhere). Both had been there since the 80s. Not sure if the Hobby Lobby is open - That was formerly a Mervyn's department store that closed back in the mid-2000s. When anchor stores leave, that's a problem.

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by Mopacs

Haven't been through that shopping center for awhile. I believe the Neiman Marcus Last Call anchor store recently closed, in addition to the Toys R Us (here and everywhere). Both had been there since the 80s. Not sure if the Hobby Lobby is open - That was formerly a Mervyn's department store that closed back in the mid-2000s. When anchor stores leave, that's a problem.

Sounds like this has been in works for a while, so it's likely more that the leases aren't be renewed as they come up (to prepare for development).

[Sigaven]

Awesome! I drive by this intersection every day and I've always dreamed of a big redevelopment of this shopping center and the one across from it with the LA fitness. Would be a beautiful gateway to Lamar from Ben White.

[StoOgE]

Originally Posted by drummer

It's almost as if smart density is environmentally friendly when done correctly.

SoS has mostly been n the right side of density

[Mopacs]

A 25 story tower situated at that prominent spot (elevation relative to downtown) would be visible for MILES. Even that 4 story office building across the street can be seen from locations north of downtown.

[urbancore]

Originally Posted by Echostatic

Wow, it even looks like Save Our Springs supports this.

bingo....that's great news. This can't start soon enough.

[lonewolf]

still haven't taken time to learn to post images on here lol.. but one of my 2 big ideas for austin involves burying that whole 360/71/290 interchange and the southernmost 1/2 mile of lamar.

on the south side
the burger center all the way to pack saddle pass

north side
the lot mentioned in this development and the one on the other side of lamar

could be merged into a large district that would marry central and south austin. so much dead space in that area which creates a deadzone between south and central austin, yuge opportunity

[Desperado]

Wow, this is a dream project for me. I moved to the area recently and have wondered almost daily how much longer these three commercial centers (Brodie Oaks, Lamar Oaks, and Westgate) could continue to survive in their outdated forms. They each take up a huge area and have essentially no sense of ‘place.’ Just generic strip center/big box/expanse of pavement. Interesting to see that the owners in fact have had redevelopment in mind for quite some time.

The location is such an amazing opportunity — adjacent to the Greenbelt, easy access to the highway, and situated at the end of the South Lamar urban corridor. Creating a lively hub here makes so much sense. The suggestions of height have got me smitten...

Maybe as this develops and turns developers’ heads toward Lamar Oaks and Westgate, it’ll make the South Lamar the prime candidate for the next light rail line after the ones currently planned.

I wonder what impact this would have on those experiencing houselessness who currently live under 71. Certainly if the area undergoes further redevelopment, pressure from new wealthy residents on city leadership would push them out, probably further East/Southeast.

[kingkirbythe....]

Originally Posted by Mopacs

This would be some serious transformation...

https://www.statesman.com/story/busi...ter/115092216/

Downtown South Austin

[NYC2ATX]

This is huge because it will go such a long way towards solidifying South Lamar as a high-density corridor between Lady Bird lake and 290. As the smaller parcels to the north continue to redevelop, it was more and more jarring to fall off suddenly to large strip centers and a giant highway interchange. This reflects the density that future South Austin projects north of 290 should aspire to.

[LoneStarMike]

Here's a second rendering from the AAS article: