Mueller Redevelopment Update Thread

[drummer]

Since I don't live there, are the lots around the old control tower and across Berkman Dr. built out yet? On Google Earth they're still empty with nothing happening (as of 1/14/2018). What about the other empty areas going toward the hospital? Though it is cool to see the area filling out more. I'm hopeful that the pockets of walkable portions will spur on other stuff in that part of Austin as well.

[Syndic]

No, you're right. Everything within this outline still needs to be built. That's the biggest glaring hole remaining other than the unbuilt houses on the southeastern side.





And no, the planned residential development around the old control tower still hasn't been built. But the progress is steady. I would suspect it'll all be finished in 2-3 years.

[H2O]

Originally Posted by Syndic

No, you're right. Everything within this outline still needs to be built. That's the biggest glaring hole remaining other than the unbuilt houses on the southeastern side.





And no, the planned residential development around the old control tower still hasn't been built. But the progress is steady. I would suspect it'll all be finished in 2-3 years.

You will soon be able to erase the lines around the two blocks surrounding TMI, and the blocks surrounding Alamo. So it will only be the five blocks between Aldrich, Philomena and Mueller remaining. The mixed-use building and townhomes across Berkman from the tower are about to break ground as well.

[abigdeal]

Progress on the park is also cruising along. Fully expect that to also be done this year.

[Syndic]

That's exciting news. I hope this area is actually walkable and not lacking in ground floor retail. From the images, it's hard to tell.

Also, I forgot to note that the little lot between the Thinkery and the Drafthouse is still undeveloped.

[KevinFromTexas]

One of the perks to Mueller is how flat it is. Almost every other neighborhood in this city has some kind of topographical barrier to everyone either hoofing it or swinging their leg over a bicycle to get to where they need to go. Those denser areas of Mueller are walkable, but for the areas just outside of them where it's block after block of townhouses, walking would be a bit prohibitive, especially for grocery shopping. Taking a bike though is ideal, especially considering how flat Mueller is being that it was formerly an airport. Mueller was also ideal for dense development since it was a clean slate with no worries about taking out huge mature trees. Just look at the difference between the Mueller townhomes versus the surrounding neighborhoods.

[Syndic]

I meant walkable in the sense of: is it going to have retail lining all the sidewalks (i.e. an enjoyable and interesting walk) or just going to be residential apartments at ground level like this (i.e. not somewhere casual visitors are really interested in walking)?



My guess is it'll be an awkward mix of the two due to someone in charge not really understanding what makes a community walkable.

[H2O]

Originally Posted by Syndic

I meant walkable in the sense of: is it going to have retail lining all the sidewalks (i.e. an enjoyable and interesting walk) or just going to be residential apartments at ground level like this (i.e. not somewhere casual visitors are really interested in walking)?



My guess is it'll be an awkward mix of the two due to someone in charge not really understanding what makes a community walkable.

The retail will be focused on Aldrich Street. The side streets will have live-work space and residential stoops like in the photo. It is not for a lack of understanding of what makes a streetscape interesting to visitors. It is due to an understanding of the economic realities of development. Live-work and pedestrian oriented residential frontages (active ground floor entries and outdoor living spaces) are a damn site better than typical residential ground floor treatment you will find on most apartments.

[Syndic]

Originally Posted by H2O

It is not for a lack of understanding of what makes a streetscape interesting to visitors. It is due to an understanding of the economic realities of development.

What economic realities of development make it so they can't have ground floor retail throughout rather than just on one street? Do you think there's not enough businesses that want to be located in Mueller? This was supposed to be a commercial district but it it's only on one street, that's more like a neighborhood to me.

Originally Posted by H2O

Live-work and pedestrian oriented residential frontages (active ground floor entries and outdoor living spaces) are a damn site better than typical residential ground floor treatment you will find on most apartments.

We'll have to agree to disagree on this. I don't find there to be much difference at all.

[austlar1]

I like the live/work ground floor arrangement for side streets.

[H2O]

Originally Posted by Syndic

What economic realities of development make it so they can't have ground floor retail throughout rather than just on one street? Do you think there's not enough businesses that want to be located in Mueller? This was supposed to be a commercial district but it it's only on one street, that's more like a neighborhood to me.

The economic realities are that residential lease rates are generally better than retail lease rates, except for when there is a concentration of retail that makes it a destination for shopping and entertainment. Trying to achieve that level of concentration is risky. Developers only include ground floor retail in VMU when it is required or they are wanting to add an amenity to the project, but it takes a lot of residential to support just a little bit of retail. The whole retail real estate sector is very volatile and the future in uncertain due to Amazon (remember Toys R Us?). Ground floor retail often takes several years to lease up after a project is complete. Then you have boarded up store fronts instead of friendly neighbors waving at you from their front porch. You are right - Mueller is a neighborhood, but one that is unlike any other in the city.


Full Disclosure: I live in Mueller and love it, even though it is far from complete and the trees are tiny. I get a little defensive when people criticize Mueller because it is an amazing project that is being studied by cities around the country and even the world. It isn't perfect, but we are very lucky to have it, and I am even more lucky to call it home.

[abigdeal]

I think one of the most interesting things about future development will be what happens when some more large employers come online. Texas Mutual will have 700 there. I know there are other employers looking at the open blocks in that general area.

[Syndic]

H2O, no worries. I understand being protective and defensive about your neighborhood.

I'm incredibly in love with Mueller. I wish I could afford to live there. If I did, I'm sure I'd love the quiet pedestrian side streets, too. But of course I'm only ever going to be there as a visitor and, as such, there will be little reason for me to ever go down some of these streets, which is a shame. I'd like to be able to walk all over the neighborhood but it wouldn't make sense for me to do so.

I see Mueller as pretty much how we'd want Austin to look if we could start over from scratch. It's a huge accomplishment and will be a great place to live for a hundred or more years. It deserves to be studied.

Speaking of cute streets, I was interested in checking out the park across from Texas Mutual since abigdeal said it was going to be done soon. They are indeed making good progress on that park. And I gotta say this stretch of Ruiz St bordering the park is my favorite street in all of Mueller now. Go check out that little stretch. It's fantastic. I bet the homes bordering that park are going to be super valuable. It reminds me of something out of San Francisco or something. It doesn't feel like Austin. Hopefully there will be some interesting stuff taking place in that park in the future. It will be right smack in the middle of the Aldrich St. "District".

[H2O]

Originally Posted by Syndic

H2O, no worries. I understand being protective and defensive about your neighborhood.

I'm incredibly in love with Mueller. I wish I could afford to live there. If I did, I'm sure I'd love the quiet pedestrian side streets, too. But of course I'm only ever going to be there as a visitor and, as such, there will be little reason for me to ever go down some of these streets, which is a shame. I'd like to be able to walk all over the neighborhood but it wouldn't make sense for me to do so.

I see Mueller as pretty much how we'd want Austin to look if we could start over from scratch. It's a huge accomplishment and will be a great place to live for a hundred or more years. It deserves to be studied.

Speaking of cute streets, I was interested in checking out the park across from Texas Mutual since abigdeal said it was going to be done soon. They are indeed making good progress on that park. And I gotta say this stretch of Ruiz St bordering the park is my favorite street in all of Mueller now. Go check out that little stretch. It's fantastic. I bet the homes bordering that park are going to be super valuable. It reminds me of something out of San Francisco or something. It doesn't feel like Austin. Hopefully there will be some interesting stuff taking place in that park in the future. It will be right smack in the middle of the Aldrich St. "District".

The Townhouses on Ruiz are already very valuable. They hit the market a few years ago at 700 - 800 K. I'm sure their market value already exceeds $1M. Once the park is complete, who knows? The real deal are the townhouses on the south edge of the park on Philomena. Those are all part of the affordable homes program, so they will likely remain affordable for a while.

[Syndic]

Yeah I just really like that stretch of Ruiz. It's has a nice feel to it.

[StoOgE]

Originally Posted by Syndic

What economic realities of development make it so they can't have ground floor retail throughout rather than just on one street? Do you think there's not enough businesses that want to be located in Mueller? This was supposed to be a commercial district but it it's only on one street, that's more like a neighborhood to me.
.

NYC is designed exactly like this area.

In the UWS (and UES) the major streets (mostly the N/S Avenues and the cross-park streets) all have major first floor retail/restaurants and everything you want. The side streets are quieter and have stoops only and with a few exceptions here and there no real street level interaction.

This achieves a few things. 1) It keeps foot traffic centered on certain areas which makes the neighborhoods nicer for those that live on them. 2) It focuses foot traffic in ways where you have dependable retail locations.

The worst thing that could happen for Mueller would be making every street a "retail" street because you risk cascade failure across all streets (pedestrians are driven to walk wherever they want, retail starts closing intermittently, pedestrians stop caring and even more retail closes).

This isn't downtown (and even downtown has the same phenomenon.. 3rd, 4th and 7th have far less going on than 2nd, 5th or 6th), but it *is* a planned development so it makes sense that they should plan for which street will be the pedestrian friendly retail street.

[H2O]

Originally Posted by abigdeal

I think one of the most interesting things about future development will be what happens when some more large employers come online. Texas Mutual will have 700 there. I know there are other employers looking at the open blocks in that general area.

Austin Energy is building their new headquarters immediately behind TMI.

[abigdeal]

Originally Posted by H2O

Austin Energy is building their new headquarters immediately behind TMI.

I heard the same at the marathon council meeting at the end of June. Didn’t think it was a done deal, though.

[H2O]

Originally Posted by abigdeal

I heard the same at the marathon council meeting at the end of June. Didn’t think it was a done deal, though.

Yes. Not a done deal. Negotiate and execute. But they are already half pregnant, so barring some major contractual hick-up it will happen.

[_Matt]

Some photos from a recent flight.


Mueller Commercial Area - Aldrich Street, Market District



Mueller Residential Area - Original Mueller Tower