[austlar1]

[QUOTE=Novacek;7833886]You can't be serious. It's still up in the air as to whether I35 will be depressed, and if it is, if it will be capped (at a cost of hundreds of millions), and you think they're going to cut and cap 2222? And that it will be cheap?

I'll concede this point. I took a fresh drive through there tonight. That southbound onto IH35 flyover ramp is NOT going anywhere, which makes the idea of submerging the rest of the overpass pointless. Still, as highway overpasses go, this is not a terribly overwhelming (visually or noise pollution) one in terms of interacting with the intersection below. If substantial buildings anchored all four corners at street level at the Airport/ Keonig intersection, I can envision a reasonable amount of pedestrian and bike traffic in the area providing this traffic had somewhere to go.


Of course (of course so does Burnet). But that won't fix the general connectivity issues.

Airport is already is far more walkable than Burnet, and it is likely to become more so in short order. There are a lot of new restaurants and residential services popping up along there already. I took a drive tonight in the little neighborhood between Airport and IH 35 behind and to the southeast of the Travis County parcel. I was amazed at how nice it has become in this little patch of small homes over the past few years. It is leafy and has a decidedly Austin bohemian atmosphere. Aside from the risk of some Nimbyism, this bodes well for the area. In fact, all the neighborhoods on both sides of Airport through this area are enjoying a strong revival. Airport is already becoming their drag, the place to go for food, coffee, etc. I sure don't see that happening on the stretch of Burnet you are talking about near the Domain. Maybe in another 10 or 15 years, but nothing like that is happening now.



Between Lamar and I35 there's a grand total of 5.
It can double or more the walking distance from the "adjacent" neighborhood. It's just not very accessible from the SW.


The five through streets are all about four or five city blocks apart. It is plenty to make the neighborhoods on the other side of the tracks walkable and accessible. Also, across from Highland and across from the Travis County parcel on the Lamar side of Airport, there are large underutilized light industrial/warehouse spaces and/or a very large auto dealership that are ripe for redevelopment. This would doubtless increase interaction with the neighborhoods between the tracks and Lamar, although those neighborhoods will never have a lot of density. The density needs to happen along the Airport Corridor strip, in Highland Mall proper, and in other adjacent areas like Lincoln Village. None of the neighborhoods directly adjacent to what I am now calling the Airport Corridor will likely tolerate high rise development. I think the compromise will be lots of Texas doughnut type apartment structures along Airport with some mid rise and hopefully high rise office and apartment development in the Highland complex or directly adjacent.




Mueller is 2 miles away and 2 highways away.

The Mueller main entrance on Airport is a 15 to 20 minute walk up Airport to Highland Mall. You can probably bike it in about half that time or less. Let's get real, however, there won't be that much pedestrian traffic coming from Mueller, maybe some bike traffic, but not so much with foot traffic. Mueller is a car-centric development that is pretty close to Highland, and there is likely to be some synergy between the two areas before very long. I don't have a major problem with short car commutes. We are a sunbelt city in an unpleasant climate. Want to live in Mueller and work at Highland or along the corridor? Or vice versa? Want to drive and park? No problem as far as I am concerned. Isn't that really part of the attraction for residents of the Domain? They are a short DRIVE from centers of employment in that neck of the woods. A fully redeveloped Airport Blvd Corridor and Highland Mall can and should offer similar advantages. There is probably room for both developments going forward, but I don't think I will ever be able to embrace the Domain. It is just too contrived for my taste.



You're seriously using suburbs connecting via a toll road as a measure of how urban and integrated it is?

It's the same straight shot to the NBG from 100,000 in Round Rock, or eventually millions in Williamson County. Heck, from manor it's 290 and 183.

Yes, because the new residential development to the east is some of the most affordable new housing in the area, and it is closer to central Austin than the areas you mention. There will be a pool of workers living in these areas eager to find jobs with a short or simple commute. Don't overlook the possibility that there may one day be commuter rail or light rail headed out in that direction. There are railroad right of ways that could be utilized all the way out to Elgin. and there is room in the new toll road to fit rail into the center for the last few miles to a connection at or near Highland.

Your crime stats.

Not going to argue Rutland with you. I don't know the actual crime statistics, but I do have first hand experience with street life in the Rutland corridor. It is NOT pleasant. Homeowners in adjacent areas don't like it. Overall, it makes the area in question less attractive, and it will slow development along Burnet going back towards 183 from the Domain. It is likely to be years before real street improvements and sidewalk improvements are completed on Burnet between the Domain and 183. Not saying it won't happen, but it is going to be a real slog to get there. Meanwhile, the Domain will be what it is, a privately policed Potemkin Village that does not interact with surrounding neighborhoods because there is nothing to interact with for the most part.

Anyway, I am done here for now. I promised myself a long time ago to avoid debates with you. I don't really enjoy them, so I am taking the pledge again. Lips sealed going forward. Long Live Highland Mall and the Airport Blvd. Corridor!!