Mueller Redevelopment Update Thread

[clubtokyo]

That shopping center is trash. Is this a joke?

[clubtokyo]

Honestly this whole area of land should be redeveloped into master plan with apartments and retail.

[enragedcamel]

This whole area needs redevelopment. It's full of old stores and auto workshops and whatnot that are falling apart:

[Syndic]

I think all urbanists can empathize with their desire to retain retail within walking distance, however. I hope the developer will change the plan to include more, but I doubt it.

[chinchaaa]

What’s the new sq footage of commercial space vs the current amount?

[H2O]

Originally Posted by chinchaaa

What’s the new sq footage of commercial space vs the current amount?

I don't know the sf, but the only commercial use that is remaining is Hank's. I believe there is zero sf of retail in the new building(s).

Originally Posted by H2O

I don't know the sf, but the only commercial use that is remaining is Hank's. I believe there is zero sf of retail in the new building(s).

Why in the world would a developer want any "retail," at all in his new horse shoe. What good does a shoe store, a dress store, a hardware store, a music shop, a toy store or any other small retail shop do him? A lot less good than a swimming pool I suspect, and they don't seem to be building those any more either.

if people want to shop they should go to a shopping center, the developer reckons. Not mess around amongst his renters. Now a small restaurant or pub, and maybe a nail salon is another thing. They're now an expected perk to the tenants and in the case of restaurants and pubs usually have deep-pocketed national chains or local investor groups behind them. Once a restaurant is set up inside, another can usually be quickly found to take its place should the need arise.

No, the developer views small retail as trash. Such as it exists anymore, it is actual trash, like in the area outlined in red in one of the earlier posts, or incipient trash, like the legacy family-owned shops in West Austin that take up a lot of space and will die off soon with their owners.

Putting aside the patrons of incipient trash, the patrons of the legacy family-owned shops in West Austin, the developer is reluctant to label the patrons of the actual trash shops, but ...

We are taking care of the owners and patrons of the actual trash shops however: we are building Project Connect so they can live in one of the adjacent multi-family projects and have easy access to a plethora of shopping options.

I forgot to mention, but as of a couple of years ago, the site plan for the new development did show some "retail," space on the ground floor; I can't remember how much.

[siriusdog]

My main problem with this development is the bait and switch action of the developer. Overall, I like the development (even with the recent revision) but have soured on it since they proposed a much better product to start with.

Maybe I missed the sarcastic voice in the prior msg. As a city, we need small retail spaces. These are our incubators. As a rule of thumb, 90% of them will go under over time. But without the experimentation, there is no way some of our gems would exist today. I have only started one business and I credit the landlord for helping me make it a success.

As a renter, I actually prioritize areas that have walkable amenities nearby. Since we don't get private backyards, walking to stores/shops is typically the only nature exposure we get during the day.
In my view, all new developments should include some smaller retail spaces. Without it, our street interaction is really poor.

[Jdawgboy]

Originally Posted by smallfrie

Why in the world would a developer want any "retail," at all in his new horse shoe. What good does a shoe store, a dress store, a hardware store, a music shop, a toy store or any other small retail shop do him? A lot less good than a swimming pool I suspect, and they don't seem to be building those any more either.

if people want to shop they should go to a shopping center, the developer reckons. Not mess around amongst his renters. Now a small restaurant or pub, and maybe a nail salon is another thing. They're now an expected perk to the tenants and in the case of restaurants and pubs usually have deep-pocketed national chains or local investor groups behind them. Once a restaurant is set up inside, another can usually be quickly found to take its place should the need arise.

No, the developer views small retail as trash. Such as it exists anymore, it is actual trash, like in the area outlined in red in one of the earlier posts, or incipient trash, like the legacy family-owned shops in West Austin that take up a lot of space and will die off soon with their owners.

Putting aside the patrons of incipient trash, the patrons of the legacy family-owned shops in West Austin, the developer is reluctant to label the patrons of the actual trash shops, but ...

We are taking care of the owners and patrons of the actual trash shops however: we are building Project Connect so they can live in one of the adjacent multi-family projects and have easy access to a plethora of shopping options.

Yea I don't agree with this stance at all. I'm sorry but I don't want to have to drive to a shopping center to shop. That simply puts more traffic on the roads. We live in a city and in a city, people should be able to walk out of their homes, and reach some sort of shopping without the need of a car. You go to NYC or other major cities, you see retail and residential together all the time. It is time for Austin to do the same.

[We vs us]

I think that was sarcasm, fwiw.

[kingkirbythe....]

Austin's Mueller mega-development opens skate park to the public

Skateboarders, BMX bikers, and inline skaters rejoice.

https://www.mysanantonio.com/lifesty...k-17390252.php

Crane-watching in Mueller has been out of control lately, with new hotels, restaurants, and homes cropping up seemingly every week. The newest addition to the rapidly expanding Austin super-community, located at the former site of Austin's airport, is a different kind of amenity, one that'll be bustling when the heat wave breaks and the rain stops. The 700-acre development now has a skate park to call its own.

Located at the corner of Zach Scott Street and Manor Road, the Gaylor Sackler Memorial Skate Park opened to the public in mid-August. Intended for use by skateboarders, inline skaters, and BMX bikers, the skate park includes a pump track and multiple skating areas — quarter pipes, a half-bowl, many lips — to enjoy.

Early reports indicate that it's — and you'll never believe this — very hot during the day as the park is mostly in the sun. However, there are shaded canopies and some tree cover to hide under after landing consecutive misty flips. Gaylord Sackler Memorial Skate Park also has its own bathroom and water fountain.

Officially opened on August 11, reports of skaters hopping the construction fence and skating it early had been reported on Reddit as early as May. We have to assume they were testing it out to make sure it was safe for the rest of the neighborhood once it was ready to open to the public.

[Urbannizer]

Solomon 51st & Mueller Blvd

https://www.endeavor-re.com/properti...-mueller-blvd/

[Syndic]

That looks nice. Mueller's effect continues to spread into the surrounding area. I'm glad there's some actual retail in this development.

[gillynova]

[Urbannizer]

Parkside at Mueller




STG Design via LinkedIn

[Riverranchdrone]

Originally Posted by Urbannizer

Parkside at Mueller




STG Design via LinkedIn

It's a pretty cool building. Love the 3 level walkways on the upper floors.
[IMG]DJI_0665 by Jason Luebbe, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]DJI_0655-HDR by Jason Luebbe, on Flickr[/IMG]

[Syndic]

Holy crap, that sprung up fast. It's going be be really attractive when it's done.

[drummer]

Originally Posted by Syndic

Holy crap, that sprung up fast. It's going be be really attractive when it's done.

I was in the area the other day taking my kids to the Thinkery. We ate lunch at the park and walked around a bit also. Took them to see the old control tower and told them the whole placed was an airport when I was a kid...they couldn't believe it because there wasn't a runway, of course.

That said, this area is truly turning out very nicely.

[papertowelroll]

Originally Posted by drummer

I was in the area the other day taking my kids to the Thinkery. We ate lunch at the park and walked around a bit also. Took them to see the old control tower and told them the whole placed was an airport when I was a kid...they couldn't believe it because there wasn't a runway, of course.

That said, this area is truly turning out very nicely.

Mueller has really taken a long time to get built out, by Austin standards, and I don't love all of what they've done, but some of the most recent parts by Aldrich St are very nice. And damn the park is fantastic, honestly Zilker ought to look like that.