AUSTIN | The Grove Mixed Use | U/C

[airwx]

Originally Posted by Digatisdi

and actually it looks like there's a northern road connection which looks like it was lacking in the old plan.

I can't remember where I read it, but MileStone was able to buy a home on 45th street, which is what is going to allow for that northern connection. Looking at the Friends of the Grove facebook page, it looks like it is going to be right in and right out for the 45th street connection with a pedestrian hybrid beacon.

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by Syndic

Collective input makes for more polished and interesting places, I think. Some myopic developer with dollar signs in his eyes alone is not a good party to be making such large places. I'm glad this happened. One of the most important changes seems to be moving the apartments in red in the top left corner closer to the road so that an ugly parking lot isn't visible from the street. Typical dumb developer move.

The red is retail, not residential I'm pretty sure. The red that is along the main thoroughfare within the parcel (with the black writing over it) seems to be retail with residential above. Orange is apartments. The grey is parking garage. Periwinkle are town homes. Golden is homes. The only question mark is the blue attached to the parking garages.

[airwx]

I believe the blue is the office space.

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by airwx

I believe the blue is the office space.

Ah. Yes. There we go.

[drummer]

I'm excited to see this one happen - it'll be a great addition to the area.

wwmiv, I don't think I have periwinkle in my color vocabulary...I guess I'm content with the basic colors...or boring, I suppose...whichever way you want to look at it. My wife would probably go with the latter.

[Tech House]

On my monitor the periwinkle looks gray and the blue looks periwinkle. In any event, the new design is vastly improved and the whole project looks like high quality infill. I just wish it had a bridge to Shoal Creek Rd. rather than putting so much added stress on that awful stretch of 45th.

[Digatisdi]

Originally Posted by Tech House

On my monitor the periwinkle looks gray and the blue looks periwinkle. In any event, the new design is vastly improved and the whole project looks like high quality infill. I just wish it had a bridge to Shoal Creek Rd. rather than putting so much added stress on that awful stretch of 45th.

I agree, though I imagine that would require an easement from the state (They own that horrible building on the other side of Shoal Creek right?) which could take forever.

It looks like there might be enough room for a future ROW at the far east but I doubt anything will come of it for the foreseeable future. Personally I'm just very happy about the connection to the north

[Tech House]

They've uploaded an excellent, thorough video presentation to their YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x79JN2dscQE

Maybe I'm a sucker for feel-good process-and-vision speak, but watching the first 20 minutes of the video and seeing their vision and the process they speak about made me feel very good. I'm extremely impressed by these developers. If anybody has nitpicky complaints about The Grove, I suggest you spend an hour driving around Cedar Park to see the type of disconnected quick-profit-maximizing auto-centric pukescape that results from the more common type of development in 21st century America.

They're even burying the utilities on Bull Creek! Wow. With developers like these, who needs a city planning department?

Ok, I'll stop gushing, I'm embarrassing myself.

[AusTxDevelopment]

Here's a more readable site plan from their website:



http://www.thegroveatshoalcreek.com/

Edited to add: That's actually the old site plan. Here is the new one (same source):

[Urbannizer]

http://communityimpact.com/2015/08/1...k-development/

Originally Posted by Community Impact - Austin

More than 180 affordable units proposed for The Grove at Shoal Creek development

Developers behind proposed mixed-use community The Grove at Shoal Creek have unveiled an affordable housing component in hopes of receiving Austin City Council’s approval.

The 75-acre development will be completed by Milestone Community Builders between Shoal Creek Boulevard and Bull Creek Road on land formerly owned by the Texas Department of Transportation. Apartments, townhomes, single-family homes and accessory dwelling units have been contemplated for the project so residents can live near anticipated parkland, office space and commercial retail outlets.

About 90 to 100 for-rent affordable units will be available for those earning between 30 percent to 60 percent of the area’s median family income, or MFI. That means a family of four earning between $24,250 and $46,080 would qualify. There are also plans for about 80 to 85 for-sale units, which would be restricted to those earning between 80 percent and 140 percent MFI, or $61,450 to $107,520 for a family of four.

“We think the council will recognize the fact that we’re providing a broad range of affordability on site instead of fee in lieu of [building off site] in one of Austin’s wealthiest neighborhoods in a project that’s trying to create a measured balance of all the competing interests,” Milestone CEO Garrett Martin said.

Austin City Council intends to postpone an Aug. 13 vote that would set the development’s baseline guidelines. Because The Grove at Shoal Creek developers have submitted a Planned Unit Development, or PUD, application to the city, council can set a baseline to help determine how much affordable housing is required within the development.

[nixcity]

This development has set a sort of benchmark for what all remaining new developments should look like. IMO there should be NO more only single family house neighborhoods or strip malls allowed within city limits.

[drummer]

While I agree with your thoughts on that, I don't think it'll happen. I would support some sort of regulations within a small radius of the core, but even that would be a stretch. Money will determine that more than anything else, and right now denser development seems more economical in the central portions of the city - which is great!

[Tech House]

What might be a more realistic approach is to evaluate each development in the context of its proposed location, and work toward balance within regions and neighborhoods with the aim of reducing car dependence, increasing walkability and density, integrating income levels, etc. Hmm, preach to the choir much?

In any event, these folks have dramatically raised the bar for all those hit-and-run corporate developers that don't give a flip about anything other than short term profit. I hope this turns out to be a financially rewarding endeavor for Milestone et al.

[drummer]

I agree - from what I've read this seems like a pretty awesome development. I just don't know that it's realistic to expect that of every development (as much as I would like to see that happen). I think the market is proving what works best in a lot of cities around the country...many, many cities are beginning to go dense rather than out. However, the suburbs are still expanding. There will always be folks who want that lifestyle...it's just best if it's not everyone or we'll lose more and more open space. DFW is practically in Oklahoma while the Houston metro is bigger than some small countries (I was exaggerating, but I looked this up out of curiosity - Houston metro is 10,062 sq. km...there are 83 countries smaller than that)...I'd like to not see Austin get much bigger geographically than it already is. I'm also preaching to the choir, I suppose.

[hereinaustin]

Originally Posted by drummer

Houston metro is 10,062 sq. km...there are 83 countries smaller than that)...I'd like to not see Austin get much bigger geographically than it already is.

Sure, but as far as density goes, Austin is much more sprawled-out compared to Houston.

[drummer]

Is that right? I didn't catch those numbers - are you talking about Houston proper or the entire metro? I'm surprised by that, to be honest, but Houston metro does have a bunch of people.

[Jdawgboy]

Notice the reoccurring theme with our lovely new council?

Austin City Council intends to postpone an Aug. 13 vote that would set the development’s baseline guidelines.

http://communityimpact.com/2015/08/1...k-development/


Just about every time I hear about the council on the news, it's postpone this or send to committee that and so on. I realize this is a completely new city government but for goodness sake, they should know how to run the city by now. You never saw new council members in the old system take this long. It's not like all of the previous staff at city hall up and left with this new system. These council members need to make decisions not continuously postpone items and agendas or send them to committee after committee.

I'd also like to get more details on who these people are on all these committees. Do they even know what the hell they are doing???

Anywho I'm glad that we are seeing developers make an effort to garantee affordable housing. If we are going to have any success with this issue we need many more developments putting at the very least some emphasis on affordable housing. I'd like to see developments push up to 50% with affordable housing and a wide range of housing options as well.

[nixcity]

^And the best part (for me at least) is that the affordable housing component doesn't just cover the lowest income brackets but also those of us in the lower parts of the middle class that never get help for anything!!!

[clubtokyo]

Looking at these numbers, would you say Austin is ahead or behind when it comes to Density? I thought Austin would be more dense since land size is smaller?

Austin
City Land 264.9 sq mi
Population (2014)
City 912,791
Density 3,358.32/sq mi

Houston
City Land 599.59 sq mi
Population (2010)
City 2,099,451
Density 3,662/sq mi

Dallas
City 340.5 sq mi
Population (2010)
City 1,197,816
Density 3,645/sq mi

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by clubtokyo

Looking at these numbers, would you say Austin is ahead or behind when it comes to Density? I thought Austin would be more dense since land size is smaller?

Austin
City Land 264.9 sq mi
Population (2014)
City 912,791
Density 3,358.32/sq mi

Houston
City Land 599.59 sq mi
Population (2010)
City 2,099,451
Density 3,662/sq mi

Dallas
City 340.5 sq mi
Population (2010)
City 1,197,816
Density 3,645/sq mi

That area for Austin seems off. The census had us ~300 circa 2010
http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/48/4805000.html

And the CoA web site has us up 322 in 2014 (275 full purpose and the rest limited)

https://www.austintexas.gov/demographics