The downturn in the high-tech sector hit

The downturn in the high-tech sector hit hard in Austin, Texas, delaying several residential and mixed-use projects. Since 1997, the city has had a traditional neighborhood development ordinance on the books and later launched an innovative smart growth incentive program (see October/November 2000 issue), but when developer interest finally took hold in 2000 and 2001, the economic slump killed the momentum. George Adams, a principal planner, reports that “for the time being, it looks like the worst is over,” and a number of projects are getting going again. The city has finalized an incentive package for Village Park, a planned TND designed by Bosse, Compton & Turner. The Triangle infill development has a new multifamily developer, Simmons Vedder of Austin, replacing Post Properties, which pulled out last December. In April, a unanimous City Council picked San Francisco-based Catellus Development Corp. to be the master developer for the 709-acre redevelopment of the Mueller Municipal Airport. In addition, the city has hired Fregonese Calthorpe Associates to lead a 20-month regional planning effort, Central Texas Regional Vision, which will analyze the city’s infill and new growth potential and study the population’s values. “This is a significant missing piece in Austin’s planning agenda,” Adams says.