The Allandale Reporter

Dallas Nightclub property redevelopment in the works

This proposed development is not in Allandale but in Crestview, however it is just across Burnet Rd and it will it will likely impact us. A developer is asking the Crestview Neighborhood to adopt a Vertical Mixed Use (VMU) overlay on the property where the Dallas Night Club is located. The following is an excerpt of a post to the Crestview listserve about a meeting tomorrow night regarding the development:

The idea for the redevelopment is a 3-story mixed-use building that faces Burnet Road, with retail on the bottom floor and approximately 250 apartments on the back part of the property. A parking garage will be in the middle, not visible from the street or from the neighbors who back up to the property. It's a large area, about 7 acres, a bit smaller than the area of Brentwood Park. 

The developer will do a few nice things too: remove the liquor/bar zoning from the dallas property, build a really wide sidewalk with more new trees along Burnet, and allow walkable street access to the green/park space. 

Click here for the details about the proposed development in the Crestvoew Neighborhood Association's October newsletter (page 3). Monday night the Crestview Neighborhood Association is having  a meeting to vote on the proposed redevelopment at 6:30pm at the Crestview United Methodist Church at Grover/Woodrow,

 

Last night's sound wall meeting

Judging from last night's meeting at Gullett, it is anybody's guess as to whether sound walls will be going up along Great Northern. Even though people at the meeting could ask about any of the sections along MoPac being considered for sound walls, the majority of the 25 to 30 people at last night's meeting were interested in the two segments along the Great Northern Blvd.

By way of background, sound walls are part of the Environmental Study phase of the MoPact Improvement Project. The objective of the MoPac Improvement Project, according to the project overview on its website, www.mopacexpress.com, "is a combined effort from the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), the City of Austin and Capital Metro to address traffic congestion on the 11-mile stretch of MoPac between Parmer Lane and Cesar Chavez Street."

Last night's meeting at Gullett was one of seven sound wall workshops that the MoPac Improvement Project Team has scheduled with various neighborhoods to provide background information about the project including results of their noise studies, where the walls are being proposed, and height of the walls. The Project Team had mailed letters to property owners adjacent to the proposed walls, "the benefitted property owners," notifying them about the workshops. The benefitted property owners are the ones who get to vote on the walls. If a majority of these property owners vote for the wall, it will be built. They have until Monday August 29, 2011 to submit their ballots.  

Another Burnet Road Mixed Use Development Being Considered

Brett Denton and Art Carpenter with Ardent Residential, the real estate development firm that developed the 5350 Burnet Rd property, met with Brentwood neighbors Thursday night seeking input on their plans for a new Vertical Mixed Use development at 5453 Burnet Road. The development would be very similar to the 5350 Burnet Rd development with slightly more units. The property is on a 2.4 acre tract on the east side of Burnet Rd near Karavel Shoes. Uptown Modern, the Frame Corner and Fisken Antiques are three of the retail tenants currently located on the property. 

According to the site plan they presented (see photo) the mixed use development would be primarily residential with some retail and commercial on that portion of the property that fronts Burnet Road. 

What’s Selling in Allandale - Real Estate Trends

Tom Linehan

Driving around the neighborhood these days it appears there are an unusual number of houses up for sale. I was wondering if this is indeed the case. Are there more homes for sale in Allandale today than two or three years ago before the economy went bad? What about home values in the area? Are they holding up? We know it’s a tough real estate market nationwide, but what is happening with real estate in our neighborhood?

I turned to some local realtors to get the story. Terry Echols, realtor with Keller Williams Realty, says, “there are currently 26 listings on the market in the Gullett portion of Allandale. Of those, 6 are under contract. This is a higher number of listings on the market than, say, 6 or 7 years ago, when folks planned to stay in their homes a long time. That mentality is changing.”

Commercial Use of Parkland - Take the Survey

The city is recommending charging a fee for the commercial use of parkland. There is an increasing demand for use of City parklands by a variety of private commercial entities: Swim, Yoga, Martial Arts instructors, personal fitness trainers, triathlon trainers, dog trainers, paddle boarding and other vendors etc. The Austin Parks and Recreation Department held a public meeting on October 4th on the matter which was attended by over 100 fitness professionals. It is also soliciting input from citizens via a survey. You can learn more about what is being proposed or take the survey here.

Update on Twin Oaks Biergarten

There were approximately a dozen neighbors that showed up at the Putt Putt place to meet with the Bucys (father and son) and go over their plans for the facility. Here is a description of the planned Biergarten John handed out to the group along with a layout of the place.

"Twin Oaks Biergarten, LLC located at 6700 Burnet Road in the heart of Austin is an all outdoor family friendly facility with mini golf, a play scape, 2 sand volleyball courts  for league play plus food drinks and fun! Twin Oaks will be a great place to watch the game, hang out with friends and co-workers after a long day of work or host a party!"

Here are some of my notes from the meeting:

• there will be a small restaurant that serves beer and wine
• will include two volleyball courts, biergarten, playscape, miniature golf, and bounce house
• plan to fence off the the entire back of the property that will include a gate
• hours of operation will be 11:00 to midnight on weekdays, 10:00 to midnight on Saturdays, and 10:00 to not sure yet on Sundays
• volleyball league play will end at 10:00 p.m.
• will adhere to the city's sound decibel level restrictions
• live music (singer-songwriter-type music) planned for Saturday evenings ending at 10:00
• no change to existing parking lot
• plans are to open up in June
• will have security system in place after hours
• the two large trees on the property will remain

Some of the neighbor comments/concerns:

• noise at previous Putt Putt facility was loud at times
• would like the fence to run the length of the property line along the parking lot
• "would you consider additional sound barriers beyond the planned 8' fence?"
• "why are you staying open so late?"
• one person recommended having the play area closer to the seating area similar to Amy's and to Central Market where parents can keep a closer watch on their children. The current configuration does not make it truly family-friendly for families with small children.

Neighbors to meet with new Putt Putt Tenant

On Saturday afternoon, a group of neighbors gathered at the Putt Putt place to discuss the planned Biergarten going in. The meeting was called by Kevin Smith who lives across the street on Daugherty. Most in attendance live closed by. Donna Beth McCormick, ANA President, was also in attendance. There were more questions than answers and they agreed next step is to set up a meeting with the new tenant, John Bucy. Concerns seemed to focus on noise and alcohol. If you look at the application (enter permit # 2010-027260) there is a note on it, "no alcohol sales." This could be a new biergarten concept but probably best to seek clarification.  The proprietor, John Lucy said there would beer and wine sales (see previous post below). There is a fence facing the neighborhood under construction. More to come.

Biergarten in Allandale?

Here's the information on what is going on at 6700 Burnet. It will be another venue where we can have families and a place to have parties..

Dear Donna Beth McCormick and the Allandale Neighborhood Association,

My name is John Bucy and I am the President and founder of the Twin Oaks Biergarten, LLC. Twin Oaks is a family business that I am starting with my Father. I was born and raised in Austin Texas and my father attended Law School at the University of Texas back in 1978 and has been in Austin ever since. When I was a kid we were regular visitors to the Putt Putt facility on Burnett Road and have missed hanging out there since it shut down multiple years ago. We are looking forward to  reviving the facility and serving the community with family friendly fun activities!

Twin Oaks Biergarten located at 6700 Burnet Road in the heart of Austin is an all outdoor family friendly facility with mini golf, a play scape, 2 sand volleyball courts for league play plus food drinks and  fun! Twin Oaks will offer only beer and wine. Twin Oaks will be a great  place to watch the game or host a party!

We are looking forward to being in the community and we hope to be a great place for all of the Allendale residents to hang out and bring their families,

Thank you,
John Bucy
President
Twin Oaks Biergarten, LLC.
214-914-9664 (Company phone number coming soon)
twinoaksaustin@gmail.com

Resubdivisions in Allandale - A Call for Help!

We have had a number of articles in the Allandale Neighbor in the past year about resubdivisions in the neighborhood. Currently, there are at least three that are being contested by neighbors. Two of the resubdivisions being contested are in the Shoalmont area and one is on Pembrook Trail. It is a long and expensive process. Fundamentally, it's about preserving the character of the neighborhood which is predominantly owner-occupied single-family homes. Click on the image to the left to learn more about the resubdivision fight going on the Shoalmont area and consider helping out your neighbors.

FYI, there was hearing that was set for yesterday that was postponed so there won't be any further substantive update for awhile.

Wal-Mart Rendering

Here is a summary of the presentation given by Walmart representatives (Trey Salinas and Joe Grasso) to the ANA Executive Committee at last Thursday's meeting along with the rendering of the planned store. This summary is from the draft minutes of the meeting:

Latest site plan renderings were presented, and will be posted on the ANA website when available.  The Walmart is still a Supercenter in that it will sell both merchandise and groceries (about 37%); however, the total size is now approximately 98,000 square feet and there will be no garden center or parking garage.  The store will be closed between 1-5 am except on specified “holidays”; Walmart reserves the right to change their hours of operation to 24-hours in the event that a competitor (within 2 mile radius) does so.  Initial construction is underway with planned opening end of October 2010.  A total of 16 transplant trees (14- to 16-inch trees) have been purchased for the site (this is in addition to smaller tree plantings) (numerous existing mature trees were removed at the site).  Truck traffic is expected to be approximately five 18-wheeler Walmart trucks per day in addition to other smaller supply trucks.  Truck routes are from IH 35 to US Hwy 183 to Burnet Road to shopping center entrance south of Anderson Lane; exit will be by way of St. Louis Blvd to Anderson Lane to MoPac.  Various questions were asked and answered.