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Old 12-06-2010, 05:46 PM
 
Location: Central Texas
20,958 posts, read 45,387,627 times
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I didn't click through, but I was looking at those and thinking, but those are all chain places that you can and do find anywhere, including in the suburbs. Theoretically, you could find a house in the suburbs that is walkable to those (in fact, I know of a few that are walkable to those AND lots of local offerings).
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Old 12-06-2010, 06:40 PM
 
Location: central Austin
7,228 posts, read 16,096,785 times
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Southpark Meadows is a strip mall! A nice one but still . . . people drive from one end to the other of the mall. I rarely see folks walking within in the shopping area itself much less walking in from residential areas. Do people really walk to Southpark Meadows?

Proximity and walkability are not the same thing!
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Old 12-06-2010, 08:55 PM
 
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Southpark Meadows does have a nice playground, but not a walkable place. Unfortunately.
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Old 12-06-2010, 09:12 PM
 
Location: Holly Neighborhood, Austin, Texas
3,981 posts, read 6,733,814 times
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Count me as strange but I would rather live at say Far West Blvd and have retail catering to neighborhood people than being adjacent to South Park which caters more to weekend/big box shopping. I did my shopping on foot at the former but don't that would be feasible for the latter.
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Old 12-07-2010, 07:23 AM
 
Location: 78747
3,202 posts, read 6,017,456 times
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Sure there is big box at Southpark, and I know it's the spawn of satan, especially in Austin, but there are local stores as well. There is local retail along Slaughter, and the beginnings of more along Congress. My point is that these businesses are close enough to walk to, whether you need them or not. The choices are there, though. Target has a grocery, and it is about a few hundred feet from this neighborhood. This neighborhood is on the (landscaped) back side of the development, is enclosed, and with no outside traffic. I lived about 200 feet from a Central Market in Dallas (Milton/Matilda), and it was a godsend, as I spent 80% of trips to this particular store, and I suspect that falls in line with the average use for a "walkable" neighborhood. Not all walkable neighborhoods are filled exclusively with touristy boutiques and resemble Swiss villages, as much as we'd like them to. If you want new construction especially. Yes, 75% of the stores are chains, but this arrangement as sustainable as anything you will find - especially in the suburbs.
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Old 12-07-2010, 07:50 AM
 
Location: NW Austin
1,133 posts, read 4,185,798 times
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[quote=oldtoiletsmkgdflrpots;16901804]
Quote:
Originally Posted by atlanta hope View Post
Sure they do. quote]

Not to be argumentative but no, some people do not have the luxury of considering anything other than how much it's going to cost.

I'm not sure how to consider otherwise but I'm open to your explanation.

There's a dumpy townhouse off of Far West for $149,000. 3B, 2B. If I wanted to live in that neighborhood, I could afford that (and most houses are starting off there at $300-350K). Do I really want to live in a townhouse? Not so much. Could I afford a house there? No. Could I find a way to live there? Yes. Is it ideal? Depends.

It would take a lot of sweat equity to clean it up to my standards but at this point I'm willing to live in a townhouse or dumpy house that I'd NEVER pick out in the burbs, simply to be closer to my child's preschool and our friends. That's what I mean about there is more to consider than the price. My time is more valuable to me and access to things that I moved to Austin for.

I've also seen some foreclosures that were pretty cheap in central/north central Austin lately. Of course they're right up on Mopac so they're not ideal, but I'd consider them just to be in the right location. And I'd prefer that to living in a new house in Pflugerville, Cedar Park or any other burbs.

I may not be explaining myself very well -- I haven't finished my first cup of coffee yet. Basicially I'm saying, your budget is your budget. It's not gonna change. What you get for that price is your choice.
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Old 12-07-2010, 08:54 AM
 
Location: Austin, TX!!!!
3,757 posts, read 9,057,378 times
Reputation: 1762
Quote:
Originally Posted by Exiled Texan View Post
Southpark Meadows does have a nice playground, but not a walkable place. Unfortunately.
That's true. The sidewalks there abruptly disappear and then you have to walk in the lot to get from one area to another. Also, the restaurants listed aren't exactly my cup of tea.
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Old 12-07-2010, 08:57 AM
 
Location: Austin, TX!!!!
3,757 posts, read 9,057,378 times
Reputation: 1762
[quote=atlanta hope;16913495]
Quote:
Originally Posted by oldtoiletsmkgdflrpots View Post


There's a dumpy townhouse off of Far West for $149,000. 3B, 2B. If I wanted to live in that neighborhood, I could afford that (and most houses are starting off there at $300-350K). Do I really want to live in a townhouse? Not so much. Could I afford a house there? No. Could I find a way to live there? Yes. Is it ideal? Depends.

It would take a lot of sweat equity to clean it up to my standards but at this point I'm willing to live in a townhouse or dumpy house that I'd NEVER pick out in the burbs, simply to be closer to my child's preschool and our friends. That's what I mean about there is more to consider than the price. My time is more valuable to me and access to things that I moved to Austin for.

I've also seen some foreclosures that were pretty cheap in central/north central Austin lately. Of course they're right up on Mopac so they're not ideal, but I'd consider them just to be in the right location. And I'd prefer that to living in a new house in Pflugerville, Cedar Park or any other burbs.

I may not be explaining myself very well -- I haven't finished my first cup of coffee yet. Basicially I'm saying, your budget is your budget. It's not gonna change. What you get for that price is your choice.
But you are still factoring in money as part of the bottom line, it just means you are willing to give some things up, like space and comfort, to get others, like location.
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Old 12-07-2010, 09:10 AM
 
Location: 78747
3,202 posts, read 6,017,456 times
Reputation: 915
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jennibc View Post
That's true. The sidewalks there abruptly disappear and then you have to walk in the lot to get from one area to another. Also, the restaurants listed aren't exactly my cup of tea.
There is a crushed granite jogging trail throughout the neighborhood mentioned(like the one at Arbor Trails).

So you don't like any of the following?

Austin's Pizza
Green Mesquite,
Cartwright's BBQ,
Amy's Ice Cream,
Haiku,
Chi,
Mama Fu's

The offerings have gotten better since this place opened. The top three mentioned are the latest to open (all within the last year), and all three are local businesses. There is another local greek cafe they opened at the Grove within the last month, although the name escapes me at the moment. It's a nice trend they are establishing. The chains were the anchors, and now local businesses are infilling.
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Old 12-07-2010, 09:35 AM
 
Location: 78747
3,202 posts, read 6,017,456 times
Reputation: 915
Quote:
Originally Posted by centralaustinite View Post
Southpark Meadows is a strip mall! A nice one but still . . .
What do you want? Should they have built a single 30 story skyscraper instead? If this development was tailored to served a small immediate area like you think it should, then it would be about 80% smaller with 80% fewer choices.

If other people have to drive 5-10 miles to enjoy what you have within walking distance, what's to complain about?
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