SW Austin vs RR/Cedar Park? (Anderson Mill, Leander: apartment, condo, house)

[mimimomx3]

[quote=llkltk;8655087]Still doesn't compare to RR/Cedar Park. The ones west of Mopac are tastefully done and we do have a Chuy's.QUOTE]

Let me 'chime in' with my opnions on this public message board with this comment that is completely on topic to the thread:
I disagree with the 'tasteful' nature of the strip centers on William Cannon or Brodie lane. I find them to be completely on par with the strip centers you'd find anywhere else: ugly.

[austin-steve]

Originally Posted by mimimomx3

I disagree with the 'tasteful' nature of the strip centers on William Cannon or Brodie lane. I find them to be completely on par with the strip centers you'd find anywhere else: ugly.

The strip center at Wmm/Cannon Brodie is in fact a 1980s/1990s style traditional non-descript strip center. Nothing special. You're right.

I think the ones the poster might have been thinking of are those further south at Brodie/Slaughter and also the newer ones at Slaughter/Escarpment, which I think most people would not find displeasing in appearance or design, as far strip centers go.

The escarpment village center has many green elements designed in. Go upstairs at starbucks and you can see that the entire building has a grass roof, which filters rainwater. The parking lots incorporate a lot of green space and water quality designs also, which isn't something seen in 1980s/1990s parking lots.

Escarpment Village is in fact greener and more envirnmentally friendly than the SoCo area. So for people who want to spend money in establishments that practice earth friendly values, they'd actually be more empowered to live their values in Circle C than in Travis Heights, with regard to shopping destinations within 1 mile. I'll guaranty you the carbon footprint of Guerros on S. Congress is massive compared to that of Satalite Cafe in Circle C, and that drivers have driven further to come to Guerros than those coming to Satalite Cafe.

Funny, isn't it?

Steve

[Trainwreck20]

Along the lines of Steve's post, there are strip centers and there are ugly strip centers. Most would be hard pressed to be considered 'nice' looking, but the one at Slaughter and Escarpment is about as close as I have seen. It is not completely 'rectalinear' and there is some terrain changes. Lots of grass, some nice trees, some crushed granite paths and nice landscaping. Not saying that places like this don't exist in RR, though, just saying that there are some nicer ones.

Honestly, RR exploded in the 80s (I was living in G'town and/or Austin at this time) and the rate of construction was unbelieveable. There were a lot of generic tilt-wall buildings and even metal buildings put up willy-nilly before anyone could really get a grasp on the need for some kind of 'aesthetic' zoning. These early growth areas were not only low dollar originally, but are now aging not so gracefully. As they are replaced/improved, the areas will probably look much nicer.

The areas that have grown more recently in RR are, relatively speaking, much nicer. Part of the perception problem in RR is the main thoroughfares go smack dab through the middle of some of the uglier areas and people don't see the nicer areas.

[LoveATX]

I looked at both of the areas and decided on Round Rock because all of my friends and family live in the area. Both my wife an I work in Beecaves but ultimately decided that our priorities were friends and family before work and ease of commute. Now we both only work about 10 times a month so take it for what its worth. Austin Steve is right, the house we purchased was 25k cheaper in Sendero Springs (where I live) as appose to Bellterra. Price was really not an issue when you consider what 25k is over 30 years. The lifestyle is exactly what we wanted, lots of great parks connected with miles of hike and bike trails, great schools and most importantly friends and family! We can get to our favorite restaurants without ever having to get into a car! Anyway if you have any questions just PM me. Trust me I like SW austin alot, it has alot to offer, so much in fact we put money down on a house!

[atxcio]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

Along the lines of Steve's post, there are strip centers and there are ugly strip centers. Most would be hard pressed to be considered 'nice' looking, but the one at Slaughter and Escarpment is about as close as I have seen. It is not completely 'rectalinear' and there is some terrain changes. Lots of grass, some nice trees, some crushed granite paths and nice landscaping. Not saying that places like this don't exist in RR, though, just saying that there are some nicer ones.

I agree that those shopping centers are among the nicer ones. I like it that at night, I hardly noticed they were there when I first visited them! They preserved the existing tree cover very well.

I assume that developers in RR/Cedar Park would do the same thing given the same situation. However, I think most of the land in RR was at some point razed and used as farm or ranch land. That didn't happen so much in the W/SW area, I guess because the soil there is mostly worthless for farming or grazing... add to that the powerful environmental lobby that existed in the late 80s and 90s (sadly, not powerful anymore) which has kept away typical highways (and their typical access-road generated sprawl)... and, with all those factors acting together, you end up with most of the mature tree cover still in place. For the time being, anyway.

That and the proximity to downtown are the only differences, IMO, between SW Austin and RR/Cedar Park. Your typical suburban lifestyle complete with master-planned communities, big box new houses, cul-de-sacs, few through streets, poor walkability and public transportation, and HOAs dominate both areas.

[ladylonghorn2]

Do you ever see houses in the style of the Meritage ones at Mueller in SW Austin or Cedar Park?

[llkltk]

Yes, Steve that's what I was talking about, the shops west of Mopac. Also, the new Parkside Village with the Drafthouse and also Wildflower Commons near the Wildflower Center that is going to be totally green built.

[homeinatx]

"If I want to avoid the strip mall / shopping center / chain store / olive garden vibe of the suburbs, am I better off in one or the other or neither?"

Lady Longhorn 2. If you want to avoid what you describe above, the only honest answer is neither. If you expect anything like an urban life, the difference btw RR/CP and SW Austin is the difference between Hell and Purgatory. SW is purgatory - it is a little prettier and easier to get out of. Most of the Austin Metro is exactly what you say you want to avoid. If some kind of urban as opposed to a suburban vibe is your priority - you need to be north of oltorf, south of 2222, actually south of 53rd street, but I am feeling generous, and the North Loop area is increasingly walkable and interesting, east of Mopac and west of Airport Boulevard, and even there, with the exception of downtown proper - the river to MLK, and Lamar to I35, and the areas adjacent to the U.T. campus, these are mostly just older first ring suburbs, but there will be sidewalks, better public transport, coffee shops, bars, restaurants, entertainment options that you can walk to, and you don't have to get on a highway to go downtown. To be in these areas, you will pay a lot of more - some places more than others and the schools are more uneven than in RR/CP or SW, but if you want to avoid the "vibe of the suburbs," good luck doing that outside central Austin. Not really intending to flame here, just trying to answer the OP truthfully.

[atxcio]

Originally Posted by ladylonghorn2

Do you ever see houses in the style of the Meritage ones at Mueller in SW Austin or Cedar Park?

I believe there are places with that style of homes in Circle C... in N/NW Austin, Ash Creek builds homes of that style (perhaps better quality?): Ash Creek Homes - Austin area homebuilder for over 25 years

Keep in mind that those in Mueller are on very tiny lots. They are essentially condos. That's not evident in the photos on the builder site (when are those ever accurate,huh?)... better to get an idea with Street View:

Mueller:
mueller austin - Google Maps

Kinda similar in Circle C:
circle c austin, tx - Google Maps


No good street view of Ash Creek's similar homes, I think they are too new. But this was the community I was thinking of in NW Austin: Ash Creek Homes - Austin area homebuilder for over 25 years

For reference, the strip mall at Slaughter and Escarpment
slaughter & escarpment austin' - Google Maps

[Trainwreck20]

Ah ha! They finally did a google streets for my neighborhood. For some reason that left that out in the last pass.....and my car is in the driveway ! Those pictures must be from last fall, before we trimmed our big tree, but not much older than that.....