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Posts Tagged: multi-family

Voices — No Comments
16
Feb 12

National Recognition for Teravista Community

Teravista Community
 
Master planned communities date back to the mid-1960s, when Arizona city planners developed the McCormick Ranch community in Scottsdale. It was the first of its kind and differed from traditional subdivisions in the many extra amenities it offered its residents.
 
Today, master planned communities continue to attract individuals and families looking for more than just a neighborhood. Whether they seek golf courses, fitness facilities, parks and trails, or nearby offices and retail, master planned communities are specifically designed to meet their lifestyle needs.
 
Bury+Partners is honored and excited that one of our recent master planned projects, Teravista, was named one of the 50 Top-Selling U.S. Master Planned Communities by John Burns Real Estate Consulting.
 
Teravista is located in Round Rock, Texas, adjacent to the Round Rock Premium Outlets, just 15 miles north of Downtown Austin, and features:

  • 3,000 homes, 550 apartments and a 135-acre business park
  • A 7,200-yard, 18-hole championship golf course, recently named the top “Beginner Friendly Course” by National Golf Course Owners Association and tied for “Top Course in Austin” by Texas Outside
  • A Scott & White University Medical Campus across the street
  • Round Rock ISD and Georgetown ISD schools
  • Easy access to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport via Texas 130 Tollway and IH-45
  • More than 5 miles of landscaped trails
  • Residents Club with Junior Olympic pool and state of the art fitness center

 
Bury provided several civil engineering services for this master planned community, including roadways, drainage, water quality features, water and sewer lines, pedestrian paths, erosion control, survey and zoning. In addition, Bury worked with the City of Georgetown to design two lift stations for the community.
 
The list was ranked by John Burns Real Estate Consulting and is based on the number of home sales each from 2011. You can view the full report here. Also, you can take a virtual tour of the Teravista Community on their website.
 
Congratulations to the developer, Newland Communities, and everyone who had a hand in the successful planning and development!

  • Fugro (Geotechnical Services)
  • Bontempo Structural Engineering, Inc. (Structural)
  • TBG Partners (Land Planning)

 

Industry — No Comments
9
Feb 12

City of Austin’s Open Space Amendment

Open Space at The Triangle in Austin

Since the summer of last year, the City of Austin has been in discussion over a new set of ordinance requirements regarding open space for new multi-family, condominium and commercial developments. The amendment is intended to simplify the accepted definition of open space, offering clarity and consistency of existing standards, while expanding the regulations in some cases. The ordinance has been approved by City Council and made effective December 26, 2011.
 
The City held an informational meeting on February 6th to educate anyone interested in the new revisions. Some of the revisions we found more notable are outlined below.
 

Private Common Open Space

All new site plans for multi-family and condominium developments larger than 10 units must include Private Common Open Space (PCOS) that is 5 percent of their gross site area. In the end, the amount is not a huge departure from previous POS requirements, but it is calculated through percentage rather than square footage. Concerns regarding certain zones were answered with exemptions for UNO, CBD and DMU. Affordable housing within ¼ mile of a park or trail has also been excluded.
 
Additionally, commercial developments (Subchapter E) 2 acres or larger must provide 5 percent PCOS. Previously, a commercial development was only affected if it was 5 acres or larger.
 

Amenities

A list of amenities was provided, describing what would count toward open space requirements. Options appear to have expanded and look promising for developers.
 

Location Criteria

Land types accepted under open space requirements were also listed. Specifically, wetlands, flood hazard areas and tree preservation areas caught our eye. This will go a long way to help our clients reach their open space goals.
 

Design Criteria

A new set of design criteria was introduced. For instance, no more than 30 percent of the required open space can be above ground. Also, not more than 50 percent of ground level open space may be covered by a fixed manmade obstruction, including a roof, balcony, or building-projection. Roof gardens and sculptural elements that are accessible to the public will not be considered manmade obstructions.
 
It is important to note that the amended ordinance is already in effect. Any site development permits submitted to the City prior to December 26th should be exempt from the new ordinance requirements. Conversely, site plans submitted after the effective date will be held to these new standards. Verbal commitments by the City will not hold up.
 
The ordinance contains several things that will apply to new developments. We encourage you to become familiar with its revisions. If you have any questions regarding the Open Space Amendment, please don’t hesitate to call Melissa Neslund, our very own Land Planner and Business Development Specialist, for help.

Spotlight / Voices — No Comments
15
Dec 11

Cevallos Street Lofts Adds New Flavor to Southtown San Antonio

Cevallos City Lofts

Just south of downtown San Antonio and home to some of the City’s oldest neighborhoods, Southtown is known for its diverse community, art galleries, restaurants and Victorian era homes. Texas Monthly magazine once labeled it “Texas’ most eccentric neighborhood.”   The area has plenty of history and cultural hotspots to speak of and is always alive with entertainment.

 

Cevallos Street Lofts was developed at the center of Southtown, allowing folks to live at the center of all the excitement, while promising to add further flavor to the area. The project is a massive, four-story, 252-unit apartment building on Cevalles Street, providing a link between the older Southtown arts district and the developing SoFlo district. The units will be rented out at a wide price range, from $500 to $2,200 per month, with one quarter of the units deemed affordable housing. Dan Markson, Senior Vice President of Development for the NRP Group once said that the lofts would “light up Cevallos Street.” He called it “the magic connection between King William, South Flores and Blue Star.”

 

Cevallos City Lofts - Exterior

The Lofts fit in nicely with its surrounding neighbors, echoing the same utilitarian form as other buildings found within Southtown. The building’s features exude a certain contemporary aesthetic, while reinforcing its “membership” to the industrial nature of the district. The combination of old and new marks a new experience for the Southtown urban residential experience.

 

Bury+Partners Principal Coy Armstrong said the project was not without its challenges, as it involved the relocation of a 16-foot public water main that ran through the site. The location of the project site is also next to a Union Pacific railroad, which offered some difficulty as well. To alleviate the noise, Bury designed a 25-foot berm between the tracks and the complex. Bury is providing civil engineering, landscape architecture and survey services for the project.

 

The lofts will be opening their doors to new residents in January.

 

Industry — No Comments
27
Sep 11

Multi-family in the House

AMLI Downtown - 2nd Street District - Austin, TexasIn the wake of the Great Recession, the multi-family market is making its comeback. The world is undergoing the largest wave of migration back to cities in history, and a large percentage of the population want to live in dense, walkable urban areas. There are an increasing number of forecasts suggesting that the multi-family market will continue to see a major boost over the next decade. Continue reading →