Developers reveal initial plan for Austin American Statesman site

It looks like Austin's skyline may change again  

Austin developers are revealing the initial plan to transform the site of the Austin American-Statesman into a mixed-use project. The project would include 3.5 million square feet of development.

Artist renderings show the vision for Austin's South Central waterfront. Bryce Miller, co-founder and managing principal with Endeavor, has been working for months on the project.  

"A site such as this only comes along once in a lifetime," said Miller. 

He says keeping Austin's beauty is important.  

"We like to think that we approach our projects differently because we are here, this is our home and we are responsible for what we leave behind," said Miller.  

The master plan would be home to six or seven buildings, with office towers as high as 40 stories.

"It's a rare opportunity to find a site that's not developed or under developed as this site is," said Miller. 

The high rise buildings' 3.5 million square feet would be 2.5 times the total area of Barton Creek Square mall. Some of the space would be developed with condominiums or apartments, one or two hotel, retail and restaurant space. The master plan calls for building on about six of the 19 acres.

The rest of the waterfront property would have public uses.

"Over eight acres of open park area that in the trail system that we intend to enhance will change people's daily lives more that the structures will," said Miller.  

The current proposal shows a park, plazas, new roads, and an amphitheater.           

"It's going to be a different experience that exists in Austin today that's what the general population will see," said Miller. 

The images show a potential plans for a pedestrian bridge across Lady Bird Lake, which would connect the development to the lake's north shore. Barton Springs Road would be extended east through the site to connect with East Riverside Drive.

"In addition we're working with Project Connect, Capitol Metro's new transit to coordinate different transit lines coming into and along the site," said Miller. 

Miller says they hope to create a space that's like no other. 

"A world-class, in fact one of the top five world-class projects in the country that's our goal that's our ambition that's our desire, and we hope to accomplish that," said Miller. 

Before any changes are made along Lady Bird Lake the site would have to be rezoned to allow for development with more height and density. That process could take at least a year.

The Statesman site is the first major project to move forward under Austin's South Central Waterfront Redevelopment Plan that was approved by the city council in 2016.