Mueller: Cutting-Edge Living with a Bucolic Soul
A serene lake with ducks drifting along surrounds the immense, beautifully tended greenery of Lake Park in Mueller, a neighborhood 10 minutes north of downtown Austin. Atop the clipped grass, a seven-pillared, cream-colored amphitheater rises, framing a view of the lake where a geyser-like fountain emits crystalline plumes of water.
Across the way, at the corner of Aldrich and Mueller streets, the glossy office of Mueller Central is open, existing solely to offer information and guidance to prospective residents, reflective of both the neighborhood’s welcoming spirit and its ultra-modern, can-do spirit. Back at Lake Park, however, the lakeside scene is timeless — take a picture, and it could be from an archive of 100 years ago.
Such are the contrasts at Mueller, a 700-acre planned community with 140 acres of parks and greenways built on the former site of the Robert Mueller Airport. (The current Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is just a quick 15-minute drive.) Different from a neighborhood that has grown sporadically over an extended period of time, Mueller’s hallmark is its genial approach to new residents and the diversity of income levels, age brackets and backgrounds, as well as the abundant park space and eco-friendly focus.
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Contact BradAbundant Outdoor Recreation and a Tight-Knit Community
In addition to enjoying the peace and tranquility of Lake Park, locals have a number of recreational options at Northwest Greenway’s hike-and-bike trails and Southwest Greenway, which features restored Texas blackland prairie, incorporating native plants, and the Ella Wooten Park and Junior-Olympic size pool. In addition, the Morris William Golf Course is situated on one of Mueller’s main boundaries, Manor Road — no more than a 5 to 10-minute drive.
“Our open green space is a benefit for all of Austin, and Lake Park draws visitors from the entire city,” says Kathy Sokolic, the chair of the neighborhood association steering committee. “Even though Mueller was a planned community, people began getting together to meet before the first house was built. There is a sense of community here and a sense of extended family.”
Eco-Friendly, Green-Designed and Super Convenient
Northeast of downtown Austin, Mueller is home to people drawn to the community’s “work-where-you-live/no-commute” philosophy, convenient shopping, and emphasis on sustainability and tranquility. Home styles range from single-family homes and town homes to condominiums and live-work spaces, with an assortment of sizes and floor plans to meet just about any homebuyer’s needs.
Besides the remarkably wide variety of housing, many residents are attracted to the idea of walking from their eco-friendly and green-designed home to the office, shopping, restaurants and entertainment. Nearby businesses include Dell Children’s Medical Center, Seton Administrative, SEDL, the University of Texas Medical Research Campus, the Pecan Street Lab and more than 25 retailers at the Mueller Regional Retail Center. The number of shopping, dining and entertainment options is already large, and with more shops, restaurants and entertainment venues opening all the time, the number just keeps growing.
An Active Social Scene with Nearby Schools
Even with all of its wonderful accessibility, however, residents and neighborhood leaders have put great effort into ensuring that folks who live in Mueller have plenty of opportunities to be involved in community social events. Recent listings in both the local newsletter The Front Porch Flyer and the lively Mueller community Internet portal at citicite.com include progressive dinners, a supper club, a baby boomers social club, a book club, a knitting/crochet group and a community-wide yard sale.
Families are included in activities such as the Halloween Carnival, Lights of Love 5K race benefiting the Ronald McDonald House at nearby Dell Hospital, an Easter egg hunt, outdoor movies at Lake Park and a Fourth of July celebration. Local schools include Maplewood Elementary, Kealing Middle and both McCallum and Reagan High Schools, as well as several private schools nearby.
Janeka Rector, a Mueller resident on the neighborhood association steering committee and also the chairwoman for a local subcommittee on urban rail, noted that Mueller’s “get-to-know-your-neighbor” and no-commute ideology is appealing: “When I first went by Mueller and was thinking of moving there, everyone was so friendly. Before I had even moved in, people knew my name and phone number! And Mueller’s convenience is a real plus. The sub-committee I am working on is exploring the possibility with CapMetro of having a new MetroRail stop just east of Mueller, which fits in with the community’s concept of shortening your transportation time.”
A Unique Present-Day Community with an Extraordinary Future
While Muellerites are justifiably proud of everything their community has to offer, there is so much more on the horizon. “More build-out is bringing more and more amenities to the neighborhood, including a grocery store, more restaurants and more shopping,” explains Kathy Sokolic. Specifically, there will be a 42-acre, mixed-use Town Center next to Lake Park, offering retail, dining and housing options, as well as an additional 35,000 square feet of shopping space added to Market Square, where the new HEB now stands.
With Lake Park already a recipient of an award from the Urban Land Institute for its design and beneficial community impact, it seems likely that more accolades are yet to be bestowed upon this neighborhood — a comforting mix of innovation, ecology, community and convenience — that has been so thoughtfully designed with the lifestyle of its residents in mind.
