Austin Ranch

[sogod]

I drove by this development in the Colony/Plano area this weekend, and it is actually a lot more urban than I expected. Kinda out in the middle of no where, but the hills out there (well, maybe there is just one big hill) make for a really nice view when heading west on Windhaven.

Its pretty neat that we have three urban developments close together up here (this, Legacy, and Frisco). Maybe five or six if you expand the area a bit (DT Plano, and Addison Circle, maybe DT McKinney). If you look at North Dallas a whole, these and the others that are planned (that Allen development, DT Carrollton , DT Farmers Branch, Gatalyn Park in Richardson, Denton, Lewisville (not sure...)) make for a pretty impresive collection.

Anyways, I wasn't able to stop and eat or shop, or even explore, but I was just wondering if anyone has had time to explore this, or knows more about it. It doesn't ever seem to be brought up in discussion here, so I thought I would bring it up.

[rjlevins]

Yeah, I actually have a friend that lives in Austin Ranch and I even looked at living in them because they are freaking amazing. The first phase is awesome with all the stores and restraunts on the first floor. The later phase is not as great cuz it reminds me a little more of a typical apartment complex. Once the area develops around Austin Ranch, that will be one of the best areas to live in the north suburbs. Right next to 121 and the North Dallas Tollway, urban setting, well-planned...I love it. If they can get the rail through there...perfect.

Almost forgot the best part....giant chess.

[rjlevins]

http://www.austinranch.com/

[psukhu]

Will they ever build houses there or just offices and apartments?


Some family of mine from NYC just bought a house just south of there last week.

[rjlevins]

From my understanding, Austin Ranch is entirely in The Colony and The Colony shows that its zoning is just "planned development" which means that the zoning that Austin Ranch has on its site is how it is going to be. MultiFamily, Office, Retail, and Industrial...so I doubt any houses are in its future.

But as you can see by the Austin Ranch map...it is cut and surrounded by Plano to the east and Plano's zoning is entirely single-family in that area. So although the technical Austin Ranch won't have homes...it will be surrounded by homes from Plano.

[jsoto3]

http://www.austinranch.com/amenitesMAP.htm

Looks pretty nice. I will definitely have to go check it out. However, do you think 'The Ravine', 'The Thicket', and 'The Sacred Woods' will actually remain as such?

[rjlevins]

I'm guessing that Thicket and Sacred Woods stay cuz of Arbor Hills, but I bet The Ravine is just a place holder until they want to put up more apts. The map makes the ravine look a lot more treed than it actually is.

[Kelley USA]

What are rental prices like? Can't seem to find anything on the website...

[gc]

Looks nice, but I don't buy it. To me it is the same ol same with a pinch of new urbanism...no?

[dfwcre8tive]

Lewisville house restored, updated and moved to The Colony
02:23 PM CDT on Sunday, April 30, 2006
By CORINA MILLER / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News



The Spencer house has found a new home. The Billingsley Co., has made Lewisville's historic icon part of its Austin Ranch community in The Colony.

Since the butter yellow, three-story Victorian home's arrival last year, neighbors have watched the restoration to its original grandeur.

There were "a lot of questions about what we were going to do with it," said Marc Sullivan, senior vice president of development for the Billingsley Co. "Other than that, there's just curiosity about what it looks like inside."

Neighbors will have the opportunity to view the finished product during an open house May 13. Guests will also be able to rent the 3,809-square-foot home for special events, such as weddings, or for out-of-town guests, company vice president Mary Golaboff added.

The house was built in 1904 by Benjamin Lafayette Spencer on Main Street, five blocks from what later became downtown Lewisville. In recent years, it sat empty, awaiting its fate, including possible demolition. The city of Lewisville considered buying it but rejected the idea because of high costs.

That's when the Billingsley Co. stepped in and paid to move the house to its residential and commercial development near State Highway 121. Movers gutted the interior and sawed the home into six parts for transport.

Putting the house back together has been a "once-in-a-lifetime" experience," Mr. Sullivan reflected. Not only did his team members restore such features as pine accents, but they also refurbished the house to suit contemporary tastes. The result is a mix of pine floors and wall panels hung with antique photographs, modern bathrooms with mint green walls and white fixtures, and central air conditioning. Designers turned the former attic into a suite. A private reading area and coffee room are nestled in the octagonal cupola.

"I think it's been a labor of love," Mr. Sullivan said. "It's something that you don't get to do very often, to take something that is over 100 years old and reposition it and try to keep the history in the house but update it. There were some challenges."

But the challenge was worth the effort.

"It's a sense of accomplishment, and I'm just real happy with the way it turned out," Mr. Sullivan said.

Ms. Golaboff looks forward to showcasing the Spencer house. "It just adds another piece to the community we're building out here."

Corina Miller is a freelance writer based in The Colony.

[dfwcre8tive]

After looking around on their website:

From http://www.austinranch.com




And Austin Square, new development

http://www.austin-square.com/

[freewaytincan]

Too bad about the location, huh?

[CTroyMathis]

Digging an old one up just to follow-up with some photos of the Austin Square portion:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gffarch...7626574453693/

[Texan#1]

I've been out there once and while it is nice, it's just way too far out. I've heard that they have a crime issue out there too.

[MDE]

Dmn:

austin ranch apartments up for grabs

developer billingsley co. Is putting more than 1,000 apartments in its austin ranch community up for sale.

The austin trails and austin plaza projects together have more than 50 buildings and were built in 2001 and 2003.

Billingsley has hired marcus & millichap institutional property advisors and eastdil secured to... (paywall)

[cowboyeagle05]

I guess she really needs that money for funding more development which she has been attempting to do lately.