AUSTIN, Texas — A massive controversial mixed-use development in southeast Austin will hold the city's newest live music venue.
The 109-acre development known as River Park will be home to a 65,000-square-foot events venue that will kick off the development's first phase.
According to KVUE's partners at the Austin American-Statesman, the building will be anchored on the northwest corner of East Riverside Drive and Crossing Place. It's expected to be larger than the former Austin City Music Hall, which was demolished for an office building.
The project is expected to be built in phases, with the entire development taking 10 to 20 years to complete. The Statesman reports the entire project will cost more than $4 billion.
The site is bounded by the Roy G. Guerrero Colorado River Metro Park, East Riverside Drive, Pleasant Valley Road and Country Club Creek. The phases will be connected to a new network of pedestrian-friendly blocks and trail connections. A linear park and greenway, totaling over 30 acres, will connect Roy G. Guerrero Colorado River Metro Park to the planned Riverside transit station.
Initially, the project was not well received. Residents who live in the area protested it, calling it a "Domain on Riverside." Some also said they found out about the rezoning resolution for the development when the Austin City Council chose to move forward with it. The city council gave final approval for the rezoning in October 2019.
Shortly after the rezoning approval, the development team made an agreement with the Ending Community Homelessness Coalition to provide housing for 100 homeless people for up to five years. The agreement was in addition to the partnership's earlier commitment to build more than 400 income-restricted affordable housing units on site.
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