AUSTIN — One of the most photographed and Instagrammed spots in all of Austin is about to undergo a major change. This comes after a final vote of approval by Austin City Council Thursday night.
With a million dollar view captured millions of times, the piece of undeveloped property on the north side of the Pennybacker Bridge in West Austin is owned by entrepreneur Jonathan Coons.
Coons, the founder of 1-800-Contacts, purchased the 145-acre property in 2017. The land known as the Camelback PUD (public utility district) was previously owned by Exxon Mobil Corp. The city designated the PUD in 1987.
"We wish the city had bought it in the early 1980s, but they didn't buy it, they zoned it PUD,” said nearby homeowner Linda Bailey.
Bailey is the president of Lake Austin Collective, a group that supports Coon’s plans for the property.
In all, nine organizations in the Lake Austin region support Coon’s development. That’s a group made up of more than 3,000 homeowners. They supported Coons when he approached city council for final approval.
"We see the benefit of working with a developer that's been honest and decent and has given us the major things that we ask for,” Bailey told KVUE.
Coons worked directly with the neighborhood organizations to create a development they could all agree on, including designated park space.
Twenty-six acres of the Pennybacker property will be designated parkland, with designated parking as well. Currently, people who stop to take photos park illegally on the access road of Loop 360.
“The old 1987 plan allowed for 12 homes along the cliff with no park. This is an iconic location that needed to be protected and we wanted to share it with all of Austin,” said Coons.
On top of donating that land to the city, Coons is also paying $1.5 million for the 25 parking spaces and public restrooms. It will be the first park created on Lake Austin in 35 years, Coons said.
In addition, Coons plans for a senior living center on the part of property called Champion Tract. Before, that land was zoned for apartments. Coons is spending several million dollars improving road infrastructure, including a right turn lane onto the property off 2222.
In all, the property will include homes, a commercial space, a restaurant, a senior living care center, a clubhouse and a boat dock, complete with an incline elevator for homeowners to go up and down the cliffs.
It took time, but Bailey said they now approve of the elevator design.
"It has no hydraulic fuel in it, and it can be covered by trees,” she pointed out.
Coons, who will build his own home on the Pennybacker PUD, told KVUE why he worked directly with other homeowners in the area.
“We plan to live there and it’s important to us to have a good relationship with our neighbors,” said Coon.
Neighbors agree: While they’d prefer to keep it as is, they’re happy and supportive of the development.