A current view of the dairy site from the nearby spaghetti bowl of highways we call the “Levander Loop.” Image: Google Maps
A rezoning case currently in review with the City of Austin could bring more than a thousand new residences, a hotel, offices, and significant retail space to a 21.38-acre industrial site in far East Austin located at 71 Strandtman Cove near Highway 183.
Currently occupied by the Borden Dairy Company, the rezoning now sought for the site would establish a planned development agreement for the property on behalf of prominent developers Endeavor Real Estate Group — known for other large-scale local projects like Saltillo and the upcoming redevelopment of the former Austin American-Statesman headquarters.
Current city documents related to the rezoning of what’s called the Borden Tract include a number of figures for a proposed development of the site, including up to 1,400 residential units, a 220-room hotel, approximately 400,000 square feet of office space and more than 100,000 square feet of retail use, spread between an unknown number of buildings across the property. The current height limit for the zoning here is 120 feet, or roughly 10 to 12 floors depending on building use.
An aerial view of the dairy site, just north of the river and southwest of a whole lotta pavement. Image: Bing Maps
The site’s location, north of the Colorado River near the historic Montopolis Bridge, is relatively distant from any single-family homes — but the site is adjacent to significant riverside parkland, which ought to prompt some care on the part of its developers.
An aerial view of Endeavor’s recent Saltillo development in East Austin, which has a similar mix of uses to what’s described at the Borden site, but is only half its size at 10 acres. Image: Endeavor Real Estate Group
While there isn’t much information beyond these bare numbers available yet for what’s in store at the Borden site, consider that Endeavor’s recently-opened Saltillo development elsewhere in East Austin sounds somewhat similar, except half the size — that plan redeveloped a 10-acre former rail depot with approximately 800 apartments, 140,000 square feet of offices, and roughly 110,000 square feet of retail. The prospect of something more than twice as large here, particularly with other mixed-use development recently imagined at similar sites nearby, could mark a major turning point for this far western edge of the Govalle neighborhood.
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