Well, that’s at least the general area. Image: Bing Maps / James Rambin
The Trail Foundation’s vision for an improved Hike-and-Bike Trail entrance — or trailhead, using the preferred hiker-and-biker parlance — in downtown Austin’s rapidly-growing Rainey Street District is finally taking shape this month. At a public engagement meeting held last weekend, the nonprofit showed off two possible design configurations of an upgraded entry point and park space surrounding the trail at the parkland located on the corner of Cummings Street and East Avenue, at the far south tip of the neighborhood — the precise spot can be seen on the map below:
If you recall, that location is right across the street from the former office building located at 44 East Avenue set to become the district’s newest and tallest condo tower project, also called 44 East Avenue — and thus the building’s very polite Canadian developers Intracorp are picking up some of the trailhead’s tab. Good job, Intracorp!
Click for a larger view. Image: The Trail Foundation / Austin Parks and Recreation Department
The two design options presented for the trailhead project aren’t hugely different in terms of features, but you’ll see some obvious shifts between the two. The first option, with its native pecan grove and gravel water access area at the shore of the lake, feels slightly more natural in its tone than the second option, which replaces the grove with a picnic area and installed what appears to be a more permanent, hardscaped bank area for water access at the water’s edge.
Click for a larger view. Image: The Trail Foundation / Austin Parks and Recreation Department
Either way, we really appreciate more areas from which we can launch our kayaks and such — despite the Trail Foundation’s ongoing efforts, there’s actually a surprisingly small number of easily-accessibly spots along the trail from which to access the lake at the moment, particularly for wheelchair users and other people unwilling to navigate — or “portage,” as they say — the sometimes challenging terrain along its banks.
A street view of the mostly-empty parkland at the corner at Cummings Street and East Avenue, where the trailhead and park area will go if everything goes according to plan.
The overhead layouts seen above don’t quite give us the same three-dimensional impression of what we could build in this space along the lines of something like the renderings for the Trail Foundation’s upcoming Drake Bridge Commons project, but it’s certainly not a bad start — we might get nicer renderings later anyway.
That means your responsibility at this stage is to click the Foundation’s survey and let them know which design you prefer. We always say this, but our readers can actually submit enough responses on these things to represent genuine influence over which option ends up happening in the real world, so flex that civic muscle we know you have if you’re still reading this far down and spend a few minutes filling this out.
Rainey Street Condos For Sale
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$534,000
48 East AVE #2405
Austin, TX -
$534,570
48 East AVE #1903
Austin, TX -
$548,000
48 East AVE #1707
Austin, TX -
$600,000
48 E East AVE #3106
Austin, TX -
$530,000
70 Rainey ST #1310
Austin, TX -
$745,000
70 Rainey ST #1409
Austin, TX -
$651,583
70 Rainey ST #2605
Austin, TX -
$1,334,242
70 Rainey ST #1901
Austin, TX -
$820,000
54 Rainey ST #1018
Austin, TX -
$379,000
54 Rainey #519
Austin, TX -
$555,000
48 East AVE #1606
Austin, TX -
$930,000
48 E East AVE #1710
Austin, TX -
$625,000
54 Rainey ST #804
Austin, TX -
$489,900
40 N Interstate 35 #6D4
Austin, TX -
$830,000
48 East AVE #2711
Austin, TX -
$384,900
603 Davis ST #1906
Austin, TX -
$450,000
54 Rainey ST #1020
Austin, TX -
$839,000
603 Davis ST #1403
Austin, TX -
$1,199,000
70 Rainey ST #1204
Austin, TX -
$669,900
603 Davis ST #1709
Austin, TX -
$819,900
603 Davis ST #1502
Austin, TX -
$479,500
54 Rainey ST #616
Austin, TX -
$550,000
603 Davis ST #703
Austin, TX -
$340,000
54 Rainey ST #615
Austin, TX -
$530,000
70 Rainey ST #1603
Austin, TX
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$534,000Lot Size17,904 sqft
Home Size706 sqft
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Baths1 Bath
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$534,570Lot Size17,904 sqft
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Baths1 Bath
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$548,000Lot Size17,904 sqft
Home Size699 sqft
Beds1 Bed
Baths1 Bath
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$600,000Lot Size17,904 sqft
Home Size740 sqft
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Baths2 Baths
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$530,000Lot SizeN/A
Home Size718 sqft
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$745,000Lot SizeN/A
Home Size1,128 sqft
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Baths2 Baths
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$651,583Lot SizeN/A
Home Size837 sqft
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Baths1 Bath
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$1,334,242Lot SizeN/A
Home Size1,697 sqft
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Baths2 Baths
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$820,000Lot SizeN/A
Home Size1,956 sqft
Beds2 Beds
Baths3 Baths
-
$379,000Lot Size175 sqft
Home Size756 sqft
Beds1 Bed
Baths1 Bath
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$555,000Lot Size17,904 sqft
Home Size1,036 sqft
Beds1 Bed
Baths1 Bath
-
$930,000Lot Size17,904 sqft
Home Size982 sqft
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Baths2 Baths
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$625,000Lot Size305 sqft
Home Size1,189 sqft
Beds2 Beds
Baths2 Baths
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$489,900Lot Size1,046 sqft
Home Size1,360 sqft
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Baths2 Baths
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$830,000Lot Size17,904 sqft
Home Size1,036 sqft
Beds1 Bed
Baths2 Baths
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$384,900Lot Size175 sqft
Home Size809 sqft
Beds1 Bed
Baths1 Bath
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$450,000Lot Size175 sqft
Home Size750 sqft
Beds1 Bed
Baths1 Bath
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$839,000Lot Size305 sqft
Home Size1,699 sqft
Beds2 Beds
Baths3 Baths
-
$1,199,000Lot SizeN/A
Home Size1,321 sqft
Beds2 Beds
Baths2 Baths
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$669,900Lot Size262 sqft
Home Size1,286 sqft
Beds2 Beds
Baths2 Baths
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$819,900Lot Size305 sqft
Home Size1,597 sqft
Beds2 Beds
Baths2 Baths
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$479,500Lot Size218 sqft
Home Size852 sqft
Beds1 Bed
Baths1 Bath
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$550,000Lot Size175 sqft
Home Size1,176 sqft
Beds2 Beds
Baths2 Baths
-
$340,000Lot Size175 sqft
Home Size756 sqft
Beds1 Bed
Baths1 Bath
-
$530,000Lot SizeN/A
Home Size663 sqft
Beds1 Bed
Baths1 Bath
