The Austin City Council green-lighted a notable zoning transformation for an approximately 0.42-acre slice of land in the Zilker neighborhood, opening doors for a new high-rise that could extend up to 90 feet. The property at 2130 Goodrich Ave., currently donning a modest one-story office, lies a stone's throw from the bustling South Lamar Boulevard. When the votes were tallied on Sept. 12, Council Member Alison Alter chose to abstain while her peers signaled their approval for the lofty upgrade set under the Density Bonus 90 (DB90) category.
Despite the City Council's endorsement and blessings from both staff and the Planning Commission, the proposal to upzone the tract has not been free from controversy—spurring resistance from the locals. This pushback mirrors a narrative oft-repeated in city development sagas, where visions for urban densification challenge longstanding neighborhood characters and sensibilities. The proposed DB90 change, following a thwarted VMU 2 zoning attempt struck down by judicial review, aims to foster more affordable housing opportunities, yet the swift policy shifts can leave community members grappling with unease, as detailed in an Austin Monitor report.
Speaking to the gravity of the development, Zoning Officer Joi Harden revealed to the Council that Heartwood Real Estate Company, represented by the Drenner Group but notably presentation-less at the meeting, is plotting out a mixed-use edifice that could include upwards of 55 multifamily units, without shaking up the commercial use norms prioritized for pedestrian convenience. This high-rise structure, potentially dotted with retail, restaurants, and offices on its lower floors and residential quarters above, is to neighbor the existing Pathways at Goodrich Place, a public housing endeavor stewarded by the Housing Authority of the City of Austin.
Despite the prospective affordable housing boon, Bill Bunch, speaking for the Zilker Neighborhood Association, levied unequivocal opposition. "We've opposed this project in its various forms over the last few years as being completely inappropriate to this part of our neighborhood," Bunch stated in a session that was later recounted by the Austin Monitor. He expressed logistical concerns too, citing the incompatible narrowness of Goodrich where it morphs into Garner, slicing through Zilker. Expanding the pavement from its 30 feet to a transportation plan's proposed 58 seems unlikely, he argued, considering the repercussions for surrounding residences.
Dissent wasn't the unanimous chorus, though. Felicity Maxwell, from the urbanist outfit AURA, bucked the trend and commended the project. The affordable housing parameters are clear: Rental units must either earmark a minimum of 12% for households earning up to 60% of the Austin Area Median Family Income (MFI), or at a reduced 10% if they cater to those earning 50% or less MFI—with similar conditions applied to ownership opportunities or payments to the Housing Trust Fund.
However, tension soared when Bunch accused District 5 Council Member Ryan Alter of coercing Housing Authority official Mike Gerber and dodging neighborhood discourse. Alter countered during the session, "No. 1, I never talked with HACA or Mike Gerber and pressured him to make a change in his recommendation. That's just wholly inaccurate, and I think it's important that that is clear on the record. No. 2, we did meet with the neighborhood. And so, to say that we did not is just, once again, not true." These exchanges, emblematic of the development friction, hint at broader debates likely to color the project's progression.
