Construction crews broke ground this week on a 402-unit housing development near Southwest Parkway and West Highway 71 in Southwest Austin, with the project's first units expected to welcome residents in early 2028. The complex, called The Barton, spans more than 60 acres and will set aside over 40 acres of that land as green space, according to an OHT Partners press release.
Construction began Tuesday, October 6, according to Community Impact Newspaper, which first reported on the project. The Barton will include a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom units ranging from 702 to 1,584 square feet, split between three-story garden-style buildings and standalone two-story townhomes. Exactly 30 of the 402 units are designed as those townhomes, according to REBusinessOnline, with select units offering private yards and tuck-under garages.
The project sits at 8956 W. State Highway 71, per the same outlet's reporting, placing it squarely in the fast-changing Southwest Parkway corridor. Behind the development is OHT Partners, an Austin-based multifamily developer and contractor that, per the firm's own account of its history, was known as Oden Hughes until it rebranded in June 2021 to honor principals Steve Oden, Craig Hughes and Eric Taylor.
Why Site Design Leans So Heavily on Open Space
Ben Browder, a principal with OHT Partners, said the project aims to create a community with substantial green space, varied residences and amenities, and a Hill Country-appropriate design, per Community Impact's reporting. That emphasis on open land is not purely aesthetic. Austin's Save Our Springs ordinance includes strict impervious-cover limits intended to safeguard local groundwater and watersheds, according to the Save Our Springs Alliance.
The site plan includes more than 40 acres of green space, a trail system, multiple community courtyards, and a 1.4-acre dog park, according to REBusinessOnline's account of the amenity layout.
Interiors, Amenities, and the Design Team Behind the Build
Inside the units, The Barton will feature quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances, built-in desks, mud benches and smart locks, along with full-size washers and dryers and private patios or balconies. On the amenity side, residents will have access to two resort-style pools, a 9,000-square-foot clubhouse, a 1,500-square-foot fitness center, 1,500 square feet of coworking space, and two pickleball courts.
The design and engineering team includes architecture firm Meeks + Partners, interior design firm Ellie Aiello Interiors, civil engineering firm 360 Professional Services, and structural engineering firm United Structural Consultants, per REBusinessOnline's report on the project team. The Barton is expected to be fully completed by the end of 2028, with the first units ready for move-in roughly a year earlier.
A Highway Corridor Transformed by a $679 Million Project
The timing of the groundbreaking lines up with a major shift in the surrounding road network. In September 2026, the Texas Department of Transportation said the $679 million Oak Hill Parkway expansion officially opened, overhauling the nearby US 290/SH 71 interchange with new flyovers and mainlanes after construction began in 2021.
The Barton also adds to Austin's apartment supply.
OHT Partners has other projects moving through the pipeline elsewhere in the city. Austin ISD approved the sale of the former Rosedale School site in Central Austin in March 2025, and officials executed a sale contract in August. In October 2025, OHT Partners presented neighborhood residents with plans for a proposed 435-unit multifamily project, according to Community Impact Newspaper. Combined with The Barton, the two developments underscore the firm's active footprint across Austin's housing market as the region's rental supply begins to tighten after years of oversupply.
