Principles of New Urbanism
New Urbanism is an approach to land planning that reduces traffic and eliminates sprawl. A New Urbanist neighborhood resembles an old European village or pre-war U.S. small town with homes and businesses clustered together. Instead of driving on highways, residents of New Urbanist neighborhoods can walk to shops, businesses, theaters, schools, parks and other important services. Buildings and recreational areas are arranged to foster a sense of community closeness. New Urbanist designers also place importance on earth-friendly architecture, energy conservation, historic preservation and accessibility.
Adaptive Reuse of a Former Airport Site
The award-winning Mueller land plan takes a conveniently located, underused piece of land and adapts it for an exciting reuse: an "urban village" in the heart of Austin. This urban infill redevelopment of the Robert Mueller Municipal Airport, a 700-acre Brownfield site, includes the restoration of three historic buildings.
- Mueller Central houses Catellus offices and the community information center. This building, formerly an aviation terminal and administrative building, has now achieved a USGBC LEED Gold rating.
- Browning Hangar, the only wooden bow-trussed hangar in the U.S., has been restored and will be repurposed.
- The air traffic control tower, dedicated by Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1961, will be restored and remain a landmark for the community.
Neighborhoods with a Diversity of Housing Opportunities
In the spirit of traditional Austin neighborhoods, Mueller neighborhoods will include a wide range of housing types contributing to a diversity of lifestyles. Mueller is planned to be home to approximately 10,000 residents.
Mueller will offer housing choices that create a new community of socially and economically diverse residents. At least 25% of all homes for-rent and for-sale will be offered in the Mueller Affordable Homes Program. Homes available through the income-qualifying affordable homes program are interspersed throughout the neighborhoods and are consistent in style with the market rate homes.
A Major Employment Center
Mueller provides opportunities for economic development and job creation in a way that complements and extends the compact and pedestrian-friendly pattern of the community.
Mueller will be home to as many as 10,000 jobs, anchored by the 30-acre Dell Children's Medical Center, Dell Pediatric Research Institute, the first building in The University of Texas Health Research Campus, the administrative headquarters of the Seton Family of Hospitals, SEDL, Strictly Pediatrics Subspecialty Center, and more than 20 retail stores and the Austin Studios film production complex.
A Pattern of Pedestrian-Friendly Streets
Mueller streets are designed to serve as an extension of the open space, pedestrian and bicycle network, and contribute to the community’s sense of place and identity. The buildings create friendly, active edges while the roadways and streets are designed to distribute traffic in a way that minimizes the impact on adjacent communities. Homes are oriented towards the street with stoops and porches that encourage neighborliness.
Transit as a Viable Alternative to the Automobile
Mueller is planned as one of Austin's major transit-oriented developments with Capital Metro bus service and a proposed extension of the Capital Metro Rail system upon voter approval. The pattern and intensity of development is planned in conjunction with a comprehensive program of transit improvements aimed at reducing automobile dependence.
A central transit boulevard offers a corridor for bus, rapid bus and possible future commuter or light rail through the community, which will put the majority of residents and employees—as many as 20,000 people—within a ten-minute walk of the transit system.
Sustainability
The Mueller community embraces the fundamental tenets of sustainable development and design and is intended to develop a new model of “green urbanism” at three distinct levels: Green Community Design, Green Buildings and Green Infrastructure.
Green Building
Mueller combines national principles for green building developed by the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED with Austin Energy's Green Building program to encourage resource-efficient design, the selection of regional materials that are non-toxic, recycled and sustainably harvested, and site designs that provide heat island mitigation, light pollution reduction and storm water management.
Listed below are some of the first structures at Mueller on track to achieve ratings from either USGBC's LEED rating system or Austin Energy's star rating system:
- Mueller Central - LEED Gold and 4-star
- Dell Children's Medical Center of Central Texas - LEED Platinum
- Ronald McDonald House - LEED Platinum
- Regional Retail - 3-star
- Residential Homes - 3- to 5- star
