Surf's Up

400-acre surf park deemed 'biggest' on the planet rides a wave into Austin

The 400-acre development will be called Pura Vida.

Photo courtesy of KVUE

KVUE — Austin could soon be home to the "biggest surf park development on the planet."

A company called Surf Lakes builds wave parks where people can surf, even in landlocked areas. They're planning to put one of their facilities south of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, about 20 minutes from downtown Austin.

The 400-acre development will be called Pura Vida and is set to include a sand beach, hotels, boardwalks, shopping, and residential buildings.

According to the company, the land was purchased by local developers seeking to put a Surf Lake as the centerpiece of a community, and groundbreaking could begin as early as mid-2023 as land, zoning, water, and wastewater have been secured.

Read the whole story and watch the video at KVUE.com.

Teacher Livability

Lockhart ISD offers home ownership program for teachers on donated land

Photo courtesy of KVUE

Real estate developer Red Oak has launched the TEACH program, which removes land costs from teachers' home purchases.

Lockhart ISD leaders are taking steps to create affordable housing for its teachers and staff.

The district teamed up with the real estate developer Red Oak to launch Teachers’ Economic Advancement through Community Homeownership (TEACH), which is a program aimed at helping local educators become homeowners.

On top of that, a new middle school will neighbor the community and is scheduled to open in August 2027. Lockhart ISD signed off on a bond to construct the campus and relieve overcrowding.

Superintendent Mark Estrada noted that Lockhart Junior High is over capacity. Once the new middle school opens, he said they will have roughly 800 students with an overall full capacity of 1,250 students.

The idea is to bring a chunk of the students and staff from Lockhart Junior High to the newly constructed campus.

Estrada noted that 75 percent of teachers live outside of Lockhart; he hopes this new community will allow the district to retain staff and give them the chance to have a closer commute.

"There are lots of homes being built in Lockhart, so that is pushing us to ensure that we're prepared for that growth," said Estrada.

Red Oak donated the land and will help with the infrastructure of the homes and the middle school. CEO Tom Staub said the company is investing over $100 million through 2030 to complete the project.

"It truly is about investing in things that people care about," said Staub.

The mixed-community will be known as "Moxie."

Construction for the first phase is well underway, with roughly 400 homes set to open by next spring. The overall goal is to build 2,500 homes.

Teachers will have to be eligible to apply. Estrada said they are currently ironing out those details.

What Lockhart teachers think of the plan

Elaina Walzel is a band director for Lockhart Junior High, and said her commute from South Austin where she currently lives is roughly 45 minutes.

Walzel said not only does the commute eat up time, but also money because of tolls.

Walzel is in her second year as the school's band director, and wants to remain in the district long-term. However, she recently got engaged and is in the process of looking for a new home.

Read the full story at KVUE.com.

teachers education lockhart real estate