Growth spurt

193 acres of enormous North Austin ranch scoots onto the market

It's part of one largest undeveloped parcels of land in Central Texas.

Photo by dszc/Getty Images

A sizable chunk of Austin’s enormous Robinson Ranch could become the area’s next major site for mixed-use development.

Commercial real estate company JLL Capital Markets announced on December 17 that it had been tapped to market a 193-acre development site at State Highway 45 North and North MoPac Expressway. This parcel — with about two-thirds the acreage of the Domain complex — is part of the roughly 7,000-acre Robinson Ranch, one of the largest privately owned chunks of undeveloped land in Central Texas. By comparison, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport covers about 4,200 acres.

The 193-acre site is roughly five miles northeast of the $1 billion, 3-million-square-foot Apple campus under construction in Northwest Austin and a nearby 129-acre office campus set to be redeveloped as a more than 3 million-square-foot, mixed-use project. If you use those two developments as a gauge, the Robinson Ranch parcel should be able to accommodate well over 3 million square feet of mixed-use space.

In 2004, the Austin City Council designated Robinson Ranch as a site for potential development. Apple also purchased 133 acres for its new campus from the Robinson family, and when Austin was under consideration for Amazon’s second headquarters, Robinson Ranch was touted as a possible location.

“If you’re a large corporation who likes being in Austin and the benefits the city offers to its employees, it’s often hard to find land with the zoning and entitlements already in place as they are at Robinson Ranch. The opportunity is there, mostly because the Robinsons are ready to see development, which is both exciting and frightening,” City Council Member Jimmy Flannigan, whose Northwest Austin district includes the existing and under-construction Apple campuses, told the Austin Chronicle in 2018.

Davis Adams, a JLL Capital Markets executive who’s helping market the Robinson Ranch site, notes that the completion of SH 45 North in 2007 divided this part of the Robinson family’s property from the remainder of the ranch.

“Because the site is isolated from the core of the family’s holdings, coupled with the strong interest they have received regarding the property, the Robinson family has decided to begin marketing this site for sale, joint venture, or ground lease,” Adams says in a news release.

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a barton creek paradise

$15.2 million Austin sanctuary is in the middle of a nature conservancy

The Sanctuary on Barton Creek, Austin home for sale

Photo courtesy of Peyton Skinner

The Sanctuary on Barton Creek sits on 24 acres of untouched Hill Country land.

Living on an expansive estate teeming with untouched nature and vegetation may seem like a priceless dream, but a lavish property in West Austin has a cost in mind: $15.2 million.

Photo courtesy of Peyton Skinner

The Sanctuary on Barton Creek sits on 24 acres of untouched Hill Country land.

The Sanctuary on Barton Creek is a 24-acre estate with an Austin address, although it is located near Bee Cave, a Hill Country suburb. The entrance of the property is double gated, and the area is completely surrounded by a 4,100-acre nature conservancy to provide a peaceful and private escape from the ever-changing landscape of the Texas capital.

The 7,931-square-foot main house contains seven spacious bedrooms, five full bathrooms, and one half bath. The listing, managed by Douglas Elliman sales agents Jeanne Parker and Julie Mack, describes the modernly updated home as a place where "elegance and comfort intertwine seamlessly."

The Sanctuary on Barton Creek, Austin home for sale The estate is a private and peaceful oasis.Photo courtesy of Peyton Skinner

The new Wolf appliances in the state-of-the-art chef's kitchen is a primary example of the sophisticated upgrades that have been completed on the residence. The primary bathroom has also been completely remodeled, where the next owners can be enamored with the privacy of the Hill Country while enjoying luxurious baths in the standalone soaking tub.

Another key feature of this home is its abundance of fireplaces, which can be found in bedrooms, living areas, balconies, and outdoors.

The property is also suited for hosting friends and family with two additional buildings: A fully equipped guest house, and a lofted "executive lodge" that can be used as additional guest quarters, game room, or executive office.

Like the rest of the residences on the estate, the executive lodge has breathtaking views of the Hill Country that can be admired from the spacious balcony or large windows. The space sits above a three-car garage that comes with a pull-through for a RV and a dog washing station.

The Sanctuary on Barton Creek, Austin home for sale The spacious executive lodge also comes with a kitchenette, making it suitable for hosting guests or using as an office.Photo courtesy of Peyton Skinner

All of the residences open up to the backyard pool area where guests can relax under the covered veranda, the patio, or take a dip in the resort-style custom designed pools. There's plenty of outdoor activities to enjoy if exploring the property's untouched 24 acres is a more appealing alternative to sitting by the pool.

"Enjoy honey made from the hives on the property which provide not only an agricultural exemption, but also promote a healthy environment for everyone," the listing says.

Guests are also welcome to go fishing or paddle boarding in Barton Creek, where the estate has more than 200 feet of grassy shoreline access to the water.

The property is zoned for Lake Travis Independent School District, and is situated just minutes away from the Hill Country Galleria in Bee Cave.

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