A historic neighborhood situated in Central Austin, Hyde Park was originally a rural, 206 acre tract of land. Purchased by Monroe Shipe for the price of $70,000 in 1891, the land quickly became Austin’s first planned suburb (Photo: Austin History Center PICA o2628).

Convinced that Hyde Park boasted the most beautiful, healthful, and practical place for homes outside of the city limits, Shipe marketed his development as an affluent suburb featuring large, Queen Anne style residences. Attractions included a large open green space and manmade lake, the city’s first moonlight tower, free mail delivery twice a day, and smooth mudless roads.

Shipe was also responsible for implementing an electric street car service that connected the first Hyde Park residents to Congress Avenue and the central business district (shown in photo above). Early investors embraced Shipe’s vision and swarmed the new community. Lots were competitively priced at $50-$100. However, Shipe couldn’t sustain his early success in selling the remaining parcels of land.

“Despite the early promotions, sluggish land sales prompted considerable changes in marketing strategies within eight years of Hyde Park’s founding. Shipe ceased to advertise the area for the city’s elite, and instead portrayed it as a neighborhood for the middle and working classes. In response, Hyde Park’s architectural character shifted to smaller, more modest frame houses.” -Texas Historical Commission

Over the course of a century, the community has not lost its profound sense of place. The neighborhood is now considered the most densely occupied area in the urban core, and is widely touted as a proven model for traditional neighborhoods. The front porch way of life is unmistakable from the avenues. 

Contributing to the charm of the community are the walkable destinations including great, local eateries serving everything from buttermilk-dipped fries at Hyde Park Bar and Grill to vegetarian fare at Mother’s. A few other Hyde Park landmarks include Quack’s 43rd Street Bakery, Elisabet Ney Museum, Fire Station 9 and Fresh Plus Grocery.

 Should you live downtown or in the burbs? With the re-emergence of downtown living, this question is on the minds of many in Austin. There are obvious advantages and disadvantages to both the urban and suburban way of life. But ultimately, it comes down your preferences.  

So what are the top 3 advantages to urban and suburban lifestyles in Austin? I’ve lived in both Austin’s urban and suburban environments. Here’s what I think.

3 advantages to living in downtown Austin

Entertainment. Like any great city, there’s always something going on downtown, be it a concert, an art gallery or some type of festival. It isn’t difficult to find something, to keep you entertained. Music lovers, not much is left to be said about finding shows any night of the week. From salsa lessons to cooking classes, to having a cup of coffee at Progress or JO’S and watching eccentric people pass by, there are so many things to keep boredom at bay.

Public transportation. Austin’s public transportation and infrastructure isn’t nearly as robust as San Francisco’s or Seattle’s, but it is improving. The bus system is a great alternative to driving around the core of town. This aspect will only get better once the rails are further developed. But when it comes down to it… The real advantage to being downtown is simply being within walking distance to your most visited destinations. 

Culture. Anytime a large group of people are living close to one another, diversity is bound to flourish. Yet in the midst of so many differing ideas, there’s something uniquely Austin that transcends it all. To better understand what I mean, take a walk down South Congress Ave or go to a Gospel Brunch at Stubb’s. Also, the Farmer’s Market is a great place to experience the culture.  Something different everyday, that appeals to me big time.

3 Advantages to living in suburban Austin.

Price ($).Price per square foot for homes outside of Austin’s core is commonly 2-3x cheaper than homes in central Austin. For example, a newer 1,500 sqft home in Southwest Austin may cost $187,500 where a similar sized, and likely much older home in  central Austin would cost at least $360,000. What’s more, the southwest area is a short 8 minute drive away from downtown Austin (sans rush hour traffic). By living a little farther out, you can enjoy all the offerings of the city and not be forced to eat peanut butter and jelly for every meal in order to fund your monthly mortgage payment. Hopefully, you didn’t finance your urban digs with an adjustable rate…

Space. By space I mean a few things. More house for less money. A space to park your cars or SUVs if you prefer (I read a statistic that Austin averages 1.4 cars per person). Space to have family and visiting guests to stay the night (in their own bedrooms). Space to have a home office, music or art studio. Space to hang your stuffed deer head or whatever else you’re proud of. Whether you have a big back yard or a great front porch, chances are you will likely have a great space to entertain your friends and neighbors.

Yards & pets. Austin is an extremely pet friendly place, even in the urban area. However, one of the reasons we purchased outside of Austin’s core, was to have a yard. We have a cat and a dog that are right at home in the shade of the live oaks in our back yard. The pets are much happier outside while we’re at work during the day. Also, we have a great area in our yard to grow vegetables. The crop isn’t overly abundant right now, but someday soon it will make an incredible garden.

Bottom line… when you’re considering urban versus suburban, carefully analyse both. Write down your preferences and decide which lifestyle appeals to you more and don’t forget to check the price tag.

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Related Post :: Urban or Suburban: How Much Does it Cost to Own?

On March 9, 2006 the City of Austin amended its Transit Oriented Development [TOD] Ordinance to include a TOD district in Oak Hill. Since then, stakeholders in the area [residents, business owners, employees, etc.] have been participating in the planning process that will ultimately determine what the redevelopment will look like and how it will fit in the greater context of the city and region. Oak Hill by and large has received minimal attention compared to other redevelopments that are closer to Austin’s core.

The proposed TOD district will provide a walkable destination for the residents that will promote greater connectivity to downtown Austin via new transit alternatives. In the planning process, residents are requesting zoning changes that would allow for a mixed-use, live, work and play environment. The town center presents a remarkable quality of life improvement for the surrounding neighborhoods and ought to contribute to increased social engagement, environmental sensitivity and economic benefits. This type of development isn’t unique to Oak Hill; in fact, it’s the prevailing philosophy in sensible, urban growth throughout Central Texas. 

So how might this impact the local real estate market? The benefit of being well connected to the rest of the city will get capitalized in the market value of the land. TOD in Dallas suburbs, such as Plano and Addison, has driven property values higher. According to an impact study performed by economists from the University of North Texas, residential properties near transit stations rose 39% more than a comparable, control group of properties not served by mass transit over a four year span. The redevelopment of Oak Hill will have a similar effect on home values near the town/transit center. Austin will have its own hard data to support the TOD argument once the Red Line opens in 2008.

If you have an interest in the proposed Oak Hill town center, join us for the next neighborhood planning meeting this Thursday.

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