South Central Austin

Travis Heights

Quaint houses with a lot of charm are what you will find in the community of Travis Heights. Although this neighborhood is rather aged, almost anyone can feel very much at home. The houses are well taken care of and many have been renovated to accommodate modern day needs. This established neighborhood is one of Austin's first dating back to the early 1890's when it was officially annexed by the city of Austin.

This is not a cookie-cutter neighborhood by any means; the houses are very unlike each other and most have large backyards. The neighborhood is mostly made up of two-bedroom and one-bath bungalows being expanded but there are also a few larger homes in the area as well. Extensive front porches with different sounding wind chimes and swings hanging from huge trees are common descriptions of homes in Travis Heights.

This area is great for people who love the outdoors also; Big Stacy and Little Stacy Park have a great hike-and-bike trail with a low level of difficulty that residents can be seen jogging at in the early morning or walking their pets in the afternoon. There is also Stacy Pool that stays open year-round and jungle gym for the kids to play.

Families are not the only make up of Travis Heights; people with diverse backgrounds and interesting occupations such as artists, film makers, teachers, and business professionals reside here as well.

Close proximity to South Congress's great shopping, restaurants, downtown, and Interstate 35 make Travis Heights a very popular place to live. The actual borders of Travis Heights are Riverside Dr. on the north, Interstate 35 on the east, Oltorf on the South, and South Congress Ave. on the west. Homes in Travis Heights range from $200,000 to $1,000,000 with the average being at $275,000.

Barton Hills

The character of old Austin is alive and well in Barton Hills where creative architecture, lush greenery and Hobbit-inspired rock gardens stand in sharp contrast to much of today's cookie-cutter housing. Located in Central Austin south of the colorful Restaurant Row on Barton Springs Road, the area known as Barton Hills is a charming collective of bordering neighborhoods where winding roads lead through majestic, tree-covered hills and home sites. Its natural beauty, enchanting charm and proximity to downtown, make Barton Hills a great place to call home.

Established in the 1940s and 1950s with construction continuing through the 1970s to the late 1990s, Barton Hills is dotted with all kinds of homes. A lot of the homes were built in the late 70´s and early 80´s. The majority of the homes are 3 or 4 bedroom ranch style homes in the range of 1700 square feet. Most of the homes sell between $200,000 and $500,000.

The children of those families attend Barton Hills Elementary, O. Henry Middle School and Austin High School. Zilker Elementary School also is nearby.

Easy access to Lamar Boulevard, MoPac and Barton Springs Road offers residents a wealth of shopping, dining and entertainment options. If character and old-Austin charm make you feel at home, visit the quiet and quirky community of Barton Hills.

Battle Bend Springs

Proximity to downtown is often billed as a selling point for Austin area neighborhoods, but only a drive in rush-hour traffic can measure the true accuracy of such a claim. Battle Bend Springs, a close-knit south Austin community established in the 1970s, is that rare slice of neighborhood quiet just minutes from Austin's vibrant downtown. Located on a tree-covered plot of land bordered by Interstate 35, South Congress Ave., Stassney Lane and St. Elmo, Battle Bend Springs is a secluded oasis of tranquility located just a few traffic lights from the sights and sounds of downtown Austin.

Many homes in Battle Bend Springs feature large back yards - some even back to stretches of greenbelt and Williamson Creek. Average square footage is 1,300. The neighborhood, which was once on the edge of the city limits and surrounded by cow pastures, is tended to by a 30-year-old neighborhood association.

Neighborhood activities include holiday decoration awards, holiday basket delivery, greenbelt Easter egg hunt, semi-annual neighborhood garage sales, newsletter distribution and various gatherings for special activities.

The southern boundary of Battle Bend is Battle Bend Blvd, western boundary is Suburban Dr, northern boundary is Fort Mason, and east to IH35. The neighborhood, which offers two nearby parks and stretches of greenbelt, was established in the early 1970s. Today, Battle Bend Springs is occupied by working class families and is considered close to downtown.

In a city that's plowing ahead in the name of progress, one southwest Austin community retains much of the colorful character and laid-back lifestyle that shapes the South Austin mystique.

Cherry Creek

Cherry Creek features an expansive collection of well-kept one- and two-story homes, peaceful winding roads and a wealth of beautiful oak trees. Like a quiet contradiction, Cherry Creek sounds and feels removed from the busy and vibrant city, but is actually within close proximity of shopping, employment, entertainment and highway access.

Homes range from approximately 1,300 to more than 2,500 square feet. Many were built in the 1970s while others are less than 3-years-old and prices range from about $130,000 to more than $200,000.

An expansive community with numerous subdivisions, Cherry Creek is accessed by such major roadways as William Cannon, Manchaca, Stassney, and Brodie Lane, West Gate, MoPac and Interstate 35. The community also features several bus routes.

Nearby Garrison Park offers a peaceful family retreat and features picnic tables, barbecue grills, basketball court and children's playscape set among shade trees.

Shady Hollow

Shady Hollow is in Southern Travis County and straddles Brodie Lane. El Dorado Trail marks the southern border, Squirrel Hollow is the northern border and Doe Run marks the eastern border. The west side of the subdivision borders on Lost Oasis Hollow.

Residents of Shady Hollow can stay involved in their neighborhood by reading their monthly issue of the Shady Hollow Highlights. The June 2004 six page newsletter includes short articles of volunteer projects preformed by Boy and Girl Scouts in the neighborhood, services that area residents provide the community, advertisements of nearby businesses, and upcoming events.

Shady Hollow is an established neighborhood built in the early 1980s that remains popular because of its large front and back yards, huge shady trees and proximity to good schools and Austin's metropolitan area.

Students in Shady Hollow attend the new Baranoff Elementary School, Bailey Middle School and Bowie High School.

Some of the older homes are on larger lots ranging from 125 feet by 175 feet to 205 feet by 202 feet. The rest of the homes are on lots about 60 feet by 125 feet. Prices on homes in Shady Hollow can range from $170,000 to $370,000.

Most homes have three or four bedrooms, although some have five bedrooms. Most have two or three bathrooms. They mainly have his and hers walk-in closets, skylights and baths with cultured marble. Kitchens have Formica or tile. Most homes have two living areas, although a few have as many as four living areas. Shady Hollow is only expanding with new homes being built in the quiet family neighborhood as well.

The community center and pool are the focal point of the neighborhood. Many youngsters are on the neighborhood swim team. The community center is also the gathering point for events such as the 4th of July parade, the Memorial Day celebration, Easter egg hunt, scouting and Fall Fajita Fest.

Brodie Lane is the only major artery into Shady Hollow. Motorists can get to MoPac Boulevard or Interstate 35 via Slaughter Lane. Or they can drive farther north on Brodie to reach William Cannon Drive or U.S. 290/Texas 71.

Southeast Austin

The wide swath of land that entails the 78744 ZIP code is characterized by a unique and diverse grouping of commercial real estate, residential neighborhoods, and stunning natural resources. Boundaries of the area commonly referred to as "Southeast Austin" are Ben White Boulevard to the north, IH 35 to the west, Colton Boulevard to the south, and U.S. Highway 183 to the east. Largely undeveloped, this area is home to Dove Springs, Wagon Crossing, Silverstone, Franklin Park, Yarrabee Bend, Williamson Creek, Peppertree Park, Onion Creek Plantation, Kensington Park and Indian Hills. Though decidedly urban, this part of the city also contains a generous amount of open space, picturesque Onion Creek, and McKinney Falls State Park. The 744.4-acre park, just 13 miles from the capital, allows visitors the opportunity to camp, hike, mountain bike, picnic, fish, and observe the preserved ruins of founder Thomas F. McKinney's homestead. On a smaller scale, those living in the Kensington Park neighborhood enjoy spring-fed natural ponds that flow into Williamson Creek before reaching McKinney Falls. The area is also home to the Jimmy Clay & Roy Kizer Golf Courses which are located adjacent to the state park and are part of the Williamson Creek community. Most shopping needs can be met in the western portion of the area, along William Cannon and IH-35, very near the local multiplex cinema, Cinemark Tinseltown 17.

Like 78741, its neighbor to the north, 78744 was developed relatively late and is just now shedding its "fringe" status. Following the trend found in other parts of the city, single-family housing has been overlooked as a building alternative. Instead, apartment homes and low-income housing projects have been on the rise, especially since the City of Austin began offering intense subsidies on those types of structures. Historically, the Dove Springs area has been characterized by its predominance of duplexes, 4-plexes, and apartment homes resulting in a landscape that is slow in changing. That's not to say single-family homes can't be found. The average sale price of a home in the 78744 ZIP code is roughly $100,000, the highest being $145,000, the lowest $25,555. Half of the homes in the area were built in the 1970s, 30% in the '80s, 17% in the '90s, and only 1% in the 2000s. Homes are generally characterized as 3-bedroom, 2-car garage units with 1 living area. Texas Gas Service is the main provider of gas in the area, while the City of Austin takes care of electricity, water, and wastewater services. Austin Energy, a department of the City of Austin, provides the electricity and manages the customer service center for City of Austin utilities that includes billing as well as starting and stopping service.

Both Austin and Del Valle School Districts serve the community by offering elementary education at Houston, Pleasant Hill, Widen, Langford, Rodriguez, Palm, Baty, Hillcrest, and Smith elementary schools. The middle schools include Mendez, Paredes, John P. Ojeda and Del Valle middle schools, while high school students attend Travis, Akins, and Del Valle high schools.

Active neighborhood associations in the area include the Kensington Park Homeowners Association, the Franklin Park Neighborhood Association, the Dove Springs Neighborhood Association, the Peppertree Parkway Neighborhood Association, and the Silverstone Neighborhood Association.