AUSTIN, Texas — As development explodes near Tesla’s gigafactory in Southeast Austin, one of the latest plans involves an exclusive golf course and wellness retreat.
A new members-only project called Austin Beach Club is in the early stages of launching on 63 acres along the Colorado River. Plans involve a 12-hole par-3 course, with water activities — including kayaking, paddle boarding and canoeing — and wellness classes and retreats as well as dining.
Austin Beach Club is one of a rush of new developments being planned in the area known as Dog’s Head, a former sand and gravel mining hub in far East Austin. Long quiet, the area’s proximity to both downtown and Austin-Bergstrom International Airport has put it on the real estate radar.
Austin Beach Club founder Lauren Carson sees huge potential in the largely undeveloped space.
“This is a nature getaway 15 minutes from downtown,” Carson said. “It hasn’t been developed because of its history of mining, and a lot of reclamation needs to be done, utilities need to be brought in. But as Austin grows, Dog’s Head is going to be in the middle of the region in the next five to 10 years.”
What is Dog’s Head?
The region’s name refers to about 3,000 acres where the Colorado River forms the shape of a dog’s head. Parts of Dog’s Head are just miles from Tesla’s $1.1 billion electric vehicle plant. Traditionally, the land has been dominated by mining and family-owned ranches.
There are challenges in developing Dog’s Head because, while some parts of the area are connected to city utilities, other sections are miles away from water and wastewater lines. In addition, much of Dog’s Head is flood plain.
Lauren Carson and golf course designer Roy Bechtol look out at the land that will soon be developed into Austin Beach Club. (Photo: Mikala Compton/American-Statesman)
Developers, including Austin-based Endeavor Real Estate Group, are reported to be acquiring thousands of acres of Dog’s Head. But considering its mining history, Endeavor Managing Principal Andy Pastor has said full-fledged development will take years. The firm did not respond to requests for comment.
What is driving growth in Southeast Austin?
A development boom is underway in Southeast Austin, with multiple industrial, commercial and residential projects underway. One example of the growth is Goodnight Ranch, a 700-acre, mixed-use community that currently has 1,540 homes on the ground, with thousands more eventually…
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