AUSTIN -- The former site of Austin’s original airport has now added a grocery store to the list of future offerings in the Mueller community.
The 700-acre Mueller development is at the old Robert Mueller Municipal Airport. The City of Austin and developers have worked on the mixed-use village for 15 years. It includes homes, businesses, restaurants, Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas, and parks.
Wednesday morning HEB announced it is opening a new a new store in 2013. It will be located at 51st Street near the planned expansion of Berkman Drive and Barbara Jordan Boulevard.
HEB general manager of the Central Texas Region, Jeff Thomas, said the store will include “innovative practices in sustainability and green building.”
HEB said it will build its new store to qualify for Austin Energy’s Green Building program. The HEB at Mueller will anchor a retail shopping center known as the Mueller Market District.
Groundbreaking for the new Mueller HEB is scheduled for late 2012.
HEB plans to keep its Hancock Center and Springdale locations open when the HEB at Mueller opens.
The executive vice president of Catellus Development, Greg Weaver, said there are several new developments planned for Mueller. Catellus Development has worked with the City of Austin to create a master plan for Mueller.
Weaver said the Austin Independent School District announced a decision in April to locate a district-wide performing arts center at Mueller. He also said an affordable rental community for people aged 55 or older will open by the end of 2011, and the Austin Children’s Museum could break ground on its new building in early 2012.
“There are millions, if not hundreds of millions, coming out of the ground breaking…There will be a lot of dust flying and a lot of exciting things happening here,” said Weaver.
A spokesperson for Catellus Development said there are no current plans for the former Mueller Airport watch tower. It remains vacant.
