Our firm has been involved with the land planning and landscape architectural services for all aspects of Pioneer Hill. In 1999, the developer approached us to assist them with a Traditional Neighborhood Design (TND). We created the regulating plan based on the City of Austin TND ordinance which defined the zoning district and its' urban code.   Through many years of negotiation, this development is the first TND approved under the City of Austin's TN D Ordinance.

The Pioneer Hill TND site is located in Northeast Austin. The overall site is 277 acres including 98 acres of open space. By coordinating with the City of Austin parks department and the developer, a large area of public parkland will be accessible to residents of Pioneer Hill as well as neighboring communities. Six water quality ponds will also be constructed on-site which will treat stormwater and serve as wet ponds creating another amenity for the parkland.

Single family units, town homes, condominiums, apartments, neighborhood retail and civic uses create a fabric of neighborhood amenities that promote a mixed use, mixed income and pedestrian friendly community. Allowing mixed income creates an opportunity for residents to live their lives in one community of diversity. The mixture of uses allows residents an opportunity to work, satisfy basic needs and play in their own neighborhood. Pedestrian friendly aspects are incorporated in street and sidewalk designs. Open space that protects pedestrians, establishes a pedestrian/bicycle street system to promote multi­modal forms of transportation and other modes of transportation, particularly transit, was a part of the plan.

The overall focus of this TND was the core, quality open space and public gathering places. An open green commences at the main entry off of Dessau Lane and continues through the town center highlighting a square and a community center. As the density decreases, the green is fronted by condominiums and terminates into an elementary school site which is the core of the single family units and links to the public parkland.

The City of Austin TND Ordinance was published in 1995, and Pioneer Hill was approved in 2004. It has taken many years to get the approvals but the construction of Pioneer Hill will be a proud moment for all who took part in its evolution. It is our hope that Pioneer Hill will serve as a model for future traditional neighborhood designs both locally as well as nationally.