la Frontera

For those who thought the center of La Frontera in Round Rock was still a grassy knoll, think again. North American Properties received city approval and closed on the purchase of nine acres in December, and broke ground on the site for a four-story town center last month.

La Frontera Square, located east of the Marriott Hotel at Hesters Crossing and La Frontera Boulevard, will feature 349 luxury apartments atop 45,000 sq. ft. of retail, restaurant and office space. According to Mike Pacillio, NAP principal, the office space and patio seating at the restaurants will overlook The Green, the park adjacent to the center.

The first phase is expected to be complete by the middle of next year, with the final phase opening in Spring 2009. Pacillio said they hope to get the leasing office open as soon as possible and plan to focus on completing any office, retail or restaurant space early in the process.

Even with completion more than two years away, Don Martin, La Frontera co-developer, looks forward to Round Rock’s first vertical, mixed-use development.

“When La Frontera was originally master-planned seven years ago, there were not any developers doing vertical, mixed-use in the suburban markets in Texas,” Martin said. “Now that has changed, and we targeted this site to try and find a developer like NAP. We are excited about what they are building.”

Martin said the town center will resemble The Triangle in Austin on Lamar Boulevard near 45th Street. He expects Austin and surrounding cities like Round Rock and Pflugerville will begin seeing more of these kinds of projects because of high demand. “People want to live where they can also drop in at the local café or stores downstairs,” Martin said.

The Square, visible from IH 35 and Toll 45, will be the focal point of La Frontera. “In some cases, workers in the area buildings can choose to live in the residential units creating a situation where they can live, work and shop and not have to use their cars to commute to work every day,” Martin said.

Martin said the project will also help Round Rock and La Frontera attract other office developments and businesses. “All in all it’s a win-win for La Frontera by attracting other developments, which in turn helps the other apartments and the existing retail,” Martin said.

Two neighboring apartment complexes, Lakeside and Enclave Apartments, voiced their concerns about the zoning changes through their attorney at a December city council meeting.

Ruben Barrera with Bracewell & Giuliani, LLP spoke to the council about the legalities of rezoning the property from one kind of planned unit development to another which would allow more dense development.

However, Martin assured the council all other tenants were in favor of the plan and the rezoning passed.

Under the new PUD language, La Frontera Square was tweaked to allow for an alternate landscape plan, an increase in the number of apartments and the addition of structural parking.

Just like Lakeside and Enclave Apartments, the center will have two internal parking garages, one allocated for the retail, restaurants and office, and the other for residents.