The Buzz About la Frontera

Issues 11-15

Issue 11 January 28, 2000

Urban-Style Apartments Break Ground at la Frontera
Martin Fein Interests, Inc., a premiere Houston-based developer of upper-end apartments, closed this week on 11.75 acre multi-family site in La Frontera and is beginning construction immediately on a 411-unit, 379,000 s.f. Class A apartment complex.

The as-yet-unnamed complex is designed as an “urban-style” complex with numerous amenities including a 4-level, 718-space parking garage (in addition to 141 surface parking spaces). Each floor of the separate three-story apartment buildings will have direct access to their own floor of the parking garage.

Because of the higher density (35 units per acre), the project will also include a wide variety of high-end amenities as well. A 6,000 s.f. clubhouse will include an indoor sport court, movie theater, and a high-tech business center. The project will also have a swimming pool, state-of-the-art fitness center, and expansive landscape green-belts and water fountains.

The average unit size is approximately 950 square feet and will include such amenities as assigned parking, full-size washer and dryers in each unit, nine-foot ceilings, crown molding and tiled entries, upgraded appliances, garden tubs, marble vanities, built-in bookcases and computer desks, and multiple phone, modem and cable outlets.

Martin Fein Interests, founded in 1989, has developed a variety of upper-end and luxury apartment complexes in the Houston area including The Deerwood in Galleria area, The Belmont in West University, The Carlton in the River Oaks area, Grammercy Park in West Houston, as well as similar Texas projects near the Woodlands, Silverlake, Kingwood and San Antonio. Fein also developed The Boulders at La Reserva in the Tucson area, and Timber Creek in Denver.


New Aerial Photos Document Progress
A recent addition to the La Frontera web site is an updated aerial photo showing the progress of road and site construction. All internal roads are now well under construction. Some of these will be completed this Spring, with the remaining roads opening for traffic in approximately June 2000. Retail pads sites, the initial site-grading work for the Marriott Hotel, and the construction of two on-site lakes are easily discernable. To see the latest construction progress, visit our web site at: www.la-frontera.com.


More Building Permits Issued
The 328-acre La Frontera project accounted for $7.7 million of the $9 million in retail permits issued in Round Rock in December 1999. December’s projects included permits for Barnes & Noble and Office Depot, both in La Frontera Village. Meanwhile, a $19.7 million permit was also issued for the 411-unit upper-end, La Frontera apartment complex.


Issue 12 February 14, 2000

Hard Hat Tours Underway at la Frontera on Wednesdays
    Beginning this Wednesday, February 16, Dan Listrom and project principals will begin conducting scheduled “hard hat” tours of the La Frontera site every other Wednesday at noon. The tours include a box lunch and quick tour of the construction site, telecom facilities and road system for interested buyers, brokers, public officials, and any others who might have an interest in seeing the development progress.

    Upcoming tour dates are February 16th and 23rd, and March 8th and 22nd. Contact Monica Pride via email at monica@kdi.com or at 320-9127 for a reservation.



Construction Pace Picks Up - E-Commerce Sites Introduced
It’s been a busy month at la Frontera, with construction continuing on the major roadway network, the telecom network, the campus area, numerous pad sites, retail sites, multi-family and hotel. Here’s a quick look at some of the projects currently underway:

    Internal Roads – The major internal roads are about 70% complete, including the new extension of Hester’s Crossing from IH-35 to Quick Hill Road; La Frontera Blvd; and Sundance Parkway. Aerial photos of the construction progress are available at www.la-frontera.com

    Telecom Switch and Fiber Ring – TXU has installed the digital switch at a new TXU Central Office located in La Frontera, and has extended the fiber ring throughout the site. Site tours include a look at the Central Office and fiber, e-commerce network.

    E-Commerce Campus Sites – The new high-tech campus area surrounds a 5-acre lake which is now in place. Extensive fiber connections, data, electric utility, and telecom services are currently being constructed to these sites.

    Retail Construction – Slabs have been poured for several hundred-thousand square feet of retail including Barnes & Nobles, Old Navy, Marshall’s, Petco, Office Depot, Sam’s, Lowe’s Home Improvement and many others. Some of these have begun vertical construction as well, and in some cases are targeting opening dates as early as July 2000.

    Restaurants – Pads are complete for several restaurants including Red Lobster, TGI Friday’s, Mimi’s Café, Logan’s Roadhouse and others.

    Marriott – Site prep is underway for the 300-room Marriott Hotel and Conference Center.

    Multi-Family – Construction began last week on The Enclave at La Frontera, a 411-unit high density, high-end apartment complex with structured parking being developed by Martin Fein Interests of Houston.




Issue 13 March 27, 2000

Water Tower Logo, Live Web Cameras
Demonstrate Round Rock’s High-Tech Pride

Water Tower Painted with Web Address
In an unprecedented partnership with the City of Round Rock, the Round Rock Chamber of Commerce, TXU Communications and la Frontera, the internet address of www.round-rock.net was painted onto the newest city water tower. The tower is located adjacent to la Frontera in the heart of the Round Rock high-tech office and commerce area.

The logo, www.round-rock.net, is also a permanent web site. It features links to many of Round Rock’s most prominent web addresses including the City of Round Rock, the Round Rock Chamber of Commerce, Round Rock Independent School District, la Frontera, Dell Computers, TXU Electric and Gas, and TXU Communications. In the future, additional area business listings will be added as a free service.

As far as it is known, this is the first use of an internet address on a city-owned water tower. Traditionally it is the city name that is painted on water towers. It is the City’s hope that the www.round-rock.net water tower will become an icon not only in the Round Rock community but throughout the national high-tech community as well.


www.round-rock.net


La Frontera Construction “Live” on the World Wide Web
In addition to the web address, four live web cameras have been mounted to the tower with a live image feed available 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week at the www.round-rock.net web site. The “water tower cam” shows the entire southern Round Rock area and some of the current major construction activity including roads, area office and retail, as well as instantaneous weather conditions. The web cameras and installation were donated by the engineering firm of Baker-Aicklen & Associates, Inc.

The www.round-rock.net idea was conceived and paid for by the developers of la Frontera. The web site was developed by TXU Communications. The water tower camera configuration is sponsored by Baker-Aicklen & Associates, Inc. of Austin and Round Rock and was installed by Allsafe Security, Inc. of Round Rock.


Issue 14 April 7, 2000

State Vote Moves Construction of SH 45
Frontage Roads to September

State Highway 45, which has been on the drawing board in various forms for nearly 20 years, cleared a major hurdle March 30th when the Texas Transportation Commission (TxTC) authorized the accelerated construction of the project’s $16.1 million frontage road system. Work on the frontage roads is expected to begin by September 2000.

The new west-bound frontage road, with four-lane bridge over IH-35, and east-bound frontage road, connecting to and using the existing FM 1325 lanes, will provide significant relief to the major FM 1325 / IH 35 intersection.

The frontage roads will extend along both the Dell campus and the la Frontera development. In addition, it will connect to the new la Frontera internal road system. The combination of the frontage roads and the major arterial roads in the la Frontera development, built by la Frontera, are expected to reduce existing traffic congestion by as much as 50 percent.

“This is arguably the most important intersection in the state in providing jobs and revenue,” said Round Rock Planning Director Joe Vining.
 Excerpted from The Round Rock Leader - April 3, 2000


New Construction Aerial Photos Available
For those interested in a project update, as of April 1, la Frontera now has available two different kinds of aerial photos. A selection of photos shot from a recent helicopter flyover, plus the latest Landiscor regional aerial. The numerous helicopter shots, by professional real estate photographer Jim Innes, show details of the current construction and roads. They are available from Jim Innes (327-5277). The 1999 year-end Landiscor regional photo is now available with a detailed overlay of area roads, SH-45 and internal roads under construction at la Frontera.

To view or download two recent aerial photos go to:
Recent Site Aerials


“Discover Round Rock” Brochure Available
A new color executive recruiting brochure – called Discover Round Rock – has been printed and is available at the Round Rock Chamber of Commerce. Produced by Angelou Economic Advisors with support from la Frontera, the brochure is designed to help recruit executives to the Round Rock market. It has detailed information on housing availability, new subdivisions, local taxes, utilities, education, recreation and the history of Round Rock, with a special section on the internet. For a copy contact Dan Listrom (320-9127) or the Round Rock Chamber of Commerce (255-5805 or 1-800-747-3479).


Issue 15 April 28, 2000

Marriott Conference Hotel

Construction Underway on Full-service 300-room Marriott
Winegardner & Hammons, a hotel development and management company based in Cincinnati, Ohio, officially began construction this week on the new Marriott Conference Hotel located at la Frontera. The hotel, according to an article in the Austin American-Statesman (4/15/00), is the first full-service hotel to be built from scratch in the Austin Market in 12 years.

The hotel will feature the following:

  • True full-service hotel format – This will include concierge services and a dedicated concierge floor. The 300-room, eight-story hotel tower and conference facility includes extensive meeting space, executive boardrooms, ballrooms, and a 3,500 s.f. full-service restaurant.

  • Ballroom/Meeting area of 14,800 s.f. – This area can be divided into many different configurations. For instance, the largest ballroom configuration can seat from 600 (banquet seating) to 960 (reception arrangements) or can be divided into six smaller meeting rooms.

  • Executive Boardrooms – The eight boardrooms are between 450-580 s.f. and typically seats 12-14. They each include wet bar, beverage service and a private restroom. In addition, they offer a wide variety of audio/visual equipment and high-speed data ports.

  • Atrium Terrace – This 2,000 s.f. area will be located at the entry of the ballrooms and restaurant. It can be used for pre-functions and other meetings and events.

  • Guest Rooms – The guest rooms feature individual climate control, television with CNN, HBO, ESPN and on-command movies, in-room coffeemaker, guest voicemail, data ports, a mobile writing desk, easily accessible power outlets, moveable task lighting and a fully-adjustable ergonomic desk chair.


Hotel Will Benefit the Entire Community
The $25 million Marriott Conference Hotel will serve to stimulate Round Rock’s rapidly growing business community while providing a spark for Round Rock’s tourism industry. It is expected to create more than 300 full-and-part-time jobs and generate $1.5 million in taxes annually for the City of Round Rock, Williamson County and the Round Rock Independent School District.