Mueller Greenways

Restoring what was once an expanse of concrete runways in a historically underinvested part of Austin, Texas, RVi’s work on the Mueller Greenways created an urban park system where life, both human and wild, flourish together. Now serving more than 7,000 residents and countless daily visitors with a diverse mix of landscape, open space, and amenities, the award-winning greenway system is a testament to sustainable design, long-term investment, and community connections.

GOALS

When RVi partnered with Banbury Development on the Mueller Development and surrounding Mueller Greenways, we embarked on a transformational process to restore the former site of Austin’s Robert Mueller Municipal Airport into a thriving habitat where life, both human and wild, flourish together. RVi led the master planning and design of four of the five large greenway parks, with key design involvement on the fifth, Girard Kenney Park (previously Lake Park). Through community engagement, collaboration with local artists and stakeholders, and intensive design and planning efforts over more than 20 years, we imbued each park with its own unique amenities to enhance the distinct stories of place.

OUTCOMES

The 140-acre Mueller Greenways came together in an award-winning example of how amenities, activities, and greenspace can connect people with both nature and one another. RVi collaborated on the design manual to establish standards for street tree layouts, various builder exhibits, pocket parks, signage, and public art. Early public engagement led by RVi further refined the vision for the Greenways and helped identify the amenities and unique character associated with each individual park.

Five large parks make up the Mueller Greenways: the Northwest Greenway, Girard Kenney Park, the Southwest & Southeast Greenways, and the Zach Scott Greenway. They serve as a critical east Austin corridor for de-fragmenting adjacent parkland and filling in gaps of the broader active transportation network. An extensive trail system links the parks with miles of opportunity for active living.

The Northwest Greenway acts as a buffer to an adjacent existing neighborhood and features a shaded picnic area, solar-powered sunflower sculptures, and open space for all ages. RVi worked with homeowners to provide direct access to the park, if desired. Nearby, situated adjacent to the Austin Children’s Museum, RVi supported design efforts for Girard Kenney Park, which features an open-air amphitheater, public art, playscape, and open space hosts community gatherings and outdoor performances. Mueller Lake provides a picturesque backdrop for the amphitheater, dotted with boats and fishing on the shoreline. Beneath the surface, the lake also provides stormwater retention and filtration.

In the Southwest Greenway, RVi led environmental restoration of the endangered native Blackland Prairie habitat. Additional environmental focus in the neighboring Southeast Greenway brought forth natural drainage solutions with a thriving urban wetland, home to more than 200 species of native flora and fauna. Merging nature with active amenities, the Southeast Greenway is also home to a new skate park and the first pump track in Texas. Altogether, the Greenways feature miles of trails for a sustainable balance of natural habitats and active connections within a dense, urban surrounding.