Located just three miles north of downtown Austin, Texas, the Mueller Greenway system is a series of five interconnected parks that encircle the mixed-use urban village known as the Mueller Development. With thousands of residents and major employers such as Dell Children’s Hospital, HEB, Seton, and The University of Texas at Austin, this community has become a hub of activity and growth. We, at RVi, have played an integral role in the design and development of various aspects of the Mueller Design Book and the Planned Unit Development Ordinance, as well as the creation of the Residential and Commercial Landscape Design Guidelines. Our most significant contribution has been as the lead design consultant for the parkland development, including the Parks and Open Space Master Plan, the five greenway parks, and a four-mile trail system that winds throughout the community.
The Mueller Greenway system comprises of five parks, each offering unique features and amenities, ranging from birdwatching and playgrounds to public art and skateparks. Our team has worked hard to create synergies between the parks and local businesses and residents, contributing to the de-fragmentation of adjacent City parkland and the broader off-street active transportation network in Austin.
The redevelopment of this area involved a concerted effort to rebuild the native Blackland Prairie habitat that existed on-site before the airport. Our team stockpiled and reused healthy native prairie soil discovered beneath the pavement, salvaged, and propagated clusters of Little Bluestem to reintroduce to the site, and implemented an innovative urban wetland design in the Southeast Greenway that turned a stormwater management pond into a thriving ecological habitat.
The incorporation of designed habitat features that mirror the natural environment has played an important role in the health and well-being of the urban community. As a team, we have sought to convey the importance of such urban habitats to the public through art and education, including signage throughout the Southwest Greenway and public art commissions such as a massive pollen grain and a giant steel spider.
The Mueller Greenway has become a flourishing space in the urban fabric that benefits both wildlife and human activity, improving community health and well-being while promoting stewardship of natural resources. It is a testament to how long-term commitment, collaborative planning, and dedication to sustainability can produce dynamic greenspaces, right in our urban core. I am delighted to be a part of the RVi team that, for over 15 years, has played such a critical role in creating this public greenspace and beloved destination for all Austinites.