Waterloo Greenway Project Overview Presentation — original pdf

Backup

Waterloo Greenway Project Overview Tourism Commission | February 2026 WEST AUSTIN OLD ENFIELD WEST UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS FRENCH PLACE ROLLINGWOOD L a d y CLARKSVILLE B i r d L a k e BARTON HILLS ZILKER BOULDIN CREEK CAPITOL CENTRAL EAST AUSTIN EAST CESAR CHAVEZ HOLLY First Congress TRAVIS HEIGHTS The Impacts of Growth Waller Creek: Infrastructural Overload Flooding, Damage, and Economic Stagnation 100-year storm floods 28 acres of downtown Austin This is no longer a landscape... City of Austin Flood Control Tunnel Governance and Project Leadership • • • • • • Sponsoring Departments: PARD & Watershed Protection Code Compliance Public Health, Safety & Welfare Environmental Stewardship Subject Matter Expertise Capital Project Funding • Community Leadership • Operations & Maintenance • • • • Programming & Art Environmental Stewardship Design Excellence Capital Project Funding Council approved project and partnership Waller Creek Local Government Corporation • Representatives of City Council • Open meetings and citizen communication • Approval of contracts and design/construction budgets Public-Private Partnership Public Oversight MVVA: Design Competition and Project Vision • 35 acres of parks and open space along 1.5 miles of Waller Creek • A connected series of parks, stitching together over 3 miles of trails with dozens of connections to the right-of-way • Robust regional landscapes and restoration of Waller Creek • Actively programmed and managed by Waterloo Greenway Conservancy to the highest standard Phase 1: Waterloo Park Lady Bird Lake C E S A R C H A V E Z S T Pontoon Bridge Austin Convention Center Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center Creek Delta RAINEY ST D A V S S T I D R I S K I L L S T Palm School Palm Park Texas Capitol N 2 N D S T 3 R D S T 4 T H S T 5 T H S T 6 T H S T 7 T H S T 8 T H S T 9 T H S T 1 0 T H S T 1 1 T H S T 1 2 T H S T Moody Amphitheater 1 5 T H S T SAN JACINTO BLVD Frank C. Erwin, Jr. Special Events Center TRINITY ST NECHES ST RED RIVER ST SABINE ST Red River Cultural District The Refuge IH-35 • • • • • Waterloo Park Dell Seton Medical Center Dell Medical School at the University of Texas Central Health Brackenridge Redevelopment Site Frank C. Erwin, Jr. Special Events Center Symphony Square 10.5 Acres Traditional park between 4 streets Waterloo Greenway 90,000 plants and 500 trees Extensive restoration Phase 2 Large public event space Phase 3 Phase 1 The Reimagined Waterloo Park Since the reopening in August 2021, Waterloo Park has seen 1,250,000 visitors! In 2025 alone, Waterloo Greenway welcomed 200,000 Austinites through 175 free community programs with the help of over 200 local partners. Phase 2: The Confluence Lady Bird Lake C E S A R C H A V E Z S T Pontoon Bridge Austin Convention Center Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center Creek Delta RAINEY ST D A V S S T I D R I S K I L L S T Palm School Palm Park Texas Capitol N 2 N D S T 3 R D S T 4 T H S T 5 T H S T 6 T H S T 7 T H S T 8 T H S T 9 T H S T 1 0 T H S T 1 1 T H S T 1 2 T H S T Moody Amphitheater 1 5 T H S T SAN JACINTO BLVD Frank C. Erwin, Jr. Special Events Center TRINITY ST NECHES ST RED RIVER ST SABINE ST Red River Cultural District Waterloo Park Dell Seton Medical Center Dell Medical School at the University of Texas Central Health Brackenridge Redevelopment Site Frank C. Erwin, Jr. Special Events Center Symphony Square The Refuge IH-35 13.5 Acres • • Off-street connectivity and mobility: 1 • • Outdoor classroom, gardens, and areas to mile of trails 200,000 plants and 1,500 trees Waterloo Greenway enjoy nature Phase 1 Completion in Summer 2026 Phase 3 Phase 2 • Cypress Grove existing conditions 2016 Cypress Grove Cypress Grove October 2024 Creek Boardwalk existing conditions 2014 Creek Boardwalk Creek Boardwalk November 2025 Lattice Bridges existing conditions 2016 Lattice Bridges Lattice Bridges April 2025 Lakeview Terrace Existing Conditions 2016 Lakeview Terrace Lakeview Terrace December 2025 Economic Benefit to Austin Guiding Values • 10:1 to 40:1 Return on Investment • Based on comparable parks around the country including the High Line, Brooklyn • • Increased adjacent real estate values Bridge Park, Klyde Warren Park Increased tourism, visitation, and length of stays leading to additional sales tax and hotel use throughout the year • Create and Accessible Trail Network • Provide for Visitor Safety • Build a Restored and Resilient Waller Creek • Enable Long-term Maintenance, Operations, and Programming • Create, Reclaim, and Restore Parkland • Align Projects with Funding Opportunities • Promote Equity and Access • Adjacency to high quality parkland creates a proven value premium • • Denser and higher-value development adjacent to the Greenway Improved access to other downtown amenities through a walkable district • Conservative estimate of $2B to $10B in city-wide economic impact from Waterloo Greenway Local and Regional Attractor Guiding Values • • 400,000 visitors in 2025 (7% increase) 1,250,000 visitors since opening in August 2021 Data: Placer Labs Creating a Safe, Connected, Welcoming District Connecting Visitors to Destinations Safely and Enjoyably Establishing a New District • A once-in-a-generation opportunity to reshape a major downtown core • Invite the community into the eastern side of Downtown at all hours-–create new visitors and patrons • The sum is greater than the parts Red River Cultural District April 2025 Spring Programming Confluence Grand Opening: June 6, 2026 Questions?