Southpark Meadows

Southpark Meadows

Written by Karin Shaver Friday, 11 April 2008

New commercial property

1. A new neighborhood retail center is being built on the corner of South First Street and Slaughter Lane. The center has a total of 19,100 sq. ft. available for lease and is scheduled for completion in May. For more information, contact Steven Gallaway, 306-9993.

2. The Plaza at Southpark Meadows is being constructed at 8708 S. Congress Avenue. The center will be approximately 70,000 sq. ft. of retail, office and warehouse space. Construction has begun on phase one, which will include 9,000 sq. ft. of retail space and 26,000 sq. ft. of office warehouse space. For more information, call Engen Contracting 342-2774 or Granite Properties, 469-0925.

3. A new Penske Truck Leasing facility is being built at 8800 S. Congress Ave, near South Congress Avenue and Slaughter Lane and is scheduled to open this summer. For more information, call 926-1854.

4. Southpark Meadows was once known as a popular music venue, but now it is the largest retail development in Austin. When it is completed, the Endeavor Real Estate development will total about 1.6 million sq. ft. of retail. Also planned are 650 multi-family units, 330 single-family homes, 110 townhomes, and medical and office space.

New retail tenants moving into the center within the next few months include Sports Authority, Bath & Body Works, Bealls Department Store and Marshall’s. For more information, call 682-5598.

Recreation

5. Hidden away down a small road at 907 Slaughter Lane is the 344-acre Mary Moore Searight Metropolitan Park. The facility has basketball courts, disc golf baskets, soccer fields, tennis courts, volleyball courts, a fishing pier, picnic shelters and six miles of trails.

6. Hill Country AeroModelers is an organization that consists of hobbyists who build and fly radio-controlled model aircraft. The Ralph DeClairmont Flying Field is located inside Mary Moore Searight Metropolitan Park. Hill Country AeroModelers membership is open to the public and spectators are welcome.

Education

7. Paredes Middle School, located at 10100 Mary Moore Searight Drive, opened in 2000 and has approximately 1,050 students in sixth through eighth grades. Paredes Middle School is named in honor of University of Texas Professor Emeritus Americo Paredes. Professor Paredes was an author and one of the founders of the Center for Mexican American Studies and the Center for Intercultural Studies of Folklore and Ethnomuicology at the University of Texas. For more information, visit our website or call 841-6800.

City of Austin

8. Clinton W. Hunter Police Station is located at 404 Ralph Ablanedo Drive. The namesake of both the police station and the street are Austin police officers who have been killed in the line of duty.

Clinton Warren Hunter was 22 when he died in 2001 from injuries sustained from a vehicle driven by a suspect attempting to flee from patrol officers. The suspect was sentenced to life in prison.

Ralph A. Ablanedo was 26 was he was killed in 1978. Officer Ablanedo had ticketed a driver when the passenger opened fire with a fully automatic AK-47 and penetrated his bulletproof vest. He was able to give a description of the vehicle before he lost consciousness. The assailant was convicted of murder and sentenced to death.