Explore Mueller
A Place to Live, Work, Shop, Stay, Eat, Exercise, Learn and More
Located just three miles from downtown Austin and two miles from The University of Texas at Austin, Mueller is perfectly positioned as a dynamic new hub for central Austin.
About Mueller
Mueller is a public-private partnership between the City of Austin and Catellus Development Corporation to redevelop the former Robert Mueller Municipal Airport (RMMA). Many entities work together to ensure Mueller not only meets, but exceeds the community-crafted goals of fiscal responsibility, economic development, east Austin revitalization, neighborhood compatibility, diversity and affordability, and sustainability.
For more than 30 years, the many neighborhoods surrounding the municipal airport site participated in the planning for Mueller. The vision for redevelopment grew out of the 1984 Citizens for Airport Relocation (CARE) plan and was shaped by the Mueller Neighborhood Coalition (MNC), the voice of surrounding grassroots neighborhood associations formed in 1999 during the master-planning process. Community involvement continues today, including the Mueller Commission, the Mueller Property Owners Association and Mueller Neighborhood Association (MNA), and includes a variety of community engagement meetings, surveys and committees to provide ongoing input into Mueller’s development.
Years in the Making
Our History at a Glance
- The vision grew out of the 1984 Citizens for Airport Relocation (CARE) plan which called for a new town in-town, promoting compact and higher density development, compatible with the surrounding single-family neighborhoods.
- In 1996, the Council-appointed 16-member RMMA Redevelopment Process and Goals Task Force, representing a complete spectrum of Austin interests, reiterated this vision, calling for the creation of a compact and pedestrian-oriented, mixed-use community.
- In 2000, the City of Austin approved the RMMA Reuse and Redevelopment Plan which became the springboard for more detailed development planning with Catellus when it was selected as the Master Developer in 2002.
- In 2007, The first family moves into Mueller in a Meritage yard home on Emma Long Street, sparking features in the New York Times and Austin American-Statesman.
- In 2017, Catellus announces Texas Mutual Insurance Company will move its headquarters of more than 600 employees to Mueller in a four-story, 270,000-square-foot office building in the Aldrich Street district.
Key Players
Mueller is a result of collaboration among inspired citizens, the City of Austin and Catellus.
Catellus is a national leader in mixed-use development, solving some of America’s most complex land challenges. With over 35 years of experience as a master developer, Catellus creates places that thrive in their urban locations and attract some of the nation’s top tenants and builders. Anchored by corporate headquarter facilities, hospitals, universities and other service organizations, Catellus mixed-use developments are highly valued in the local communities they serve.
The City of Austin’s Economic Development Department (EDD), plays a crucial role to ensure Mueller is a thriving community. EDD is responsible for redevelopment, small business development, business recruitment, international economic development, and the cultural arts, music and film programs for the City. With a focus on regenerating key assets of the city, Economic Development has implemented a number of catalyst redevelopment projects, including the Mueller Redevelopment.
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Additional Players
Plan Implementation Advisory Commission
Mueller PIAC or the “Mueller Commission” is a City Council-appointed commission created to provide feedback and advise council on the implementation of the Mueller master plan.
Mueller Foundation
The Mueller Foundation is a nonprofit organization created to sustain affordable housing at Mueller and to support the goals of the community with an emphasis on quality education and sustainability in Central and Northeast Austin schools and neighborhoods.
New Construction Council
The New Construction Council is composed of design and planning real estate development professionals who have exclusive authority to review and approve all new construction within Mueller and to administer the Mueller Design Book guidelines independent of the City’s development review and approval process.
Property Owners Association
Mueller has a POA, established through filed and recorded property covenants, responsible for the maintenance and oversight of Mueller’s common areas, as well as Mueller’s row homes.
Award Highlights
Mueller has earned more than 40 accolades for its innovation, most notably:
- 2001: Congress for the New Urbanism’s Charter Award for the Mueller redevelopment plan; one of 15 projects from throughout the world honored
- 2005: National League of Cities’ James C. Howland Award for Municipal Enrichment for communities that have thoughtful project planning and preserved/enriched quality of life
- 2008: Natural Home Magazine ranked Mueller first for America’s best green-build neighborhoods
- 2008: ULI’s Terwilliger Award Workforce Housing Models of Excellence: national finalist
- 2009: Developer Magazine named Mueller the Sustainable Community of the Year, noting Mueller “might well be the only project of its size that hasn’t generated any controversy, only consensus”
- 2011: Yahoo! News named Mueller as one of five eco-friendly communities that are also surprisingly retro
- 2012: ULI Austin’s Public Impact award for Mueller’s Lake Park
- 2015: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the American Planning Association (APA)’s HUD Secretary’s Opportunity and Empowerment Award
- 2018: U.S. Green Building Council’s Greenbuild Leadership Award for the “outstanding effort to redevelop Robert Mueller Municipal Airport into a mixed-use urban village that sustainably supports local housing and economic development.”
- 2019: National Association of Landscape Professionals’ Gold Award for Mueller’s Branch Park design
- 2020: Texas Society of Architects’ Design Award for the John Gaines Park and Swim Center
- 2021: BikeTexas named Mueller its Development of the Year for building protected bike lanes