Mueller Shop Houses are the new housing style added to the mix in Section 6 of Mueller, and will combine a downstairs retail / commercial space amounting to around 600 sqft with living space above. It will bring a new live-work opportunity to an area of the development around the Town Center, and the builder has been revealed – a Canadian firm who specialize in Austin townhouses – Homes by Avi.
The Mueller master design guidelines have the homes on a 25′ wide lot, and up to 3 stories or 40′ high, and the developer has announced that there will be 14 shop houses facing a central urban park – two rows facing each other – with additional areas of parking for customers visiting the boutique spaces.
When will the new owners move in? Right now, the kick off of construction is set for Summer 2012, so my guess is that it is unlikely to be before 2013, with sales starting next year.
What kind of businesses would suit the shop houses? It will be interesting to see if we get food and retail opportunities – it’s nice to imagine a local baker making fresh croissants every day, or a photography studio, or floral boutique. The current suggestions in the news releases are dress boutiques and wine-bars, though Austin has a way of doing things a little differently to people’s expectations. I can’t wait to see how it pans out.