About the Project

The St. John Site is located in the heart of the St. John neighborhood on the northeast corner of St. Johns Avenue and Interstate I-35 (800 E. St Johns Avenue). With a rich history dating back to the 1890’s when it was established as a Freedman community, the St. John neighborhood has served as a pivotal anchor to the African-American community in Central Texas over the centuries. The City of Austin acquired the St. John Site in the early 2000’s and in 2017, the City of Austin, with support from the University of Texas Center for Sustainable Development (CDS), worked with the community to establish a Council-adopted vision for the site, one that would serve current and future needs of St. John neighborhood residents. In 2023, the City of Austin partnered with Greystar Development, LLC and the Austin Housing Authority (AHA) to implement the community’s vision through a Public-Private Partnership and 2026, the City of Austin sold the St. John Site to a public facility corporation controlled by AHA to be developed under the community vision by Greystar.

To learn more about the City's actions and community engagement, visit the City's website for the St. John Site.

The St. John Site project team recently completed a community-storytelling effort to gather lived experiences from former and current St. John community members that document the story of the St. John Neighborhood. Explore the final booklet. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What community benefits will the St. John Site have? 

526 units of rental housing across two housing properties, the north property will provide 325 units 165 of the units available to households making between 60-80% median-family income. The south property will provide 201 units available to households making between 50-80% median-family income. It will also increase the size of the existing St. John Pocket Park from .79 acres to roughly 3.5 acres and provide for 15,000 square feet of commercial space focused on serving the needs of the St. John community. 

What other community benefits and investment will occur as part of the delivery of the St. John Site?
The City will reinvest proceeds from the land sale back in the St. John neighborhood to enhance connectivity and expand access to affordable housing opportunities. A key component of the Buttermilk Restoration Project includes installing a new pedestrian bridge at the former Bethune Road crossing over Buttermilk Creek as part of the Buttermilk Creek Restoration Project. In addition, the Austin Housing Finance Corporation will identify opportunities to support existing affordable housing.   

What is the status of the project? 
The St. John Site Redevelopment is currently under construction. Review the monthly updates from the development team on this page.

Who is the St. John Project Team? 

The St. John Site Redevelopment is being implemented through a Public-Private Partnership between the City of Austin Financial Services Department and Greystar Development, LLC with AHA. Greystar’s design team includes Atwell LLC, Meeks + Partners, Lemmo Architecture and Design, and TBG Partners. Community engagement for the project is being provided by Pink Consulting under the leadership of Bobbie Garza-Hernandez.   

Is the St. John Park currently closed?
Yes, efforts to expand and improve the existing St. John Park as part of the redevelopment project will the park to remain closed for the duration of construction of the larger 19-acre St. John Site. While these improvements occur, the nearby Buttermilk Neighborhood Park–located at 7500 Blessing Avenue–is available within the St. John neighborhood and offers a playground, sports courts, and picnic area.   

What is the current timeline for the project? 

To learn more about the project's timeline and next steps, visit the City's website for the St. John Site. 

Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us at St.John.Site@austintexas.gov.