Waller Creek Revitalization Planned

A master plan for revitalizing the Waller Creek area of Austin, Texas has received a boost thanks to a partnership between the city and a newly formed conservancy.

The Waller Creek Conservancy and the City of Austin have agreed to a unique public-private partnership with the goal of creating and implementing a master plan for downtown property that will be removed from the floodplain when the Waller Creek tunnel is complete.

The Waller Creek Conservancy is a new nonprofit organization formed by Austin business and philanthropic leaders Tom Meredith, Melba Whatley and Melanie Barnes.

The city and the Conservancy have each contributed $400,000 as seed funding for the effort, which is anticipated to be a 30-year project. The Waller Creek Conservancy anticipates raising about $60 million from private donors and foundations to fund the development and design of Waller Creek. The specific amount of funds raised will depend on the chosen design.

''Our purpose, simply put, is to serve as the steward of Waller Creek,'' Meredith, chairman of the Waller Creek Conservancy, said. ''The only way to fulfill that goal is by playing a vital role in the preservation, maintenance and redevelopment of the creek and its surrounding parks, nearby businesses, adjoining neighborhoods and community at large.''

Ground was broken on the Waller Creek tunnel in April. ''The tunnel will finally provide what the area has needed-plumbing that will solve the flooding problems that have plagued landowners for years,'' Whatley, president of the Waller Creek Conservancy, said.

The 28-acre property to be master planned runs from about 15th Street down the Waller Creek watershed to Lady Bird Lake. It encompasses three existing parks-Palm, Waterloo, and Centennial-and can accommodate at least two additional parks. In addition, the property involves such diverse neighbors as: The University of Texas of Austin, the University Medical Center at Brackenridge, entertainment, housing, hospitality, business, retail, open space and recreational spaces. Much of the property is currently undeveloped because of the severe flooding issues.

''We have an opportunity to create a space for Austin that won't come along again in our lifetimes,'' Whatley said. Whatley said the Waller Creek Conservancy would work on and help fund such issues as financing, design and planning and implementation.