Austin Real Estate Guy Blog

Any idea when the mall will open and when the building are going to be phased in?

Thanks.

Please tell me that there is going to be pottery barn or a restoration hardware.

I think it's a shame that from the beginning this project has been "sold" to the public as an upscale mall and based on the stores mentioned in your blog, it's not upscale at all.

Do you happen to know the contractor working on this site? 

No Gordon, I don't.

Any word / rumor confirmations on the 2nd Anchor yet? My wife is really excited about the possibility of a high-end grocery store in the area!  

Frank.

The construction company is Opus.

It would be nice to have a Whole Foods and some high end retailers but it's sad to say, but the  bag of magic beans that the Village of Bee Cave sold it's soul for is full of typical, mini mall tenants and a lifetime of traffic jams. Say Goodbye life as we used to know it out here.

You're right, Troy.  It would have been nice.  As for the city of Bee Cave selling out, I don't know.  They did accept tha mall and its management, but I think they had hoped for some higher end retailers in the beginning.

What Grocery store will be there?? whole foods??   Cynthia - I have been told by the buy opening the mall that there will not be a grocery store.  So the rumors about Whole Foods or Central Market are just that - rumors.

I heard they have signed Dick's sporting goods for the 2nd anchor.  Also heard Pei Wei, Panera Bread, Iron Cactus, steakhouse and sushi restaurants.  Not sure about HIGH end tenants but glad to have shopping closer than Barton Creek.  

Dick's has signed for around 25,000 feet in the second anchor building.  I had a past client tell me that she called Pei Wei to ask about being in the new mall and she was told no.  Do you have a good source on that???

I personally love the idea as it is.  What I wouldn't want is to have one big building like barton creek mall.  not attractive at all.  I think you will all be surprised once the mall is totally done.  I also don't believe traffic will be a problem.  Hwy 71 is almost complete plus the addition of the Bee Cave Pkwy will help to alleviate traffic.  I guarantee you 90% of the poeple entering the mall coming from austin will use the Pkwy and not Hwy 71.  Granted we have some run of the mill tenants, but for a lot of the tenants, they are new to this area.  The restaurants will come.  We should be grateful to have such a beautiful mall in our area.  It will only drive up real estate prices, so if you don't like it, you can sell your house for a pretty penny and move.

I don't know why anyone is complaining about the tenants.  it is better to have stores that people in the area utilize on a daily basis, than higher end retailers.  We have been limited to driving all the way to lakeline or Barton Creek for how many years now?  A mall of any caliber is a blessing and will be a boom to the Lake South economy.

Hi Cathi - nice hearing from you!

Anyone know if the shops are open?  Specifically, Ann Taylor LOFT?

Beth - if you're talking about the Hill Country Galleria Mall, the grand opening is this Wednesday!

Wow what a very nice place with no real dinning restrauants with the exception to A pizza place, McDonalds, Oh I almost forgot the Cheveron gas station, a coffee shop. Is this what they call upscale.

I really do like the layout, but they forgot people like to shop, dine / rest, shop.

Oh Well

Response:  I was told by a Bee Cave official that the restaurants that will go out on pad sites were delayed by rain.  They lost 47 (I think) days to rain and decided to put all the effort into the mall and make the restaurants wait.  I hope we see more and better restaurants soon.

I visited the mall.  Nice architecture and layout, but the tenants SUCK.  With the exception of  a few, they are horrible.  No good shopping at all.  An no restaurants.

The restaurants are on the way.  What I have been told is that the developer put all of its energy into getting the mall open on time and left the restaurant sites alone.  They lost so much time to rain thi summer they had to focus strictly on the mall.

I've lived at the end of 2244 my entire life and must say that I am saddened by the beauty this area has lost, especially over the past 10 years.  I used to cruise around and enjoy the scenery, but now the entire area is a mess.  Ever since Barbara Ellens burned down the area has been pillaged by commercial endeavors.  In no time now, people won't even know that The Backyard used to be the only thing in sight, surrounded with the most beautiful lush green trees.  Now it's surrounded by a parking lot!  I knew as soon as the HEB was put up that it was all over. All I can do now is grit my teeth and pretend that the beauty I grew up with is still here.  I am teary-eyed every time I ride by the former beauty of Bee Cave.  

To those that say to "move out," please respect that I've been here a long time.  I don't want to leave, but I probably will want to soon.  Goodbye, my sweet Hill Country.

John - thanks for mentioning Barbara Ellen's.  I had completely forgotten about that place.  Time do change, don't they...

I live in a country setting only a couple of miles from the zoo that is now the location of the mall. What a catastrophe.  Too see the beautiful hill country raped like it was for the benefit of a handful of misguided consumerists, is almost too much to bear.

I was given the argument from local officials when steamrolling these projects through, that "the land is going to be developed eventually, this way we can control how it is used".  I almost swallowed that kool-aide until I saw what Phase I turned into; a square mile of concrete and asphalt half full of big box stores all of which can also be found a few miles further down the road.  

Now that the Gallaria itself is open I can barely contain my disdain for the development.  Talk about a mistake.  The whole thing appears to be someone's misguided idea of copy-catting Santa Monica's Promenade, which has a few things going for that HCG doesn't. Namely temperate and predictable weather and a pedestrian only setting.

The fact that most stores currently in the Galleria are targeting teens and their mothers notwithstanding, how many shoppers does one expect to see strolling along the sidewalk when its raining, freezing, and boiling hot like it typically is for 2 months during the summer.  And why-oh-why would someone think it a good idea to run traffic right down the middle of the shopping area?  To simulate a real city street?  Please.  It detracts from the shopping experience when you have to dodge traffic that cruising through or looking for one of the very few parking spots on the "street", smell the exhaust, and listen to car engines and stereos blaring.  I give it two years before the street is closed to pedestrians only and possibly some sort of roof or canopy is installed overtop.

My 13 year old loves it.  Great place to hang with your friends but you'll still find me at Barton Creek.  What a shame.

It is nice to see restaurants finally going in.  The little places in the mall are nice, but a few real sit down rewtaurants would be welcome out here.  We have Chilis and some locals like Rocco's, but we need more.