St. John Site: Documents and Resources
Community and City Milestones
Since 2018, the City has been working with the St. John community to plan the future of the St. John Site. Neighbors shared their ideas through surveys, public meetings, and workshops. Their feedback helped guide a partnership with the University of Texas at Austin’s Center for Sustainable Design in 2019, which created different possible plans for the area. In 2020, the City Council approved the Community Vision based on all this community input, which served as the basis for a search for a development partner. In 2021, the City of Austin partnered with Greystar and the Austin Housing Authority to deliver on the community vision.
Banner image credit: TBG Partners
St. John Site
Community Advisory Committee
In 2022, following Council’s approval of the Exclusive Negotiating Agreement, Council initiated the formation of a 16‑member Community Advisory Committee (CAC). The CAC was formed to help guide redevelopment decision‑making and ensure the project reflects the community’s vision. The CAC held its first meeting on October 11, 2022, and its second on November 9, 2022. Since then, the CAC continued to meet, aiming for quarterly gatherings and convening additional meetings as key decision‑making opportunities arise.
Image credit: Detail of "St. John Community Pillar" by Damon Moseley
- Learn more
- 05/26/2026: CAC Meeting #8
- 02/04/2026: CAC Meeting #7
- 09/04/2024: CAC Meeting #6
- 11/07/2023: CAC Meeting #5
- 05/17/2023: CAC Meeting #4
- 02/21/2023: CAC Meeting #3
- 11/09/2022: CAC Meeting #2
- 10/11/2022: CAC kicks off with it’s first meeting following the execution of the Exclusive Negotiation Agreement (Resolution 20210729‑026) in the spring of 2022 and Council approval of the sale of the site on summer of 2022.
St. John Site
Community Demolition Celebration
On August 12, 2023, the St. John neighborhood, with support from the City of Austin, hosted a "demo party" marking the demolition of the former Home Depot building. The family-friendly event brought together community speakers and local officials, and featured live music, performances, children’s activities, breakfast tacos, and more.
Image credit: Greystar
Media:
KVUE: St. Johns Developent Plan Moving Forward
FOX 7: Redevelopment at St. John Site Enters Next Phase at Celebration in Northeast Austin
KXAN: City of Austin Celebrates Old Home Depot Site Demolition, Prepares for More Affordable Housing
St. John Site
Exclusive Negotiating Agreement
The negotiation process began in July 2021, when the Austin City Council authorized an Exclusive Negotiating Agreement (ENA) with Greystar Development Central, LLC. The ENA, executed on April 13, 2022, guided discussions for the redevelopment of the St. Johns Site. Building on that foundation, the City of Austin, Greystar, and the Housing Authority executed an initial Master Development Agreement in October 2023, establishing the framework for transforming the long vacant, 19-acre property into a mixed income, mixed use community resource shaped by years of engagement with St. John residents.
Image credit: Detail of "St. John Community Pillar" by Damon Moseley
- Learn more
- 04/13/2022: City of Austin, Greystar, and HACA executed the ENA guiding discussions for the redevelopment of the St. Johns Site.
- 07/29/2021: Austin City Council authorizes negotiation and execution of an exclusive negotiation agreement with Greystar Development Central, LLC, for terms governing a master developer contract for the St. John Site (Resolution 20210729-026)
St. John Site
Rezoning and Neighborhood Plan Amendment
As part of the adoption of the 2020 Community Vision, Austin City Council initiated rezoning of the site supported by an amendment to the St. John/Coronado Hills Combined Neighborhood plan to change the Future Land Use Map (FLUM). On December 12, 2022, Austin City Council approved rezoning the properties formerly addressed as 7309 N. IH-35 and 7211 N. IH-35 from public-neighborhood plan (P-NP) combining district, limited office-mixed use-neighborhood plan (LO-MU-NP) combining district, and general commercial services-mixed use-neighborhood plan (CS-MU-NP) to general commercial services-mixed use-vertical mixed use building-neighborhood plan (CS-MU-V-NP). Additionally, the FLUM was changed from Civic to Mixed Use land use.
Image Credit: Lemmo Architecture and Design
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- 12/08/2022: Austin City Council approves rezoning of the St. John Site to CS-MU-V-NP and a Neighborhood Plan Amendment to change the Future Land Use Map (FLUM) from Civic to Mixed Use, ), Item #98 (Neighborhood Plan Amendment) and Item #99 (rezoning).
- 10/11/2022: Both the proposed Neighborhood Plan Amendment and rezoning of the 19-acre St. John Site were approved at a public hearing of the Planning Commission.
- 07/29/2020: Council initiates rezoning of the St. John Site to CS-MU-V-NP with a Neighborhood Plan Amendment to change the Future Land Use Map as part of the adoption of Resolution 20200729-117.
- 04/26/2012: Council adopts St. John/Coronado Hills Combined Neighborhood Plan via Ordinance 20120426-100 for NP-2011-0029 is adopted by City Council on second and third reading, amending the Austin Tomorrow Comprehensive Plan to adopt the St. Johns/Coronado Hills Combined Neighborhood Plan (SJCH). To view the complete SJCH Combined Neighborhood Plan. During the Creating the Livable Communities Workshop, Austin neighborhood representatives expressed a desire for the city to undertake neighborhood plans at a faster pace. Based on neighborhood input, the boundaries of 50 neighborhood planning areas within the Urban Core were developed including the St. Johns/Coronado Hills Combined Neighborhood Planning Area.
- 01/24/2012: The draft St. Johns/Coronado Hills Neighborhood Combined Neighborhood Plan (SJCH) is approved by Planning Commission.
- 01/2009-09/2010: City staff holds 31 community workshops and planning meetings over the course of 18 months covering topics related to neighborhood character, code enforcement, environmental issues, transportation upgrades, and potential zoning changes.
- 12/14/2006: Austin City Council approves Resolution 20061214-014 selecting the St. John/Coronado Hills Combined Neighborhood Planning Area as one of the next neighborhoods to develop a neighborhood plan.
St. John Site
Community Engagement and the University of Texas
The City collaborated with the University of Texas at Austin (UT) Center for Sustainable Development, which prepared a strategy document outlining the history of the St. John neighborhood and potential development scenarios informed by community input. The study was introduced at a public meeting in 2019 and described how its findings could support a future search for a development partner. Engagement in early 2020 included focus groups, “Coffee with the Principal” sessions with local school leaders, and a March 9 public meeting where the project team presented the UT study’s final recommendations and explained how they could help guide the developer selection process.
The collaborative efforts between the St. John community, the City of Austin, and UT ensured that both the study and the visioning process reflected the priorities and perspectives of St. John residents. These efforts served foundationally to the search for a development partner. Community engagement has continued through the Council adoption of the St. John community vision into site and building design, park design and programming, and discussions about commercial tenanting.
Image credit: Detail of "St. John Community Pillar" by Damon Moseley