Lake Travis News Roundup: Hello H-E-B, Goodbye Porta Potties

There are lots of exciting things happening in Lake Travis, so we wanted to give you a quick snapshot of the hottest news stories happening here in the Hill Country.

Say “Howdy” to a new H-E-B
News broke this week that Oaks at Lakeway is a go. The development site is located on 90 acres at the corner RR 620 and Main Street. This mixed-use project will include a new H-E-B, a family fun center with a bowling alley, a hotel, apartments and office space. There will also be plenty of new retail shops and restaurants.

What makes this “Main Street” project really cool is the development will be outdoorsy and walkable, but it won’t feel like s strip shopping center, and it is planned according to U.S. Green Building Council LEED guidelines. The first phase of this project is the H-E-B and it is expected to open in November 2015.

Sports complex? Yes, please.
Next month, voters of the City of Lakeway will start taking bigger steps towards building a first-class sports complex for LT’s awesome little athletes. The effort will be a partnership between the City of Lakeway, Travis County and the Lake Travis Youth Association.

The short version: If the arrangement they have in mind works, the city can build our youngsters a premier sports complex with energy-efficient lighting, water-saving irrigation technology, an advanced lightning detection system, on-site shelter, bathrooms (buh-bye Porta Potties!) and spacious parking lots without obligating taxpayers to any long term operating costs other than debt service.

Lake Travis High School Expansion
You’ve probably noticed that things are a brewin’ at the old LT Middle School. The renovations and expansions are in full swing to transform the old school into a shiny new Lake Travis High School Annex which is expected to be ready for next Fall. Part of the renovations include building a new media library and converting the old library into classrooms, as well as expanding science labs to be roomier. All of these efforts should allow LTHS to hold 1,000 more students.

Er, uhm…Lakeway Toll Highway
Who would’ve guessed the toll highway plan proposed by the City of Lakeway is taking some heat. (Really?) The abbreviated version of the story is Lakeway is trying to proactively put a plan in place to improve transportation in the area, because it’s growing at such a rapid pace. On the other hand, Bee Cave City Council members think the elevated highway could negatively affect their area, and they’re kinda peeved because Lakeway didn’t discuss this proposal with them before submitting it to the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization.

Obviously there are many discussions to be had about this situation. Either way, the student population in Lake Travis is expected to grow from about 7,800 in 2013 to about 13,000 by 2023, so planning for that now is a good idea.