News and Events
E. 38 1/2 St. Rezoning
Thanks in great part to a sudden outreach campaign of emails and calls from Cherrywooders to City Council, this re-zoning case was approved on December 12th with covenants designed to save 74 additional affordable units at Alma Apartments, located at 1230 East 38th½ St. Neighborhood dialogue on this case began in September 2023 and is described in past Flea newsletters.
The CNA Steering Committee has several priorities in designing the restrictive covenants with the developer:
To ensure tenant protections for current and future residents of the Alma Apartments (we have been collaborating with BASTA (https://bastaaustin.org/), that includes right-to-return
At least 1:1 replacement of the naturally occurring affordable units at the Alma Apts in any future redevelopment, meaning at least 74 units, which is more than what the current City regulations would require.
Right-to-return for local businesses, specifically a restaurant-ready commercial space for the Cherrywood Coffeehouse to re-occupy
Site design issues such as right-of-way for a future Red Line Parkway extension and limited height on the easternmost parcel that is closed to residential and the Maplewood Elementary
For more information, please click here.
The CNA is actively involved in the I-35 Capital Express Central project!
The TxDOT Capital Express project is starting to become more visible as buildings are quickly demolished along the frontage road on both the east and west side. This massive, multi-generational project is impacting Cherrywood in multiple ways so there are multiple ways to get engaged. We are doing our best to keep you informed of what’s happening and encourage you to seek out whatever path of engagement calls to you!
In March 2025, Austin City Council will vote on whether or not to fund I-35 Roadway Elements, which are structural elements required to support 25 acres of parkland, called caps, that could eventually cover large sections of I-35. While these caps would prove transformational for Austin, city staffers are recommending that City Council only fund part of the Roadway Elements, thus bypassing this once-in-a-generation opportunity to cover I-35 with parks. On December 5, a memo was published by Austin City Manager's office to the City Council that changed the strategy a bit on advocating for the I-35 caps. Please view that memo here.
If you support investing today in the Roadway Elements that would allow for caps in the future, we need you to contact City Council NOW and sign up to speak at the March City Council meeting. Please visit https://www.fundthecaps.com/ for more information on how to get involved.
For the history of Cherrywood Neighborhood Association formal letters about the I-35 Capital Express project, please navigate to the I-35 Project page for more information.