A mixed-use community planned near the Tesla Austin gigafactory has a new name. The 314-acre Presidium development, initially called the Velocity, will now be known as the Row (not to be confused with the extremely high-end Olsen twins fashion label of the same name, of course).

Developers rebranded the planned community at the southwest corner of State Highways 71 and 130 in Del Valle in response Southeast Austin’s growing popularity for a diverse range of real estate projects and is part of a "larger, intentional effort to bring much desired retail, restaurants, and entertainment options to this region of Austin,” according to a Presidium press release. 

The Row has entitlements for 7 million square feet of development. Plans include thousands of homes, along with retail space, hotels and 100 acres of green space.

“The project will create a destination for Del Valle residents and the larger southeast Austin region,” said Presidium's Kenley Reed. “The Row will feature a thoughtful retail-focused district that fosters walkability and open space to build community. The new name and brand are built around creating a sense of place that reflects those ideals.” 

Construction on the Row’s first phase, 307-unit multifamily community Del Via, started in March. The complex’s studios and one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments should be available by February 2025.

The Row's second phase includes plans for a 6,250-square foot, freestanding restaurant site and an additional 22,000 square feet of retail space. PentaGrowth Capital, a California-based real estate private equity firm and a subsidiary of Biolink Capital, a global alternative asset management company, are providing the equity for that section of the project. Presidium expects to break ground on the second phase of the community in early 2025 and complete it within a year.

Future phases will add another 100,000 square feet of retail, an AC Hotel by Marriott in partnership with Merritt Development Group, and a second, 300-unit multifamily project to be located along the frontage road of SH 71 with room for retailers, restaurants, and entertainment-oriented businesses.

Austin’s Chioco Design will lead the retail district architectural design with Blacksmith Collaborative landscape architects and civil engineers KFM Engineering and Design. Other consultant team members include Asterisk Design, LandDesign, Leap!, Bay MEP, HWA Parking, and O’Brien Architects.  Dallas’ Retail Street Advisors represents Presidium in retail leasing.

Dallas-based Presidium has a number of other Austin projects underway, including the redevelopment of multifamily housing and mixed-use properties in East Riverside-Oltorf. 
 
Other development activity near The Row née Velocity in Southeast Austin is brisk, according to Presidium’s press release:

  • Austin Community College passed $200 million in bonds to build its Advanced Manufacturing & Skilled Trades campus in 2022. The site, which borders the southwestern section of The Row, will serve 10,000 to 12,000 students, focusing on an array of applied technology programs, including building construction technology, advanced manufacturing, auto collision repair, heating air conditioning and refrigeration (HART), welding and general education classrooms. 
  • The Texas Division of Emergency Management is constructing a $423 million new headquarters that will be coupled with a new State Emergency Operations Center just south of The Row.
  •  Tesla’s $1 billion+ gigafactory is just 1.5 miles away − with other Elon Musk ventures nearby as well, including X, SpaceX, Boring Company and Neuralink.
  • The City of Austin also recently approved approximately $1.9 billion in contracts for Austin-Bergstrom International Airport's expansion, which is slated to include a new concourse with 20 gates and an accompanying tunnel as well as a new arrivals and departures hall.
  • French cosmetics maker Capsum bought 50 of the total 390 acres at Velocity in 2018 and quickly built a 126,000-square-foot manufacturing and distribution center. Its site has the ability to expand in the future.