Construction of an exclusive condo community has commenced on the former grounds of HOPE Outdoor Gallery—informally known as Castle Hill graffiti park—in Clarksville. Austin-based Cumby Group is developing the property, which will soon be home to an exclusive residential building designed by marquee Austin architecture firm Alterstudio. The new development will offer 10 spacious homes with views of the state Capitol and downtown Austin, as well as of the “castle” on Castle Hill.
Alterstudio’s design for the luxury residences includes contemporary finishes and floor-to-ceiling windows in living and dining areas. Among the community amenities are a private entrance with concierge service and a rooftop pool and amenity deck with private cabanas and a fire pit. Floor plans range from 3,200 square feet to 5,058 square feet, and condominium prices start at $3.6 million.
The Colorfield is located at 1012 Baylor Street, the former site of the graffiti park, which inspired the project’s name, design concept, and a planned permanent mural wall that will be incorporated into the building. The forme park/outdoor gallery—a steep, stair-stepped lot full of concrete walls and wild vegetation where street artists could have their way on the crumbling walls—sprang up spontaneously in 2011 and, with permission and help from the property owner and caretaking by HOPE, remained there for several years and became an unlikely tourist attraction.
When the inevitable development of the lot became imminent, HOPE found a new, more expansive home. It will reopen later this year as a vastly expanded open-air community art park, events center, and technology gallery on a 17-acre site, a little north of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport off Dalton Lane.
In 2019, Cumby Group purchased the 1.2-acre site of the original gallery. Well aware of the property’s legacy, the developer worked with HOPE representatives, donating directly to the organization to help fund the new community art space; funding relocation of the original gallery sign and a memorial art wall to be displayed at the new location; transporting concrete from the previous gallery to the new site, where it will be used for landscaping and pathways; and commissioning artists to create a new mural wall at the Colorfield.
Rooftop deck at the Colorfield (rendering)Courtesy of the Cumby GroupThe once and future art park, or at least a representative, is apparently pretty jazzed about the arrangement. “It has been wonderful working with Cumby Group for the past several years to thoughtfully figure out all the best ways we could collaborate together to make this a huge relocation success story for the community,” said Andi Scull, HOPE Outdoor Gallery. “We are so thrilled to share this part of Austin’s art history.”
In addition to Alterstudio and Cumby Construction, project partners included engineer groups MJ Structures, Jones/Carter, and CES. Design Workshop is the landscape architect, and Cumby Development and Alterstudio are collaborating on interior design.
The Colorfield is scheduled to be completed in winter 2022, and presales have begun.
