A development that will bring new, affordable residences to the Mueller planned community broke ground Thursday. Parkside, a six-story, 225,000-square-foot mixed-use project located on 1.8 acres near the main entrance to Mueller, will offer condo, office, and retail space in the bustling neighborhood.

The residential component of Parkside will feature a mix of studios and one-, two-, and three-bedroom condos ranging from 600 to 1,600 square feet. Thirty of the 200 residences will be reserved for families that earn up to 80 percent of Austin’s median family income. Located at 1701 Simond Avenue, the building now under construction will also include coworking spaces, a rooftop deck with views of Mueller Lake Park, a resort-style pool with an outdoor kitchen and cabanas, a fitness studio, and a clubhouse. There will be eight ground-floor office units for sale, ranging in size from 2,000 to 3,500 square feet, as well as 5,000 square feet of retail space for lease. The building will include a parking structure with reserved spaces and bike storage for condo-dwellers.

“Any day is a good day to break ground on new housing in Austin, but I was especially proud to help sling the ceremonial dirt on a new project in Mueller this morning,” wrote Austin Mayor Pro Tem Natasha Harper-Madison on Facebook. “The 200 units this will add to our overall supply is a drop in the bucket compared to our city’s needs, but forward progress is forward progress. [Thirty] of these condos will be reserved for lower-income families, providing a pathway to ownership that’s increasingly rare in Austin. … The inclusionary spirit behind this project is exactly what we need to equitably resolve our city’s incredible housing needs.” She also noted that the homes will be located near the Aldrich Street town center as well as public transportation, parks, groceries, shopping, workplaces, and other essential services and spaces.

Austin-based Pearlstone Partners and New York’s ATCO Properties and Management are the developers of the property, which is part of the larger Mueller redevelopment project, an ongoing public-private partnership between Catellus and the city. Local firm STG Design is the architect, and Bartlett Cocke is the general contractor; Knighthead Funding and civil engineers Garza EMC are also involved in the project. The contemporary-modern residences will have finishes and fixtures chosen by Kim Lewis Designs, based in Austin. Properties are listed by Prospect Real Estate exclusively.

Parkside will feature a variety of green building elements to help pursue LEED Silver certification from the US Green Building Council and an Austin Energy Green Building three-star rating. Construction is anticipated to be complete by mid-2023.