Councilman Mike Siegel, who represents the north park of Rosedale, is inviting residents to attend a meeting on April 16 to discuss the proposed development of the campus of the original Rosedale Elementary School. If you want to attend, you need to register in advance. Below is a copy of the post from Siegel’s newsletter, including the time and place of the meeting and registration link.
What happens to a neighborhood when a public school is closed?
This is our challenge in Austin. The Texas Legislature is steadily defunding our public school system. After years of trims and cuts, Austin ISD is now, tragically, in the business of school closures. Not only do school closures harm students, families, teachers and school workers, but they also harm the neighborhoods where the schools lived. No longer do neighbors benefit from the vibrancy of a learning community; only a shell remains. And to compound the pain, the neighborhood can change dramatically. Because now in Austin, AISD wants to redevelop former school sites to generate funds and relieve financial pressure. Here in District 7, we are at the forefront of this difficult process. The former Rosedale School campus at 2117 West 49th Street has been sold to a developer, contingent on the developer realizing plans for a multifamily housing project. Making matters more complex, the land the former school sits on is restricted by deed, and Austin ISD has sued nearly 200 neighbors to clear title. Simultaneously, the district’s developer for this site, OHT Partners, is advancing a zoning case that would allow them to build as many as 435 units of housing as part of a six-story development at the former school site. This is where City Council comes in. On May 7, Council will be presented with a proposed rezoning case for the former Rosedale school. I am hearing from impacted neighbors and want to help our community navigate this process. To that end, my staff and I have organized a community meeting on April 16 at 6pm, where we will share information about the zoning process, the litigation, the Council vote and more.
If you’re interested, please register to attend by completing this RSVP. And rest assured I will be doing everything I can to represent the community in this process.
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