Where is the former Rosedale Elementary School located?
The property proposed for sale and redevelopment is the former Rosedale Elementary site at 2117 W. 49th Street, near Burnet Road and West 49th Street. (A new school with the same name opened in 2022; the new school is 3 miles north, on Silvercrest Drive. )
Are neighbors trying to stop all redevelopment?
No. We are asking AISD to pursue a fair and neighborhood-compatible redevelopment that focuses on affordable housing instead of luxury apartments. We’re asking the district to come back to the negotiating table they abandoned.
In December 2023, after consultation with residents, AISD presented a series of plans for modest development that would provide affordable housing to AISD teachers and staff. At that point, the district cut off communication with the neighborhood.
In 2025, without further consultation with the neighborhood, AISD trustees approved a contract with OHT Partners and then sued its own constituents at the developer’s bidding.
Our concern is not redevelopment itself — it is the scale, density, and impact of the current proposal.
What is being proposed now?
AISD has contracted with OHT Partners to build a 435-unit, six-story luxury apartment complex on the original Rosedale Elementary School site.
The proposal would:
- Allow building heights up to 75 feet.
- Add substantial new residential density.
- Route all resident, visitor, delivery, and service traffic onto interior neighborhood streets that are narrow, lined with parked cars, and lack sidewalks — where pedestrians and vehicles currently share the roadway.
- Strain water and sewer infrastructure built in the 1930s and 1940s.
- Worsen Austin’s urban heat island by nearly denuding the property of vegetation. The “Texas donut” style of building that is proposed would have a massive concrete footprint.
Why are neighbors concerned?
The scale and density of the proposal would:
- Add about 2,000 vehicle trips per day to two-lane neighborhood streets.
- Increase congestion and cut-through traffic.
- Reduce safety for pedestrians and cyclists.
- Significantly change the safety and livability of northern Rosedale.
Importantly, the surrounding neighborhood streets do not have sidewalks. Residents — including children, dog walkers, runners, and families with strollers — walk in the street itself. A large increase vehicle traffic would directly affect pedestrian safety.
How many additional vehicles could this generate?
The developer has said the 435 units would surround a large parking garage with room for nearly 600 cars. Statistics show luxury apartments such as this tend to have more cars and generate more traffic from delivery trucks and food delivery services. That means about 2,000 trips per day. During rush hours, that’s a vehicle entering or exiting the property every 30 seconds.
All resident, visitor, delivery, and service traffic would funnel into interior residential roads. The property has no direct access to the nearest major intersection, at 49th Street and Burnet. Neighborhood residents already know to avoid that problematic intersection, which is narrow, has no turn lanes, and is regulated by a very slow traffic light. Yet the city’s t traffic engineers make the dubious estimate that somehow, 70 percent of the traffic from the development queue up for that light, and only 30 percent will filter into the neighborhood streets.
Isn’t Austin growing? Why oppose housing?
We support thoughtful, responsible growth. We support affordable housing.
Our concern is not housing itself. We oppose this specific development at this massive scale. A high-density development without direct arterial access is not appropriate for this site.
Growth should match street capacity, safety considerations, and neighborhood design.
Finally, OHT does not plan to build the kind of housing Austin needs, which is affordable housing.
How do deed restrictions enter in?
The property has been subject to a deed restriction limiting use to “a residence” since the land was originally subdivided in 1938. It is clear in every deed in the subdivision that this means a single family home with the allowance for a secondary residence such as a “garage apartment” or what is now called an auxiliary dwelling unit (ADU).
AISD has sued its neighbors and constituents in a bid to reinterpret that language to allow a maximum density multi-family development. Instead of two living units per lot, the developer wants to put a average of of 16 units per lot.
We believe deed restriction should be honored as written. Any deviation from the original intent requires AISD or any owner to seek the approval of all landowners in the Rosedale H subdivision. It was through this cooperative process that Rosedale Elementary School was allowed to be built.
We are open to negotiating a compromise that increases density and provides family-friendly affordable housing.
Can this development be stopped?
Yes. The project started with two major hurdles. It has cleared one:
- Rezoning Approval
The property was originally zoned for single-family use. In September 2026, the Austin City Council voted 10-1 to rezone the Rosedale School property from single-family (SF-3) to high-density multifamily (MF-6-C), the highest density residential category in Austin.- Deed Restriction Lawsuit
This hurdle remains. The property is subject to a longstanding restriction limiting use to “a residence” per lot. A court must determine whether multifamily development is permitted. AISD sued 125 Rosedale residents in a bid to negate this restriction.
How much funding is needed to defend the neighborhood?
While costs are difficult to predict, similar land-use cases have been expensive. To pay for legal expenses, Play Fair With Rosedale’s GoFundMe account was set up. The treasurer is Daniel Ray, a Rosedale homeowner.
The neighborhood generously gave and the fund soared past its initial fundraising goal of $25,000. Even so, Play Fair With Rosedale has warned that additional funds may be needed depending on how proceedings unfold.
How are donations used?
All funds — minus approximately 3% in GoFundMe platform fees — go toward the following:
- Legal representation.
- Court costs.
- Related advocacy expenses (such as those white and green “Play Fair” lawn signs that dot the neighborhood).
No one from Play Fair With Rosedale is being paid. If surplus funds remain at the conclusion of the case, they will be refunded to donors on a proportional basis.
How can I get involved?
There are many ways to stay informed and make your voice heard. See how to get involved here, or write to PlayFairWithRosedale@gmail.com.