What's in a name
Girard Kinney is a community leader in the Cherrywood area known for his activism around the redevelopment of Mueller—a 700-acre mixed-income, mixed-use community in East Austin. Kinney is a local architect who has designed recognizable projects throughout Austin, including the Pfluger Pedestrian Bridge.
Kinney's recommendations shaped the redevelopment of the former Robert Mueller Municipal Airport site—Austin's first airport. He advocated for the new airport to be built elsewhere in the city through the Citizens for Airport Relocation, or CARE, effort and was the neighborhood representative on Austin's Airport Advisory Board from 1984 to 1994.
In 1996, Kinney helped create six primary goals during his time on the RMMA Process and Goals Task Force that have shaped Mueller nearly 30 years later, according to Mueller Austin information. Kinney worked with Mueller's redevelopment team to conduct feasibility studies on how to reuse the historic Robert Browning Hangar and provide public access to the former airport control tower.
The background
Girard Kinney Park at Mueller first opened to the public as Mueller Lake Park in 2007.
The park features a European-designed playground, a tree-lined trail circling a pond and a large open area where people can play sports or relax. The community amenity has an outdoor amphitheater for hosting concerts and movies.
Notable quote
“Girard has had an impressive impact across the city of Austin over the last several decades," said Jim Walker, a fellow Mueller redevelopment advocate and Cherrywood Neighborhood Association chair, in a news release. "Most of us who live in and around Mueller will recognize his tremendous work and consistent presence to make Mueller the special place it is today. Mueller is a much better place because of Girard’s commitment, passion and insight—particularly related to sustainability features and preservation of historic structures.”
- 4550 Mueller Blvd., Austin
- www.muelleraustin.com
