The Mueller master-planned community will get a 279-apartment, mixed-use building built by AMLI Residential for its town center, officials announced Oct. 22 in a news release.

"To me, the unique part of the AMLI building is that it's the next phase and the next big phase of our town center," said Greg Weaver, executive vice president of Catellus Development, the master developer of Mueller. "I think the town center is a great mixed-use environment, featuring retail, entertainment and the cultural arts. We've been working on it over the years, and we're moving on to the next phase."

Weaver said the town center of the Mueller development has been part of the master plan since its inception and will include retail shops, a movie theater, a hotel, office space and the Austin Children's Museum.

AMLI is a company headquartered in Chicago focused on developing, acquiring and managing luxury apartments. The company manages six apartment complexes in Austin.

AMLI expects to break ground on the project, located along Simond Avenue across from Lake Park, in the first quarter of 2013. Units are expected to be available around the third quarter of 2014. The four- and five-story building will have about 8,000 square feet of retail space at ground level, and the residential space will break down to 20 percent efficiency apartments, 56 percent one-bedroom apartments and 24 percent two-bedroom apartments. About 15 percent of the apartments will be reserved for residents who earn 60 percent or less than Austin's median family income.

"AMLI does a great job and has a wonderful reputation in Central Texas and Austin," Weaver said. "AMLI, being a great apartment and mixed-use developer, fits right in with the Mueller vision, the Mueller plan and the town center."

The AMLI building is the fourth multifamily project in the community, which also includes Mosaic at Mueller, the second phase of Mosaic at Mueller and Wildflower Terrace.

The Mueller site is a 700-acre redevelopment project to create a mixed-use, urbanist community on the site of the former Robert Mueller Municipal Airport. Officials for the project said it has been in the planning and development phases for the past 20 years. The completed project will feature at least 5,700 single- and multifamily homes, 4.4 million square feet of commercial space, 650,000 square feet of local retail space and 140 acres of park space, among other features.

For more information on Mueller, visit www.muelleraustin.com.