Developers broke ground March 23 on a community within East Austin's Mueller development that will offer housing options affordable to those in various income brackets.

Aldrich 51, DMA Development Company's newest Mueller project, will include about 200 units designated for residents making between 30 percent and 60 percent of the area median family income, which ranges from $18,450 to $36,850 for a 2-person household.

The community will feature a mix of studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom units as well as a pool, coffee lounge and community room for meetings and special events, DMA President Diana McIver said.

The project was partly financed by the city of Austin, which contributed $4 million through its Austin Housing Finance Corporation.

"What's happening out here with Aldrich, which is a tremendous amount of units that will be affordable ... in a mixed income community, is exactly the kind of development we need," Mayor Steve Adler said during the groundbreaking ceremony. "It's exactly the kind of project we need."

Mayor Pro Tem Kathie Tovo said she hopes the community will be able to serve those who work nearby at Mueller-area businesses.

"We are within two miles of 750 commercial and retail businesses [in the area and] 50 of them at Mueller," Tovo said. "We hope that future residents of Aldrich 51 will come from some of those businesses."