$1B development EastVillage brings work, life, play to northeast corridor

GW Partners, the retail leasing agency for the community, sees the city’s growth as an opportunity for east side expansion and the development of a new cultural district.

“The whole idea was to build, essentially, almost like a little city,” GW Partners President Brett Carr said. “And so we just want to have a nice mix of tenants that will support everyone.”

The details

Carr compared the project to The Domain in Austin with its comparable size and diverse amenities. The Domain and Domain Northside have 1.3 million square feet of retail space and 2.3 million square feet of office space.

Another similar community is Mueller in Central Austin, a 700-acre multiuse development with 4 million square feet of commercial space and 5,900 homes for rent and sale.

According to GW Partners, EastVillage will include:

• 425 total acres
• 2 million square feet of life science, office, retail, restaurant and entertainment
• 2,400 multifamily units and 466 single-family homes
• 1.5-acre village green and concert pavilion
• 150-acre nature preserve and 5+ miles of hike and bike trails

BillionToOne, a molecular diagnostic company headquartered in California, will expand its operations to Austin with a 220,000-square-foot medical office in EastVillage. City officials and executives at the company celebrated the groundbreaking of the diagnostic facility in September.

John ten Bosch, BillionToOne’s senior vice president of laboratory operations, said the new location will primarily focus on prenatal precision diagnostics. The company can offer a fetal risk score for genetic disorders based on DNA in the mother’s bloodstream.

The prenatal test, called Unity, launched in 2019. That year, the company went from 10 tests a day to 100, and now regularly sees 10,000 tests a day.

“We laid out plans to grow our own life science industry in Austin by creating an environment and ecosystem that nurtures innovation and innovative thinkers,” Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said during the groundbreaking event. “[BillionToOne] is coming to Austin in part because of that ecosystem.”

BillionToOne was drawn to EastVillage for multiple reasons, Bosch said. While Austin offers tech innovation and proximity to nearby universities, the development offers quality-of-life incentives, he said.

“When we talk about Austin, we could have picked lots of places, and we picked this location,” Bosch said. “That definitely played a part that there’s lots going on. I think it makes it easier to recruit.”

While the company will bring over current employees, Bosch said the team also plans to hire locally. At full capacity, the facility will employ 1,000 technicians, scientists, engineers and researchers.

What else?

Recruiting local and small businesses to the development was an initial roadblock, Carr said.

“It really has just been about educating the brokers and the market about this project,” he said. “No one ever thought that this development would be out there in the northeast submarket.”

Because most people think of the nearby Tech Ridge, or formerly undeveloped land, when they hear northeast Austin, Carr said he had to work to change the public perception.

“They all say the same thing: ‘We used to dove hunt and hog hunt out this way,’” Carr said. “We never would have thought this project would be here.”

The nearby road connections also help reframe the area, Carr said. Parmer Lane is the main toll free connection near the site of the new development. The road sees 33,000 vehicles per day, which is expected to increase upon completion of EastVillage.

Just around the corner, developments along East Parmer Lane, such as Parmer Village and Hillside on Parmer Lane, blend the nearby tech corridor with upcoming mixed-use projects.

What they're saying

Despite the initial struggle to attract local businesses, companies like Swish Dental and 810 Billiards & Bowling were among the first leases announced in EastVillage.

810 Billiards and Bowling, an entertainment franchise with 11 other locations across the country, has a planned 2026 opening date in EastVillage.

The 30,000-square-foot building will include activities like tenpin bowling, billiards, gamified mini golf, interactive darts, golf simulators and an arcade. Other features of the location include a live music stage, multiple bars and a full food menu.

CEO Michael Siniscalchi said the company will employ about a 30-person staff, and is excited to be a part of the community.

“We love the vision ownership has for the EastVillage project as a lifestyle hub and destination for families and young professionals from the surrounding area,” Siniscalchi said in a statement to Community Impact.

According to GW Partners, notable signed leases include:

• Hilton Hotels (three hotels): www.hilton.com
• BillionToOne: www.billiontoone.com
• Starbucks: www.starbucks.com
• Club Studio by LA Fitness: www.clubstudiofitness.com
• 810 Billiards & Bowling: www.810bowling.com
• Swish Dental: www.swishsmiles.com
• Refuel: www.refuelmarket.com

GW Partners has leased 180,000 square feet of retail space. Some businesses like Swish Dental are up and running, and The Vaughan, a 312-unit apartment complex, is already at 95% capacity. The Janis apartments will finish out in the next few months, Carr said.

Still, there is a while to go for EastVillage, according to Reger Holdings. While GW Partners has leased the core of the retail side, Carr said, the development will continue to be built in phases. The full build-out of the project is expected to be completed between 2030 and 2032.

According to officials with EastVillage, the project timeline includes:

2024:

• June: EastVillage breaks ground
• September: BillionToOne breaks ground
• November: First retail tenants announced
• December: Swish Dental opens

2026: 810 Billiards & Bowling opens

2030-32: All phases complete