Projects
Eastside Commerce Center
Project Overview
Key Project Challenges
- Navigating City of Austin code requirements
- Dense tree coverage, with 80 heritage tress on site
- Balancing developer’s desire for environmental stewardship with the goal of maximizing project site yield
Key Project Outcomes
- 60,000 s.f. of increased leasable space
- 15% project site yield increase
- 825% of TMS’ fees returned to the client in the form of cost savings
- Awarded the 2023 Texas ISA Arborculture Project of the Year
Project Description
View our Money Does Grow on Trees video series about this project.
Located on a highly visible and heavily wooded site in Southeast Austin, the Eastside Commerce Center is a Class A industrial complex featuring 3 flex buildings designed to accommodate smaller tenants and 4 larger warehouse buildings. The site is located off Highway 71 and enjoys easy access to/from Highway 183, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, and Downtown Austin. The 60-acre site contained over 1,700 trees regulated by City of Austin code, including 80 heritage trees. With environmental stewardship as a key priority for this development, the project team spent considerable time analyzing the site to understand the challenges and opportunities presented by the trees.Over $1M was invested to relocate 7 large live oak trees throughout the site, allowing the team to maintain compliance, achieve required yields, and promote better public visibility and enjoyment of these stunning trees. A conservation area of approximately 10 acres was set aside to preserve an additional 40 heritage trees, along with several hundred other regulated and bonus understory trees. This effort earned the Eastside Commerce Center an award for 2023 Texas ISA Arboriculture Project of the Year.