Garrison Park

I moved to this area into a single-family residence in 2010. I've lived in Austin since 1998. Houses are pretty affordable here. There is a central road called Emerald Forest, which has a really good bike lane. I can bike from my house up to downtown or UT campus (where I work) following various bike lanes. And the neighborhood is quiet and low key. You are not going to find many hipsters or UT students in this area. It's not that "cool," but I like it because I don't have to fight for parking or pay a lot to live here.

It's 7 miles south of downtown, near the 1 and 10 bus lines that would take you north, but most people have cars. There are 2 Gold's Gyms along William Cannon and 1 at Ben White. I have a Golds membership therefore I rate this neighborhood high on fitness because of the bike lane plus the gyms. There are other gyms and studios in the area. You are also 3 miles or less from many grocery stores - Sprouts, Central Market South, HEB William Cannon and HEB Brodie (which is a bigger and more fancy HEB than the former). Brodie is not too far away and has a lot of eating and shopping but you will probably have to drive there.

Crime has been a problem in the past, as with other lower cost neighborhoods. My house was broken into in 2011, and I got an alarm system afterwards and it has been ok since then. In general, the people of the neighborhood are trying to put a stop to the crime and grow as a real community with the Woodhue Neighborhood Association. http://armadilloparkna.wordpress.com

I have lived downtown on 4th street, and I will say that this neighborhood beats it on noise, price and traffic. Same with Hyde Park. I lived there next door to some students and experienced a lot of noise at night. Of course, both 4th and Hyde Park are great places, more busy and walkable than this one. But that's a brief comparison for you.

One of my favorite activities here is relaxing with a book at Garrison Pool on a summer weekend. Parking is free and entrance to the pool is $3. Stop at Cherry Creek Catfish on the way home. Yum!

One of the older South Austin neighborhoods, the Garrison Park area has many tree-lined streets and affordable housing. There are neat single family homes here for as little as $160,000 and condominiums can be bought for $100,000. It's easy and inexpensive to get to almost any part of the city with Capitol Metro bus and rail lines, and it's a relatively short commute to downtown and all of the shopping and dining experiences it has to offer.

It's home to Garrison Park, which is a great place for children to play and adults to walk, bike, or jog among abundant green space and beauty. It also has plenty of nature trails to be explored and swimming pool to help you beat the simmering Texas heat in the summer. Garrison Park is served by the Austin Independent School District and there are also private school options in the area. It's a safe neighborhood by Austin standards and a good place to raise a family without spending a bundle of money. The neighborhood is also bordered by several good Mexican, Italian, and Chinese restaurants.

Garrison Park offers the best in plenty of different ways. An older neighborhood, it has one really great, specific benefit for long Texas summers: shade. Most of the old growth trees have been at full maturity for decades, so the entire neighborhood has become a great place to beat the heat. Access to both the large Garrison pool and the park itself are handy perks as well, especially in warmer months.

In addition to all this, it's just a short trip to downtown and all the features and points of interest that can be found there. With easy access all around south Austin, this is a great neighborhood that won't be too costly to call home.

Major points of shopping as well as all the great landmarks of south Austin are all easy to access from this sleepy and centrally located neighborhood. Convenient bus service and quiet streets allow for lots of ways to get around. Traffic isn't much of a problem here, so no matter if your destination is a few miles away, or even north of the river, you won't find it a difficult commute. There is a lot here to be enjoyed, and the cost of living won't break the bank.

This far south Austin neighborhood is pleasant, affordable, and somewhat non-descript. It is not so far south that the commute to Austin’s center, including downtown, the University of Texas and Lady Bird Lake, is terribly inconvenient. But it is far enough away from these points that the core elements of Austin’s personality, its funkiness and coolness, gets a bit watered down.

Located below W. Stassney Lane and above William Cannon Drive, with its western border falling somewhat east of Brodie Lane and South 1st Street marking the eastern border, Garrison Park is made up of nice houses, friendly neighbors, nice restaurants nearby…basically everything one needs for a pleasant living experience. This is not the place for those looking to immerse themselves in Austin culture or seeking the action of the music and arts scene. It is more for those looking for a nice neighborhood to raise a family that is fairly convenient to the core of the city. Many Hispanic families call this area home, as well as young families, couples and seniors, who maintain a strong sense of community here.

Housing remains fairly affordable in this part of town, with prices averaging in the low $200s for a modest-sized home. Schools servicing this area include Cunningham and Odom Elementary schools, Covington Middle School and Crockett High School. Located in the midst of this neighborhood is Garrison Park, which includes a playground, picnic areas, ball fields, and a swimming pool popular with families.

Garrison Park is a healthy mix of suburbia, resale shops and restaurants that well suit those who are looking to raise a family in one spot for many years to come. W. Stassney and William Canon both serve as the neighborhood borders and have an adequate number of restaurants for those who like to go out and eat. Between these two major avenues is an intricate network of streets with single family homes and apartment complexes. S. Manchaca Rd. on the west end is lined with numerous thrift shops as well as both public and private schools. Garrison Park is a functional miss match of both urban and suburban appeal.

To further ad to the local benefits, the housing in this are is very affordable with house selling prices staying within the $100,000s and rent prices seldom exceeding $850. The actual Garrison Park has a community pool, which comes in handy during Austin's hot summer days and there are a higher number of automotive shops encircling the neighborhood. The landscape is bordering that of the western portions of Austin where the hills become higher and the limestone begins to show itself. There are few bus stops and routes that extend to this community, but the vast majority of residents already own a personal vehicle. For both single professionals and families, Garrison Park is a peaceful yet active suburb that serves many purposes beyond simply providing a physical shelter.