Gateway

Gateway is a fairly pricey place to live in Northwest Austin, without a lot of charm or character. Most of the housing can be found in apartment complexes and high rise apartments, along with a smaller number of single-family homes and a few smaller apartment buildings.

Gateway is essentially a shopping trap cradled between highway 183 and the Mopac Expressway. Here you’ll find strip malls, outlet stores (Nordstrom, REI), and the Westgate Mall. There is a movie theater located not too far from the mall (Regal Gateway Stadium 16 Cinema), and there are a fair number of eateries. You can find sushi, a Mexican Margarita bar, and the North by Northwest Restaurant and Brewery, which has a full bar, standard American fair, and a gluten free menu.

While most of Gateway caters to mall shoppers and the suburban commuters who live there, Gateway is also the site of the West Pickle Research Building, which is home to UT’s advanced technology department. Here, UT students and professors conduct research and development projects. So, there is also a small student population in Gateway.

This far northwest Austin neighborhood is notable for its convenient location to a couple of major roadways in town, giving it fairly quick access to points both north and south. Without traffic (and this is an important qualifier), it is a manageable 15-minute drive to downtown. This is a neighborhood that appeals to those looking for newer housing construction and proximity to plenty of retail establishments. It is not for those seeking to immerse themselves in Austin’s offbeat and funky side, as not much of Austin’s character can be found here.

Located at the intersection of Highway 183 (which forms the western boundary) and MoPac Expressway (which forms the eastern boundary), with W. Braker Lane marking the northern limits, some would consider this a rather sterile environment. But for others, it is a shopping heaven. Almost every national retail chain typically found in cities is located here. There are a few shopping complexes in the area, including the Arboretum area, where one can also find second locations for a few of Austin’s local eateries. Farther north is the fairly recent and upscale outdoor shopping mall, The Domain, which caters to the newer, high-end of Austin’s residents.

It is not a diverse neighborhood by any means, and is dominated by apartment complexes and condominiums. The housing complexes typically offer many attractive amenities, such as pools, fitness centers, tennis courts and walking and jogging trails. But for young professionals, particularly those working for some of the nearby high-tech businesses, the Gateway neighborhood can be a good fit.