Pecan Springs / Springdale

Driving about the Pecan Springs neighborhood of Austin, it looks like any other suburban neighborhood in the state with older single 1960's era family ranch style homes that are reasonably priced in the $80,000 to $150,000 in general. While it lacks the weird and cool Austin vibe, it does have an older mix of mostly Hispanic and African-American residents, and it is generally safe and quiet with friendly neighbors who look out for each other.

The neighborhood is served by the Austin Independent School District and is not totally without charm as Pecan Springs Park provides some green space. It's a pretty good drive to get to downtown and good entertainment options, things that are lacking here. There is also a lack of good places to eat out without leaving the neighborhood. It is close to State Highway 183, so it is easy to get around to other parts of the city.

In moving so far east, you experience a significant improvement in cost of living, but often at the expense of entertainment, charm, and style, and Pecan Springs holds well to this standard. This is a fairly innocuous suburban-style neighborhood, with modestly-priced ranch style homes and an older, quieter demographic.

The locals are warm and inviting, but tend to be pretty well removed from more common elements of Austin culture, like parties, noise, or late nights. The neighborhood itself is safe and well-maintained, and many of the homeowners are so firmly established here they’re unlikely to ever leave.

Like so much of the east side of town, substantial efforts have been made here toward rejuvenation and renovation. The ACC Eastview campus is a particular notable monument to the changes underway, and students may find the convenience to campus, combined with affordable housing in a safe, quiet neighborhood, appealing enough to take a second look. On the other hand, a lot of students are just as likely to feel isolated and disconnected from all the best Austin has to offer if they opt to live in this suburban retirement haven that offers little by way of nightlife, entertainment, or classic Austin weirdness locally.

This established residential neighborhood is located in far east Austin, with homes largely built in the 1960s. It is a diverse neighborhood, with mostly African-American and Hispanic families living here. Most would describe this as a quiet, suburban neighborhood made up of modest-sized homes and apartment complexes. There are not many distinguishing characteristics to this area, which for some, may contribute to its appeal.

The Pecan Springs-Springdale neighborhood is bounded by Manor Road to the northwest and E. Martin Luther King Road to the south, and Highway 183 to the east. Somewhat removed from downtown and other main hubs of the city, its proximity to major thoroughfares make it accessible to all parts of Austin. There are parts of the neighborhood that are considered rather sketchy, with some homes in need of repair. But the neighbors are friendly and the sense of community is strong. There are several undeveloped tracts of land within the neighborhood as well. Depending on what happens with them could significantly influence the character of this area in the future.

Because of its location in far east Austin, housing prices are very affordable. An average-sized home can be found in the range of the low to mid-$100s, which is becoming increasingly difficult to find in Austin. Neighborhood schools include Pecan Springs Elementary, Pearce Middle School and Reagan High School. There is one park located within the neighborhood’s boundaries, Pecan Springs Park. A fairly quick trip Just west on 51st Street is the recent Mueller development, a carefully-planned community with a large shopping center and parks and open space.

This neighborhood is just east of the old airport property, which is currently being renovated into the Mueller neighborhood. So while there’s not much entertainment or culture-wise happening in Pecan Springs/Springdale, it’s just a quick jog over to some brand new stores and community-focused events. It’s near to Walter E. Long Lake and Metropolitan Park, as well as Highway 183, so it’s definitely got some green space and room to move around and enjoy the wonderful Austin weather. It’s so much better off than the dismal areas below East Stassney or the cookie cutter suburbs trapped on all sides by major highways and interstates. I’ll take peace and quiet and ancient neighbors any day over apartment complexes stuffed with crazy underage drunks! And while this is a suburb with more than its share of blandness when compared to some of the other more eclectic neighborhoods, you can find some really cute stone ranch-style homes with price tags way closer to what these homes are actually worth, rather than what section of town they’re located in. I think it’s a great place for young families with kids. Think of all the options you’ll have for babysitting! It’s like your kids will have thirty sets of grandparents right down the street!

Many young folk that live and have visited Austin would describe Pecan Springs/ Springdale as a snooze fest, an east side neighborhood that lacks all the charm and grassroots shops and dives that the streets due slightly west have. The homes here are flat ranch style houses that go for an average of $145,000 with rent seldom exceeding $600 a month. This is an extremely quiet area of town with few remnants of Austin style nightlife and pastimes, making it suitable for elderly retired individuals who want nothing to do with the noise or the weird for which Austin is so famous. Few people below the age of 50 live in this community.

The east side stereotype that Pecan Springs/ Springdale does maintain is neighborly spirit as it is often recounted how welcoming and friendly the residents can be. They would not, however, appreciate loud house parties or a group of people jamming on the porch as is a typical scene in more central Austin communities. A complaint among those who like being active is that this neighborhood is too far from the city hot spots, even the east side ones, but the easy access to Hwy 183 is a great advantage. There is a nice green park within the area, but it is nothing to really brag about. The short description for Pecan Springs/ Springdale is that it is good for senior citizens, bad for young professionals and students.