Travis Heights, Austin, Texas

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Travis Heights is a neighborhood in south Austin, Texas, United States, bounded by Lady Bird Lake on the north, Interstate 35 on the east, Congress Avenue on the west and Oltorf Street on the south.

It was founded in 1913 by Newning, Swisher and General Stacy, but development did not expand rapidly until the 1920s. The city park located along Blunn Creek in Travis Heights is named after General Stacy, as Stacy Park, as well as the "Big Stacy" spring-fed pool and the "Little Stacy" park and swimming pool.

During recent years, the neighborhood has undergone substantial development, often at the cost of historic homes throughout the area. The new houses, nicknamed "McMansions" by some locals, are usually bigger than the surrounding houses.

The tree lined, rolling hills throughout the neighborhood and close proximity to downtown make it very popular with professionals who want a quiet neighborhood feel but without the commute. It is located in the very sought after (some small houses in the area sell on-market for $500,000 or more depending on location) and politically active 78704 zip code, which is predominately politically left-wing.

Another attraction of the neighborhood is its closeness to the newly rejuvenated South Congress Avenue, many times called SoCo. SoCo used to be a haven for drugs and prostitution but is now full of hip cafes and stores, and attracts many hipsters and young professionals from downtown.