Inside Holden Hills: What’s Actually Happening Off Southwest Parkway

If you’ve driven down Southwest Parkway recently, especially near Tecoma Circle, you’ve probably noticed something going on behind the trees.

What used to feel like untouched Hill Country is now being cleared, graded, and actively worked on. That project is Holden Hills, a new development by Stratus Properties, and it’s shaping up to be one of the more interesting communities coming to Southwest Austin.

This isn’t your typical subdivision — and it’s definitely not being built like one.

Where It Is (and How You Actually Get There)

Holden Hills sits just off Southwest Parkway, and there are a couple ways into the area depending on how you’re coming in.

You can enter from the Vega intersection or take Tecoma Circle, which winds back into the hills and historically only served a handful of homes.

What’s new — and honestly one of the clearest signs this project is moving — is Bellissimo Lane. This newly built road now connects Tecoma Circle all the way through to Lost Creek Boulevard. If you follow it out, you come up right near the Lost Creek Trailhead and Westlake Country Club.

So while it feels tucked away in the hills, it’s actually positioned right between Southwest Austin and Westlake, with easy access to 360, MoPac, and Bee Cave Road. You’re close to everything without feeling like you are.

How Big This Actually Is

This is a large project. Across multiple phases, Holden Hills covers close to 1,000 acres.

What’s surprising isn’t the size — it’s how few homes are being built on it.

Current plans show around 74 single-family homes and just over 430 condo-style residences, putting the total around 500 homes across the entire development.

For Austin, that’s extremely low density. Most developments would try to fit several times that number on similar land. Here, they’re clearly doing the opposite.

How the Phases Are Structured

Phase 1 leans heavily into the condo-style product, with the majority of the initial homes falling into that category and only a small number of single-family homes released early.

Phase 2 shifts that balance, introducing more single-family homes and expanding onto what are likely some of the better homesites — especially along ridgelines and higher elevation areas.

That kind of rollout usually isn’t random. It’s a way to establish the community first, then release the most premium inventory once pricing and demand are proven.

A Different Approach to Development

What really sets Holden Hills apart is how much of the land is being left alone.

Roughly 70 to 75 percent of the property is expected to remain natural. Instead of clearing everything and building out to the edges, the development works around the land — not over it.

That includes preserving hillsides, canyon views, drainage areas, and weaving in a trail system throughout the property.

A big part of that comes from the fact that this sits in the Barton Creek watershed, where development rules are much stricter. But instead of treating that like a limitation, it’s clearly shaping the identity of the project.

The end result should feel a lot more like homes placed within nature than a traditional neighborhood carved out of it.

What the Homes Will Feel Like

This isn’t shaping up to be a “choose your floorplan” type of community.

The project has been tied to several well-known Austin architecture firms, including Andersson/Wise, Bercy Chen Studio, and Mark Odom Studio. While builders haven’t been formally announced yet, the direction is pretty clear.

Expect homes that lean heavily into modern Hill Country design — natural materials, large glass openings, low-profile forms, and strong indoor-outdoor connections.

If you’ve seen projects like The Santal or Saint June, that’s probably the closest comparison in terms of overall feel. Architectural, intentional, and a little more design-forward than what you typically see.

What’s Happening Right Now

This part is important — Holden Hills isn’t just a future concept anymore.

They’ve already broken ground.

If you drive the area today, you’ll see active construction across the site. Land has been cleared and graded, infrastructure is going in, and plumbing and irrigation are already being laid. Bellissimo Lane is paved and in use, which is a major step forward for access and connectivity.

Everything about the site right now points to steady progress.

The next phase will be when homesites start getting defined and foundations begin going in. Once that happens, you’ll start to see the first vertical construction, and that’s when the project really starts to come to life.

What This Likely Means for Pricing

There’s nothing officially released yet, but based on the location, design direction, and overall approach, you can get a pretty good sense of where this is heading.

Single-family homes will likely fall somewhere in the $2.5M to $6M+ range, depending heavily on lot position and views. The condo-style homes, which are likely detached or semi-detached, will probably land somewhere between $1.2M and $2.5M.

That puts Holden Hills right in line with Barton Creek and Westlake-level pricing, just with a more modern architectural identity.

Where This Is Headed

Holden Hills is one of those developments that most people don’t fully realize is happening yet.

But that’s about to change.

Between the location, the land, and how quickly construction is moving, it won’t be long before this starts getting a lot more attention. Once foundations start going in and homes go vertical, the entire perception of the project will shift.

Right now, it’s still in that early phase where you have to go looking for it.

Soon, it’s going to be hard to miss.

Bryce Low
Realtor® – Texas License #838259