A mixed-use development of 700 acres of Southeast Austin that's been in the works for a decade is finally set to go forward. A master plan for the Goodnight neighborhood, named after the family that has owned the former ranchland since the 1960s, has been approved, and the project is moving forward with permitting for up to 3,500 homes, 120 acres of in-district park space, 500 acres of out-of-district park space, and roughly a 250,000 square feet of commercial space.

Goodnight will extend along Slaughter Lane on the east side of I-35 next to Onion Creek Metropolitan Park.

Construction for the first phase is under way, with more builders, pricing and home styles to come later this summer. Initial updates in Onion Creek Metro Park are set to begin in 2018.

According to its press materials, Goodnight was designated special zoning rights by the City of Austin to allow residential units anywhere on its site. According to the developers, the hope is that this allowance will facilitate block-by-block variety and organic expansion based on market needs.

The City of Austin purchased Onion Creek Metro Park in the late 1990s with the goal to develop a public space on the level of the central city's Zilker Park. An agreement among the park, the city, and Goodnight was developed with the goals of preserving parkland and promoting quality of life in the neighborhood.