The Rebekah Baines Johnson Senior Center

Plans to renovate and expand the Rebekah Baines Johnson Center, the aging, affordable housing tower overlooking Lady Bird Lake, made a leap forward last month. On June 24th, City Council approved a code amendment increasing the amount of impervious cover that will be allowed on the roughly 22-acre site where the center is located from 40 to 70 percent. The change will allow the Austin Geriatric Center, the nonprofit which owns and manages the retirement center, to sell about five acres of land which will become mixed-use development. AGC officials said their development plans had stalled due to a lack of funding for needed improvements on the site.

AGC’s plans include a complete renovation of the existing 250-unit, 16 story residential tower, as well as a brand new affordable senior housing complex. The number of affordable units for low-and moderate-income seniors will nearly double to 450. AGC has selected Southwest Strategies Group, DMA Development Co. LLC, and Momark Development for the project.

Along with deteriorating conditions, many RBJ residents who have disabilities have complained that their units lack accessibility. Plans call for the new tower to be built first so current residents can live there while the renovation work takes place on the original tower. When all the work is done, residents will have the option of remaining in the new tower or returning to their previous unit.

Click here to view the Keep Austin Affordable video feature on RBJ resident Barbara Freyermuth.