Synergy: A Social Wellness Hub

SYNERGY aims to transform the 29-acre Hancock Shopping Center from a typical parking dominated strip-mall development into a mixed-use community landmark for social wellness. The proposal tackles Austin’s health inequities, housing scarcity, and the dividing legacy of Interstate 35 by integrating wellness infrastructure and commercial vitality with equitable housing.

The Hancock Wellness Center anchors the community between the HEB shopping hub and the Central Health Clinic as a resource for seniors, families, and active adults. The eastern building features paddle courts, a pool with spa amenities, and a basketball court. Connected by green spaces, the western building houses fitness equipment, meditation studios, a geriatric gym, and access to a 0.5-mile multi-use loop. Clinic patients receive prescribed physical therapy and HEB meal kits, while residents from 475 mixed-income units integrate wellness into daily life.

With a $729 million project value, the phased plan generates a 17.6% leveraged IRR. Phase 3 delivers a 40% IRR, proving wellness infrastructure drives market returns. The project is committed to sustainability by targeting LEED-ND Platinum through solar arrays, native landscaping, and stormwater management. A mobility hub integrates five Cap Metro bus routes with protected bike lanes and connects to the East Avenue Trail. This trail crosses the proposed I-35 stitch program, positioning the development as part of an effort to bridge community connectivity across I-35.

Contribution

Within the 5-person design team, I focused on developing and diagramming the narrative vision, designing the comprehensive site plan, planning the four construction phases, and overseeing design specificiations for financial suitability.