Austin’s Mysterious Abandoned Strip Mall Set to be Demolished
One of the most mysterious landmarks in East Austin, an abandoned strip mall on the northeast corner of Ed Bluestein Boulevard and FM 969, is set to be demolished.
The shopping center site, known at different stages of its abandoned life as East Pointe, Palm Square, and Journey Plaza, caught the attention of locals and urban explorers with the remnants of its partially constructed brick walls and roof. The property at 6000 FM 969 has remained uncompleted yet fully abandoned for nearly four decades, contributing an air of mystery and intrigue. However, its long-standing enigma nears an end as its current owners file permits for its imminent demolition.
History of the Abandoned Shopping Center
It all began in the mid-1980s, when ambitions were high to build a strip mall in the then-prospering location. The development never advanced beyond erecting a few brick walls and a roof, standing as fragments of a dream that never saw completion. Over the decades, a 7-Eleven gas station and attached Burger King were the only additions to this site, only mildly obscuring the decaying half-structure at the rear.
CLD Realty, the local firm currently owning the property, purchased the site in 2020 from previous owners, Morning Star Projects who made a futile attempt at reviving the shopping center in the 2000s.
The Future of the Abandoned Site
An application for site plan was filed by CLD Realty in 2022, suggesting intentions to construct a new shopping center, Journey Plaza, around the existing gas station. The proposal outlined several independent buildings including a grocery store, eateries, office space, and other retail venues. This plan, however, is currently marked by the city as inactive. Regardless of the project’s uncertain timeline, the old abandoned structure is slated for demolition over growing safety concerns regarding its population of homeless inhabitants.
A Moment of Reflection
While the demolition may not be seen by locals as the erasure of cherished history, like the case of the failed condo project which temporarily turned into the Castle Hill graffiti gallery, there is something worth noting. This site, mysterious and intriguing, is a rare gem in Austin’s otherwise bustling landscape with its origins linking back to the city’s past.
Austin’s unbroken economic growth, even amidst national crises like the 2008 financial downfall or the recent pandemic, contrasts with the boom and bust cycle of the Texas economy decades ago. That said, it’s the city’s vibrantly thriving ambience that makes the decades-long desolation of this strip mall a historical oddity worth reminiscing over.
With the upcoming demolition, we bid adieu to an eerie yet charismatic slice of East Austin’s history. Watching this monument to unfinished dreams crumble may invite reflection on the transience of prosperity and the urban landscape’s ever-changing face. And although there is a growing sense of uncertainty over future developments, the spirit of Austin’s progress remains undeterred, marching forward into a new era of growth and evolution.