By CASSIE MCKEE, Four Points News

The leadership of Austin Baptist Church is in the beginning stages of a church expansion project to accommodate the explosion in growth the church has seen since relocating to Four Points two years ago.

Austin Baptist Church moved into their new Four Points facility in August 2012, relocating from their prior location in central Austin. Executive Pastor David Procter said he has been blown away by the response the church has seen from the community. He said the church has doubled in size since moving to Four Points and estimated the church’s membership is around 1,300.

Procter said the church is in the beginning stages of the expansion project, having just put together the committees that will oversee the project. The committees will oversee fundraising, architectural design and interior design, and will work on estimates for the projected building size and costs.

​A preliminary rendering ​of the Austin Baptist Church expansion project ​from architect Jackson Galloway Associates.

“Part of the timing is driven by how much we raise,” Procter said. “But our hope would be this fall to communicate the message to the church.”

He said they could potentially break ground sometime in the spring.

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By LYNETTE HAALAND, Four Points News

Lake Travis Fire Rescue reported several small fires from fireworks over the Fourth of July holiday weekend.

Robert Abbott, fire chief with Lake Travis Fire Rescue

“The communities were relatively safe this year when using fireworks. We did not receive reports of injuries as a result of improper or unsafe firework use, but did respond to a few small fires that were confirmed to have been started by fireworks,” said Robert Abbott, Fire Chief of LTFR  Travis County ESD 6.

Some fires were not confirmed to have been started by fireworks, but were in areas where callers and neighbors reported heavy firework use before fire units arrived, Abbott added.

This photo was taken July 4th at 8 a.m. showing smoke in the greenbelt beyond Eastridge in Steiner Ranch.
photo by Trent York

The Steiner Ranch HOA responded to homeowners violating the no fireworks rule.

“We sent out 10 letters (Monday) about fireworks to homeowners violating the rule from complaints we received. They were all first violations, so they all received warnings,” said Sharon Adams, Steiner HOA spokesperson. Continue reading →

By CASSIE MCKEE, Four Points News

Parents in the Four Points area will soon have a new option for preschool and childcare with the opening of a new Goddard School in the Quinlan Crossing Shopping Center.

The school, which is expected to open near the end of the year, is under construction at 5145 RM 620 N.

The Steiner Ranch school is owned by Jennifer Burton, a former preschool and kindergarten teacher with eight years experience in the Pflugerville Independent School District.

She said she knew there was need for more preschool options in Four Points.

“A lot of the families are starting early with their kids and are interested in education,” Burton said.

The Goddard School is a national franchise that was recognized as a top childcare center by Entrepreneur Magazine.

Jennifer Burton is opening the Goddard School in Quinlan Crossing.

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By CASSIE MCKEE, Four Points News

As part of the Trails at 620 Phase Two development, a new 44,000-square-foot medical building will be opening that will be known as the Wilson Parke Medical Building and will be home to new Austin Regional Clinic and Austin Radiological Association facilities.

Both ARA and ARC are being build at 11714 Wilson Parke Ave.

“It’s such a huge growing area of Austin,” said Austin Regional Clinic manager Ali Burton. “We can hopefully make a great impact for the residents there. It will be nice and convenient for people who live out there.”

The Austin Radiological Association portion of the Wilson Parke Medical Building.

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By CASSIE MCKEE, Four Points News

An 80-room Holiday Inn Express and a new locally-owned seafood restaurant are just a couple of the new developments slated to open in the Trails at 620 Shopping Center in the months ahead.

The Trails at 620 is a 60-acre project located near Grandview Hill at 8300 RM 620 N., across from Concordia University Texas.

RedFin Seafood Kitchen could be opening as soon as January in 3,500 square-feet of space in the Trails Phase Two. Steiner Ranch residents Mike McCollum and Bill Rasch are in the planning stages of launching the restaurant.

“We have always had the common goal to launch a restaurant in this area with fresh seafood in a casual atmosphere” McCollum said.

In addition to fresh seafood, the menu will feature appetizers, salads, steaks and a full bar with local craft beers. The eatery will incorporate rollup doors extending out to a patio area for outdoor dining.

McCollum and Rasch are excited about opening a new restaurant close to home.

“We both live in Steiner Ranch and the Trails at 620 is something we had our eye on for awhile,” McCollum said. “It has a good anchor with the movie theater and it’s close to home. We need more eateries out here and there’s no seafood around. It’s something we know and have fresh suppliers.”

The Trails at 620 Phase Two anchor is the 44,000 square-foot Wilson Parke Medical Building slated to have opened this weekend, according to the project’s developer Leslie Sloan.

One side of the new 44,000-square-foot Wilson Parke Medical Building in the Trails @ 620.

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