Posted: Sat, 26 Jun 2010 11:12 AM - 171 Readers

By: Shermakaye Bass

The name is a misnomer: There is nothing "rough" about Rough Hollow, the 1,800-acre planned community in Lakeway that debuted in 2007.

The latest residential development in Lakeway is upscale and resortlike. In short: kind of fancy. Yet Rough Hollow retains a bit of the laid-back lake-life vibe. You won't be going to the new Grille at Rough Hollow in cutoff jeans and a tank top, of course, but for as large as it is, the community has an air of laissez-faire and intimacy. It also sports some beautiful homes atop rolling hills, with big skies and lake views that go on and on.

Until recently, homes in Rough Hollow were custom built, started at $800,000 and went into the millions. But as the market has changed during the past three years and Austin's growth has continued, the sprawling town-within-a-town overlooking Lake Travis has reassessed and added additional neighborhoods, with homes from the $280,000 to $550,000. Those residences in Cypress Ridge, East Rim, the Overlook and the Woodlands neighborhoods are under construction, and model homes are open now, says Rough Hollow developer Haythem Dawlett of Legend Communities.

The Bluffs at Rough Hollow, a new neighborhood here, will host the Home Builders Association of Greater Austin's 2010 Parade of Homes in October. The parade's seven homes built by different builders range from $850,000 to $1.2 million. (See box, G4.)

"My whole goal here was to create a resort community, and we're at the very early stages of this, really," Dawlett says. "We've created these little pods of neighborhoods, nodes of flat areas that we carved out (the Bluffs, the Enclave, Yacht Club Villas, Water's Edge, East Rim, the Woodlands, the Overlook and now Cypress Ridge). And each is unique, in terms of size of the house, size of the lot, style of the architecture. Our goal is to have price points from $300,000 up to $7 million."

Dawlett adds that the "biggest (amenity) here is our yacht club, which allows everybody out here to be included. It allows everybody to boat without owning a boat."

Dawlett also notes the development's eye toward the environment. "We took all these sensitive areas and left them alone," he says. "Technically, you can have up to 65 percent impervious cover, but we chose to do it at 25 percent."

Whether for its green hues or its upscale cachet, Rough Hollow has developed a buzz for high-quality lake living and, yes, a touch of exclusivity, with approximately 2,100 lots total and home sizes of about 1,800 to 8,600 square feet. And when the development hosts the parade, it will be the second time in three years to do so —something that's quite unusual, says Naomi Bludworth, communications director of the builders' association.

"We don't usually do that, but this parade is actually in a part of the community we didn't show last time. Last time, we showcased homes (in) Water's Edge that ranged all the way up to almost 10,000 square feet," Bludworth says. "These homes are kind of much more in the range of 4,500 square feet and ranging up to $1.4 million. \u2026 This is at the Bluffs at Rough Hollow, so it's a neighborhood with a little bit more of the 'attainable homes' price points."

Bludworth says the neighborhood's location on the lake will be appealing for parade attendees. "There's always a lot of intrigue with lake living and with being out on the water," she says. "And that lifestyle is coming back now that we're out of the drought, and (the parade) is going to get people more excited about getting out to the lake. Rough Hollow has so many things coming onboard, such a diversity of home products and so many new developments."

Those include the recently opened grill and the Rough Hollow Yacht Club & Marina. The yacht club features 260 wet slips and a dual-car tram that takes boaters up and down the steep bank to the marina and marina store. It also has a 4,000-square-foot communal pavilion, as well as concierge and seasonal valet services.

Rough Hollow residents also get access to various tennis and golf clubs in the Lakeway area. The development also has an amphitheater, pool and fitness center. And plans are under way to build a clubhouse, day spa, coffee bar, deli and corporate office.

Rough Hollow was recently named 2010's "Best Overall Community Over 300 Units" by the local builders' association as part of its MAX Awards, which has 75 categories and brings in judges from around the country.

Rough Hollow residents Susan and Robert Oshana moved from Sugar Land, near Houston, when Robert Oshana was offered a job in Austin two years ago this summer. One of the things that appealed to the Oshanas, who have boys in the ninth and sixth grades, was Lakeway's family-friendly vibe.

"The school district sold us," says Susan Oshana. "That was one of my main things. Compared to the school system in Sugar Land, this is far better. I wish we had moved out here sooner."

The Oshanas live in the Water's Edge subdivision, and Susan Oshana likes to take her dog for long walks in the greenways.

"We looked at other places like the Hills at Lakeway and Steiner Ranch, but Rough Hollow just has more open space, and with the hills and the lake, my dog and I go walking every morning, and it's really perfect," Susan Oshana says. "My friend who lives in Steiner Ranch actually comes out here to walk with me!"

Sneak peak at the Parade of Homes

The Home Builders Association of Greater Austin will hold its 2010 Parade of Homes on Bisset Court in Rough Hollow Oct. 16-31. Homes range from 3,700 to 5,500 square feet and from $850,000 to $1.4 million. Three of the seven parade homes have already sold. Tickets will be available at the tour site; prices have not been decided. For more information, see www.austinhomebuilders.com. The following homes will be featured:

301 Bisset Court
Size:4,575 square feet
Price: Sold
Builder: Jenkins Custom Homes
Style: Italian villa with Spanish Revival influences.
Features: Large wall of glass facing lake; bar grotto for entertaining; master balcony with sleeping porch and louvered panels; coffee bar off master; mosaic tile in master shower; hidden room.

302 Bisset Court
Size: 4,140 square feet
Price: $985,000
Builder: VII Custom Homes
Style: One of the first Hill Country Contemporary houses to be built in Rough Hollow.
Features: Green home designed for maximum energy efficiency and sustainability; incorporates natural light; ‘smart home' network integrates lighting, appliances and other electronics; master with spa/resort-style bath; large outdoor living space with kitchen.

303 Bisset Court
Size: 4,650 square feet
Price: Sold
Builder: Zbranek Custom Homes
Style: This Tuscan-style home is the Lake Travis Youth Association Benefit Home.
Features: Will be Energy Star-rated with energy-efficient insulation and tankless water heater; hand-hewn wood beams throughout house; large glass walls for Lake Travis views; custom faux-painted ceilings; granite surfaces; hardwood and stone floor; and outdoor living spaces include pool, JetStream outdoor cooling system.

304 Bisset Court
Size: 4,200 square feet
Price: $965,000
Builder: Triton Custom Homes
Style and features: No details available at press time.

305 Bisset Court
Size: 5,500 square feet
Price: Sold
Builder: Master's Touch Custom Homes
Style: Italian architecture with French and rustic accents.
Features: Elevator; secret-passage bookcase in second-floor library; 23-foot-tall great room with cathedral round trusses; clay-brick pizza oven in kitchen; onyx waterfall in powder room; family room with massive stone fireplace; and domed ceiling with ribbed vaults in the study.

306 Bisset Court
Size: 3,750 square feet
Price: $899,000
Builder: Stonewood Custom Homes
Style: Classic ‘Texas Hill Country' using native stone and stucco, with standing-seam metal roof.
Features: Will be Energy Star-rated with Energy Star appliances, lighting and on-demand water heaters; grand ceilings in living room and kitchen; patios and courtyards with water features and fireplace; stone and wood floors; and low-maintenance landscaping with native plants.

206 Bisset Court
Size: 3,700 square feet
Price: $850,000
Builder: Rostrata Builders
Style and features: No details available at press time.

*  Story Contributed by: Shermakaye Bass