McCombs, winner of the Best Overall Community for a Developer by the Home Builders Association of Greater Austin in 2011 and 2015, has a history of positive actions toward preservation, from expanding the wetlands in Rockport to preserving and supporting the natural dunes and protected National Seashore in Port Aransas. At this enclave of urban-inspired contemporary farmhouses, the idea was to reuse all the elements from the original barn structure to create an updated yet rustic place where residents can enjoy family time in a climate-controlled area. Though The Barn still occupies the original location, the arena and pasture areas were transformed into farmhouse-style residences, just steps from The Barn and the two-acre water park recreation area.
“The barn wasn’t being utilized to its full potential,” says Mandy Van Streepen, Director of Marketing for McCombs Properties. “The developer wanted to ensure the community had a valuable resource for its residents. Rather than plan for short-term utilization, they looked toward a long-term solution and decided the best option was to create a new community set of residences, The Farmhouse Collection, and an activity center exclusively for homeowners. The idea is that families and friends can gather in a relaxed atmosphere to enjoy pool, foosball, corn-hole toss, shuffleboard, video games, or just watch a good game on the many TV screens. Our goal from the outset was to build a lifestyle community for our homeowners, and The Barn will be a key feature in that vision.”
Massive video screens hang from dark wood planking reclaimed from the walls of the former horse stalls, and original metal from the exterior and interior of the barn line the interior ceilings and windows that surround the cupula roof. The long expanse of clerestory windows fills the space with light and follows the orientation of the Olhausen® pool tables and Plank and Hide® shuffleboards. The entire interior space and outer veranda — enhanced with two fireplaces, comfortable sitting areas and an outdoor kitchen — have sweeping views of Lake Travis.
“Repurposing a barn into a luxury activity center has a unique set of challenges,” says Mike Brooks, Development Manager for The Reserve at Lake Travis. “First, we decided to reduce our environmental impact by repurposing as many of the existing resources that were already in use in the barn. We also had to decide the best utilization of the space, from interior finishes to activities, while retaining the history of the building. Nothing was wasted.” Other pieces of the horse stalls have been used as decorative accents, such as horseshoes that are now used as door handles, making the old barn structure feel both old and new.
“When we set-out to re-develop our equestrian center, we began with the goal of creating something that not only added sustainable value to the community, but also preserved the look, feel, emotion and historical qualities of the original center and grounds,” says Harry Adams, Executive Vice President of McCombs Properties. Some of the finishes that helped achieve this look and feel include antique mirrors at bars, old-fashioned light fixtures and bulbs, chandeliers made from repurposed water wheels and beams for accent lighting, stained and scored concrete floors, and exposed ducts for AC vents to give the space an Old World look.
In the bathrooms, faux wood tile continues the rustic theme, while handmade bathroom stalls mimic rustic horse stalls, and antique metal accents deck the bathroom foyers. Outside, galvanized metal roofing and native limestone facades and walkways extend the Central Texas ranch look to the grounds. The team connected the inside space to outdoor living rooms and dining areas with large, open walls, adding comfortable seating and ceiling fans, a grill area and an arbor. The grassy areas surrounding the structure add color and brightness, as well as providing space for recreation and outdoor games. Landscaping consists of native plants adapted to local conditions, providing interest throughout the year.
In the end, The Barn is still the perfect place for horsing around.
The Reserve at Lake Travis
800-214.3142 | www.reserveatlaketravis.com
McCombs Properties
www.mccombsproperties.com