An Entire Midcentury Modern Village Is Rising in Leander

In Leander, Texas, the Austin suburb located a few miles northwest of downtown, an entire village of midcentury-style buildings is under construction.

It might conjure images of The Truman Show, Seaside, Florida (where that movie was filmed), or Austin's Mueller development. Leander's Starlight Village, however, looks a lot more fun.

Featuring "all the excitement and flair of Mid-Century Modern architecture with 21st century floor plans," according to the website, the planned community (or first phase, perhaps) consists of 30 or so KLM Design Build single-family homes that start in the $200,000 range.

Homebuyers can choose from three tiers of quality:

• The Chairman has hand-laid terrazzo floors, Eichler paneling, Roman brick, and custom midcentury modern lighting, with high-end cabinetry and floating walls of glass.

• The Case Study offers upgraded kitchens and appliances, engineered wood or ceramic floors, upgraded tile in the kitchen and bathrooms, solid-core interior doors, and a midcentury interior lighting package.

• The Capehart, for those on a strict budget, has polished concrete floors on ground level, Berber carpeting on second-story levels, and midrange appliances in the kitchens, with Delta baths and vanities.

House styles with names such as the Palm Springs, Cocoa Beach, and the Telstar carry out the theme, though some allude to midcentury European progenitors/inspirations to MCM, including Bauhaus and International styles. They will range from 1,300 to 2,928 square feet in size.

The development has the usual attractions and amenities—including a pool pavilion called "The Lido"—and looks to be strictly kept by a homeowner's association. The KLM site touts it as sort of a detached condo community, meaning the development takes care of exterior home and lawn maintenance. It also has the advantage of being near a Capital Metro train stop.

While the place might be a little too perfectly on-the-nose for some, replica-wise, it's also good to keep in mind that midcentury styles in the United States and Europe were meant to be affordable and available.

There doesn't seem to be an opening date set, but the village is bustling with construction.

• KLM Design Build website

• Starlight Village home