Contortionist Cave is one of the lesser known secluded caves of Austin, Texas. Not too much information can be found out about Contortionist Cave. This news article will explain what Contortionist Cave is.
Contortionist Cave is known for having tight squeezes, bad air fissure, rugged terrain, and intricate limestone rock mazes. The tight squeezes rugged terrain, and intricate limestone rock mazes are the reasons why this particular is named “Contortionist Cave”. Contortionist Cave is known for having several critical environmental features. (Ref: http://www.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=181340)
Of these critical environmental features were several limestone fissures and endangered species of insects. Contortionist Cave is considered to contain potential habitat for endangered cave invertebrates. Contortionist Cave and Twisted Elm Cave located within the same vicinity next to each other despite being located on different land parcels. (Ref: https://www.fws.gov/southwest/es/Documents/R2ES/HCP_TPGFourPoints_19951113.pdf)
WB Joint Ventures and Parke Properties purchased the property where Contortionist Cave is in 1994. WB Joint Venture purchased 28.8 acres of land out of a 333 acres sized property in 1994. Part of this land was the Ribelin Ranch which included Jollyville Plateau Cave. In 1996, the USFWS issued an ESA Section 10(a)(1)(B) incidental take permit (permit number PRT 808694) to WB Joint Venture in part to cover the potential incidental take of Tooth Cave ground beetles associated with development within an approximately 333 acres property in north-central Travis County, Texas. This HCP was created in support of permit issuance which called for the preservation of a 52-acre “high density cave area” containing 6 caves or prominent karst features including four of the Tooth Cave ground beetle confirmed collection sites including Jollyville Plateau Cave. (Ref: https://digital.lib.usf.edu/content/SF/S0/05/47/42/00001/K26-04293-KIP-00011532.pdf)
TPG Four Points Land, L.P acquired ownership of Contortionist Cave from WB Joint Ventures and Parke Properties in 1999. The year of 1999 is when ownership of the property was transferred from WB Joint Ventures and Parke Properties to TPG Four Points Land, L.P. (Ref: https://americanstewards.us/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Petition-to-Delist-Texella-reyesi-1.pdf)
On April 16, 1999, Federal Register announced and advised the public that GDF Realty Investments, Ltd. (applicant), in conjunction with Mr. R. James George, Jr., Purcell Investments L.P., Parke Properties I, L.P., WB Joint Ventures, and Parke Properties II, L.P. planned to construct and operate commercial and/or residential developments on 216.4 acres of habitat in the area known as the Hart Triangle. A Target store would be built her. (Ref: Federal Register, Volume 64, Number 73)
Contortionist Cave was covered over during the construction of Bell Four Points Apartments in 2004. The same year Twisted Elm Cave was destroyed. No trace of Contortionist Cave could be discovered, located, or excavated in 2005. Today no trace remains as a parking lot and Bell Four Points Apartments have been built over the entrance to this cave.
More land was given to TPG FOUR POINTS LAND LP and BDN FOUR POINTS LAND LP in 2012 as part of an amended declaration deed and declaration of condominium. (Ref: Travis County Land Deeds, #2012066794)
BDN FOUR POINTS LAND LP transferred ownership of Contortionist Cave to FC CARDINAL POINT HOUSING LP through a special warranty deed in 2015. FC CARDINAL POINT HOUSING LP currently owns Contortionist Cave. (Ref: http://propaccess.traviscad.org/clientdb/Property.aspx?cid=1&prop_id=821211)
Contortionist Cave was located at 11220 Ranch Road 2222, Austin, Texas, US 78726. The other addresses for Contortionist Cave are & were 11220 Ranch Rd 2222, Austin, Texas, US 78726, 11220 RR 2222, Austin, Texas, US 78726, and 11011 1/2 Four Points Drive, Austin, Texas, US 78726.
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