lady bird lake

amber gugino | September 3, 2012 | 2 Comments

Gyms in Downtown Austin – YMCA TownLake

Being active is a part of the Austin lifestyle. There are tremendous opportunities in downtown Austin for folks to be active, too. Here at Downtown Austin Blog, we’ve written about several things like dance classes at Ballet Austin and personal training in downtown Austin - but we haven’t really explored a lot of downtown gyms, of which there are several.

Probably the most popular among the trendy set is Pure Austin downtown, right across from Whole Foods at 5th and Bowie. I have several friends who have memberships there, and they love it.

However, to be frank, I’m sometimes a little intimidated by the aura of Pure, so I’ve been going to a place that’s a little less trendy, but I think still pretty awesome. The TownLake Branch of the YMCA. I’ve been doing the Zumba classes, and boy are they crowded and fun! Look at [Read more...]

Filed Under: austin lifestyle, austin recreation, lady bird lake, life, life in austin

Jude Galligan | August 9, 2012 | 3 Comments

New Apartment Tower At 97 Trinity?

Based on conceptual plans filed with the City of Austin, national real estate developer Wood Partners could be entering the downtown Austin apartment market with a tower at the southeast corner of Trinity @ Cesar Chavez. Recently, it was announced that the one-acre site was sold from Hixon Properties to World Class Capital Group.

The plans refer to the project as “Trinity Place.”

Even with the Lakeside apartments to the south, a 6-9 story structured parking garage would allow clear lake views for most of a residential tower. Lakeside is an aging structure, so perhaps this is an opportunity for the City to partner with a developer to provide a modernized affordable housing component. Also, I think the Convention Center could be interested this site for future expansion. Either way, it’s exciting to see something happening on this site.

Trinity Place conceptual footprint – Cesar Chavez @ Trinty (pdf)

Filed Under: austin apartments, austin towers and high rises, development, downtown austin, lady bird lake, Railyard District

amber gugino | July 30, 2012 | 5 Comments

Banger’s in Rainey Street District Downtown Austin – MENU, Review, Video, Pics

Today was the grand opening of Banger’s Sausage House & Beer Garden in the Rainey Street District of Downtown Austin. Our office at the The Shore Condos is just a stone’s throw away, so we wanted to support one of the most anticipated venues coming to the ‘hood. We went, had a beer and some grub, and really just enjoyed the perfectly chill vibe, despite the crazy, terrible, make-me-want-to-stab-my-eyes-out heat.

Some will say this is Rainey Street’s answer to [Read more...]

Filed Under: austin bars, austin lifestyle, austin neighborhoods, austin recreation, austin restaurant reviews, austin small business, downtown austin, Downtown Austin lofts, condos, apartments, high rises, lady bird lake, Rainey Street District

amber gugino | May 23, 2012 | 12 Comments

Fishing Pier Coming to Lady Bird Lake in Rainey Street, Downtown Austin

The focus is on inclusion. That’s what Nicole Harmon of Core Health Foundation, a non-profit spin-off of Core Health (a for-profit facility focusing on rehabilitation of those suffering with brain injuries), tells me. The project is a fishing pier, located on the northern shore of Lady Bird Lake, just south of the Holiday Inn off I-35 in the Rainey Street District. The project has been in the works for over 8-years, but was officially approved in 2010, and construction is expected to be complete in 2013. And while the driver and primary purpose of this project is for [Read more...]

Filed Under: austin lifestyle, austin neighborhoods, austin parks, Austin photos, images, development, downtown austin, Downtown Austin Districts, lady bird lake, life, life in austin, miscellaneous, Rainey Street District, Real Estate, urban family

amber gugino | June 19, 2011 | 6 Comments

Pay By Donation Yoga in Rainey Street

Be Yoga just opened in the Rainey Street District!

Located in the Windsor (née Legacy on the Lake), Be Yoga is a no-frills studio, about 1,000 square feet, just a stone’s throw from the lake and across from the Milago condos.

Perhaps more intriguing than it’s location is the fact that it’s a [Read more...]

Filed Under: austin neighborhoods, austin recreation, austin retail, austin small business, austin towers and high rises, downtown austin, Downtown Austin Districts, lady bird lake, life, life in austin, Rainey Street District, small business

Jude Galligan | January 18, 2011 | 1 Comment

Seaholm Redevelopment Interactive Map

The Statesman has a really good interactive map of the Seaholm Redevelopment. Our skyline today is so impressive compared to just a few years ago. I’m excited for the proposed buildings to fill in the gaps!

Thanks to Scot @ Live Oak Pharmacy for the heads up!

Filed Under: downtown austin, Downtown Austin lofts, condos, apartments, lady bird lake Tagged With: seaholm

Jude Galligan | June 24, 2010 | 6 Comments

The Other Seaholm Project

The re-utilization of downtown Austin’s Seaholm Power Plant will happen. When? Not soon. Why? No $$$. No surprise.

However, at Wednesday evening’s Parks Commission meeting, CM Chris Riley shared the opportunity to adapt the Seaholm intake structure (which sits on the lake) into something usable and complimentary to the trail.

An ordinance passed in 1985 required facilities such as this, owned by the city, immediately become park land upon termination or cessation of their existing uses. Hence… PARD controls these buildings.

Furthermore, the 1987 Town Lake Park Comprehensive Plan states: “…the building south of W. First Street that houses the cooling water intake for the power plant is ideally situated for conversion to lakeside dining.” It goes on to suggest: “A water taxi stop will give additional access.”

OK, this is getting interesting, right?

PARD is strapped for cash, and PARD director Sarah Hensley is a progressive force. There is reason to be optimistic that something can happen here, and we’re not going to have to wait 10 years to see it realized.

According to CM Riley, the use should be contextual, and specifically cater to the myriad people using the trail. I understood this as concessionaires and open seating, rather than a proper restaurant as might be inferred from the plan. This makes sense, considering there is little/no room for additional parking here. Not a bad thing, IMO.

How can you help? Keep the discussion moving, and share the idea with your friends. Send a note to city council that you want to see these buildings put to public use.

-Jude

Filed Under: austin lifestyle, austin parks, austin recreation, lady bird lake, urban planning

Fred Schmidt | June 18, 2010 | 15 Comments

5 MAJOR ISSUES OF CONCERN ABOUT THE “BOARDWALK” PROJECT

Part 2 of 2 Parts (click here to read Part 1 – The Overview of the project and its design)

1. It is not a “boardwalk”. Look closely. It is an elevated concrete human highway. 14-feet wide, 6-feet above the water, up to 70 feet out from shore. Built of concrete and steel. Out over the open waters of our beautiful and naturally pristine lake/river.

Existing LBL Trail in front of Hyatt Hotel

2. Cheaper alternatives exist. Either fully on land, closer to land, or a combination of both. With specifications that start with the minimum specs of the existing Trail: the Hyatt Regency segment, 5 to 6 feet wide, between the First Street and Congress Avenue bridges. This CAN be built across nearly the entire 1.2 mile stretch. For far less cost. However the necessary analysis and conceptual design work has never been done. The necessary conversations have never been had.

3. The “full project cost” could actually be over $20 million. Nearly $4.3 million has already been allocated toward consultants and design over the past two years out of existing city budgets of which $2.4 million has been spent or obligated to date. Plus the $16 million more now sought for construction. All for 1.2 miles of roadway. This road should be paved with gold.

Existing LBL Trail pedestrian crossing over Longhorn Dam

4. This project does not “complete” the trail gap. It will lead users east along the shoreline to the Longhorn Dam. That dam has a narrow and dangerous sidewalk crossing – where two strollers can barely pass each other over the Dam – alongside heavy traffic flow on Pleasant Valley Road. Clearly a “Pfluger-style” pedestrian bridge needs to be built parallel to the west side of the dam. A very expensive bridge. Then there is another “gap” on the North Shore around the former Holly Power Plant. Those segments? Not addressed.

5. The cleverly packaged and named “Boardwalk” is itself a hazardous solution for the need it is trying to fill and the improved safety it is attempting to yield. True, the existing sidewalk-based trail routing along Riverside Drive has a challenging crossing at IH-35 and some close proximity to road traffic. Interestingly, though, no ped-bike-vehicle accidents statistics have ever been produced. Folks know they must be very careful getting through there. But the 14-foot wide Boardwalk over-design intentionally promotes high-speed, two-abreast, bicycle traffic…in two directions…out over the open river waters…in direct conflict with pedestrians, strollers, wheelchairs, dog-walkers, and others who would also be on the same pathway. There is nowhere to jump out of the way of danger. There is no easy way to reach injured parties. There is no shade out in the open water.

Some folks have been asking how this project came to be? Good question. Please read on…

Fred Schmidt | June 16, 2010 | 18 Comments

A Concrete Human Highway IN Our River? No. YES! And Why You Oughtta Care

Part 1 of 2 Parts – The Overview

If you browsed the Austin American-Statesman or Austin Business Journal yesterday, no doubt you saw the headlines:

“$16 million boardwalk leads Austin bond proposal. City releases draft list of $84.8 million in transportation projects for possible November election.” (AAS)

“City unveils $85M bond package” (ABJ)

At first glance, it might sound like an appealing proposition, this Boardwalk project. What’s not to like?

A sample "Boardwalk" you may envision.

Or maybe something like this.

The term “boardwalk” itself conjures up images of a pretty little wooden footbridge traversing burbling creeks and meandering through soggy sections of beautiful dense forest. It’s a project of the Parks Department, and we all do love our parks, yes?

Finding a way to “extend” Downtown Austin’s wonderful riverfront hike-bike path through one of the sections where it currently follows a narrow sidewalk along a busy road, Riverside Drive — well, that sounds like a no-brainer, too, right? At least to those of us who frequent the Town Lake Trail multiple times a week.

(Sidenote for those of you paying attention: City Council changed the name of the urban portion of the river from Town Lake to Lady Bird Lake after the former First Lady and Trail Founder passed away in 2007. The name of “the simple walking path along the shore” that she envisioned back in 1971 is still called the Town Lake Trail in Parks Department materials. Hard to tell what to properly call it.)

And $85 million, though it’s a big number for a still-sluggish economic recovery, nevertheless is a comparatively small chunk of change when you apply that spend against a truckload of “transportation projects”. Concrete and asphalt don’t come cheap.

To find the serious problems in this equation I’m afraid there’s no substitute for having to dive into the details. As with so many of life’s problems and issues, that’s where the devil is hiding. Let’s take a look.

First off there’s the topline math. $16 million for a single project — one that is a luxury add and carries no financial ROI with it — out of a total $85 million bonding capacity. That’s almost one-fifth of the total ask! For just one project. According to the ABJ story, the Transportation Department and the Bond Review Task Force were charged with evaluating 500 projects that had to be divided into “A,” “B” and “C” categories.

The “A” list of “highest priority” projects added up to about 45 and still carried an estimated total cost between $2 billion and $3 billion, three to four times the total bonding capacity. Somehow the Boardwalk, in its totality, made it to the further shortened list of “A” projects left standing. What about the other 480 or so projects? What about all the other regions of the city and their transportation, sidewalk, pothole and trail needs?

Then there is the matter of the Boardwalk project itself. While it hasn’t been an entirely secretive endeavor, its details have been less than well publicized or understood by the broad Austin citizenry, that’s for sure. For the past three years, this project has been marching its determined way through the city conceptual and design process, rubber-stamped by two unanimous city councils every step of the way, and fueled by almost $4.3 million in dedicated allocations out of the past couple city budgets. For the past year, that’s been a reported spend rate of about $40,000 per week for consultants, plans and documentation.

Next let’s check out this purported Boardwalk and find out what it’s really made of using the City’s own slides from its presentation decks. The following pictures are quite self-explanatory.

Shock.

Gasp.

Horror.

What?

How can this be?

There are no boards in this boardwalk!

The entire battleship structure is made of concrete and steel!

And it’s out IN the friggin’ river!

And that, friends, is how we end up with something like THIS rather than the “simple walking path along the shore” that Lady Bird Johnson had sought.

Can’t help but wonder: what would she think of all this?

Though about a year out of date now, what information the city has provided on this project can be found here. There is some bare bones stuff there about the proposed routing, construction materials and answers to about 20 FAQs. Check it out.

In Part 2 of this story I’ll tell you about: The Top 5 Issues of Concern about the Boardwalk project.

Finally, in Part 3 we’ll contemplate some other realities about our crown jewel community asset, the Town Lake Trail, that may finally be time to come to grips with: bicycles vs. pedestrians.

Filed Under: austin lifestyle, austin news, austin parks, Austin photos, images, austin recreation, austin transit, city council, downtown austin, lady bird lake, life, life in austin, urban planning

Benjamin Gustafsson | February 14, 2010 | Leave a Comment

Austin Views: Mount Bonnell

In recognition of Valentine’s day, today’s Austin Views features one of the most romantic places in the city. With a panoramic view of Downtown Austin and Lady Bird Lake from Tom Miller Dam to the 360 Bridge, Mount Bonnell is one of Austin’s greatest vantage points.

Please, feel free to post your own images of or from Mount Bonnell.

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