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Day two, becoming a model urban neighborhood: what does Downtown Austin need?

by | February 16, 2009 |3 Comments

Each day this week I am serving up one item, with non-politically correct candor, that Downtown Austin needs to become a model of re-urbanization, as I see it.

Politicians love to talk, form task forces, and spend time doing everything except for making decisions as they are needed.  So, this is an appeal to Downtown Austin stakeholders that know how to get things done:  the residents, developers, retailers, and land owners.

I want a hardware store on Congress Ave.

Breed & Co is a hugely successful hardware store operating near UT.   A pedestrian neighborhood needs a proper hardware store.  Sometimes you just need some screws, spackle, or paint.  Currently, I need to get in my car and drive to Home Depot.  A better solution is to provide the existing 3,954 households with a local hardware store.

recognizing the importance of an urban hardward store

recognizing the importance of an urban hardward store

Filed Under: development, downtown austin, life, retail, small business, urban family, urban planning

Becoming a model urban neighborhood: what does Downtown Austin need?

by | February 15, 2009 |8 Comments
Stratus's rendering for HEB at Seaholm

Each day this week I am serving up one item, with non-politically correct candor, that Downtown Austin needs to become a model of re-urbanization, as I see it.

Politicians love to talk, form task forces, and spend time doing everything except for making decisions as they are needed.  So, this is an appeal to Downtown Austin stakeholders that know how to get things done:  the residents, developers, retailers, and land owners.

I want a Super Target on Congress Ave.

Yes, it’s known as a big box store and is identified with sprawl.  It doesn’t need to be that way! Retailers like H-E-B and WalMart are sophisticated enough to design stores that work as urban infill or adaptive reuse projects.  A large destination store that has groceries and products that people need [and can afford] on a regular basis would be amazingly successful.

Remember that rendering produced by Stratus for the Seaholm redevelopment which depicted a multi-story H-E-B?  That was inspired.

Downtown Austin landlords with retail space should begin to focus less on luxury goods and more on “liveability” goods.  I don’t want to see more boutiques.  I don’t want to see more salons.  I don’t want to see more bars/lounges.  These are all fine, except they serve a very limited audience.  The next wave of successful retail in Downtown Austin will be for products that people need and can afford to purchase.

Stratus's rendering for HEB at Seaholm

Stratus's rendering for HEB at Seaholm

Filed Under: buildings, development, downtown austin, Real Estate, retail, small business, urban family, urban planning

Downtown Austin Farmers Market

by | February 13, 2009 |Leave a Comment

Meet the farmers and shoppers at the Sustainable Food Center’s locally grown Austin Farmer’s Market.   On Saturday mornings Austinites flock to Downtown to purchase organic produce grown by independent farmers in central Texas.

Every Saturday from 9am-1pm
4th @ Guadalupe
website

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Filed Under: downtown austin, life, small business, urban family

Emergence of Austin's Urban Family?

by | January 5, 2009 |1 Comment

Last month a baby was born in my building! No kidding. Mom and Dad decided to employ a mid-wife and birth the baby in their condo.

This morning Chris Bradford over at Austin Contrarian posted an interesting map showing where “families” lived in the year 2000. Downtown Austin, not surprisingly, showed very few. Downtown Austin in 2000 was a much different place. We didn’t have a supermarket. We didn’t have Frost Tower. We didn’t have the Convention Center. We didn’t have much of what makes Downtown a special place. If you wanted anything more than a two bedroom home you could look at the Towers of Town Lake or Cambridge Towers – take your pick!

I know several families living in Downtown Austin. In fact, the Mayor’s family lives in a Downtown Austin condo. The U.S. Government conducts its census every 10 years and I cant wait to see the 2010 numbers.

Filed Under: data, statistics, downtown austin, history, life, urban family
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