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Coming Soon: The Changing Face Of The Railyard District

by | March 21, 2012 |15 Comments
westlake dermatology downtown austin

Let it be known as the Railyard District, that part of downtown Austin, south of 5th Street and sandwiched between Congress Ave and the Austin Convention Center.  You could straddle the convention center and include the area east, around Moonshine, too.

It’s an interesting mix of conventioneers and locals, both feeding on chicken and waffles at Max’s Wine Dive.

For decades, the district has been anchored by the Railyard condos, and recently flanked by the Four Seasons.  Soon, these will not be the only full time residences.

In the past couple of years we’ve seen improvements and new businesses open in the neighborhood, including AF1 Racing, Vince Young Steakhouse, Hank’s Garage (which is gone), and Skinny’s Ballroom.

Walking around a post-SXSW absent is the hyper-pedestrianism of the past 10 days, and I observe a “coming soon” sign.  I see more as I keep walking.  In one lap around the Railyard district, I counted nine businesses or projects “coming soon”!

Nine!

What’s COMING SOON to the Railyard District?   [Read more...]

Filed Under: austin apartments, austin lifestyle, austin neighborhoods, Austin photos, images, austin small business, development, downtown austin, Downtown Austin Districts, Railyard District, Real Estate, urban planning

10 Minutes From Rainey Street

by | October 20, 2011 |3 Comments
Starting In Rainey Street, How Far Can You Go In 10 Minutes?

Starting in downtown Austin’s Rainey Street neighborhood, we approximate the distance we can travel by foot, by bike, or by car in 10 minutes.

You can try it, too, after the jump.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: austin lifestyle, austin transit, life in austin, Rainey Street District, urban planning

Mega Presentation On Urban Rail Tuesday

by | June 13, 2011 |4 Comments
austin rail

NEWS FLASH: According to a source at City Hall, the Austin Transportation Department is slated to give a big presentation June 14 that will be “a substantial briefing” on urban rail and begins to start answering Uncle Lee’s 30 crucial questions and “then some.”

The mayor has pushed a 2012 bond election funding a first leg for a new mode of mass transit in Austin.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: austin news, austin traffic, austin transit, city council, development, downtown austin, rumors, gossip, urban planning

Vote For Austin Bike Share

by | April 1, 2011 |4 Comments
minneapolis bike share

We’ve got some momentum on this: improving last-mile and recreational transit by installing bike share hubs throughout Austin’s urban core.   DAB readers know this is something I’ve been passionate about for years.  The idea has the attention of multiple Austin City Council members.  Take five seconds and **VOTE NOW**!

Filed Under: austin lifestyle, austin transit, downtown austin, urban planning Tagged With:

Live (Work, or Play) in Downtown Austin? Join DANA (Downtown Austin Neighborhood Association)

by | March 18, 2011 |Leave a Comment
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Jude and I are both on the board of the Downtown Austin Neighborhood Association (DANA) – a grassroots community organization dedicated to improving the lives of those who live, work, and / or play in the Downtown Austin Community. It’s an organization that we believe in, and an organization that is affecting positive change in our community.

For our readers who are downtown residents (or, who spend a significant amount of time downtown for work or for pleasure), I urge you to become a member of the organization.

A little info: [Read more...]

Filed Under: austin condos, austin lifestyle, austin neighborhoods, austin news, austin parks, austin recreation, austin small business, development, downtown austin, Downtown Austin Districts, Downtown Austin lofts, condos, apartments, high rises, life, life in austin, miscellaneous, small business, urban family, urban planning

A Different View

by | September 21, 2010 |6 Comments

As Amber and I walked out of Frank last week, I couldn’t help but notice this view.  There’s nothing particularly dramatic about it.  What is interesting, to me at least, is that for years this view didn’t exist.

201 E 5th Street obstructed the view to 5th Street from this block of Colorado St.  That building was recently razed, and was replaced with a surface level parking lot.  Eventually, the “1 Hotel” is supposed to occupy the land once they find the capital to commence with site permitting and construction.

Until then, the open space replaces a vacant and ugly building.  I’m usually against taking down a building of higher and better use and replacing it with a surface level parking lot.  But in this instance I’m ambivalent.  Now, the “energy” at 5th @ Colorado, a gateway into downtown Austin’s Warehouse District, just feels good… better.

It’s more inviting to see through to Colorado St, rather than walk around what was a “dead” building. A completed “1 Hotel” would energize the district, but until that time, this surface level parking lot is better than what it replaced.

-Jude

Filed Under: downtown austin, urban planning

Lamar Blvd Sidewalks Of Doom Get Upgraded

by | September 13, 2010 |6 Comments

Ever notice the broken four feet of pathway allocated to pedestrians daring to use Lamar Blvd to cross 3rd Street? This walking route will soon become less tenuous as new sidewalks are being installed.

Barricades to protect pedestrians would be nice. Also, I want the knitted artwork back.

Filed Under: downtown austin, urban planning

Deconstruction @ 201 W. 5th Street

by | July 29, 2010 |2 Comments

Clearing the way for a new, and much needed hotel in downtown Austin, 201 W. 5th has been demolished. The concept, “1 Hotel” was announced last September and is being designed by BOKA Powell.

What is not clear is when construction of the hotel will begin, leaving many people concerned about the blight of more surface level parking.

Below are photos taken over the past few days showing the incremental demolition of the old building.

Photo courtesy of Chris Bradford (click image for article)

Filed Under: Austin photos, images, austin towers and high rises, Austin Views, downtown austin, urban planning

Proposal: A Pocket Park For Rainey Street District

by | July 21, 2010 |1 Comment
RaineyInput-2

On August 3rd, PARD will present a concept for a new park in the Rainey Street District.  We inquired about the specific location, but didn’t get a specific answer.  Above are four locations where we think it could end up.  The most likely location would be to the southeast, close to Waller Beach – which has the distinction of having accessible parking, and is home to the only kids’ playscape in downtown Austin.

UPDATE: According to PARD (thanks!), “pocket parks” by definition have minor amenities, and generally don’t provide parking.  The location is TBD, based on input from the upcoming workshop, but it’s likely to be south of Cummings St.  There might be bond money for playground replacement, and possibly parkland dedication funds available.

Filed Under: urban planning

6th Street’s New Back In Parking

by | July 12, 2010 |6 Comments

Nine months after the plan was announced, this week they begin the parking improvements to 6th Street that will result in angles “back in” style parking.  This is a shift from parallel parking found on most of W 6th.  This has been espoused as a safer method of parking when trying to facilitate a major east-west artery, bike lane, and retail parking.

Filed Under: austin transit, urban planning
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