- Starwood hotel proposed at Fifth and Colorado
- Marc Katz to run for LT. Governor
- Downtown Austin thrives in economic slump (kvue)
- Downtown living flourishes (News 8 Austin)
- AMLI on 2nd locks down $32MM loan (ABJ)
Archives for September 2009
Waller Creek Project Newsletter
Bars On Rainey Street
Click here for more recent DAB articles covering the Rainey Street neighborhood.
Over the weekend I was walking down Rainey Street and decided to collect photos of the explosion of TABC application permits. It’s worth pointing out again our belief that downtown Austin has an “over saturation of bars” to quote Tom Stacy at today’s RECA luncheon. Single nighttime only uses would be short sighted, and will fail to tap into the consumer demands of the 858+ residences in the Rainey Street neighborhood. Of course, TABC application posts do not indicate that the venue will just be a bar – the venue is just as likely to be a restaurant or cafe.
Below is a complete list of burgeoning Rainey Street venues. DAB readers, please use the comments to fill in any details you know about these venues.
[Link to recent Statesman article]
“El Naranjito”
85 Rainey Street
application only
“Container Bar”
90 Rainey Street
application only
“96”
96 Rainey Street
under construction (link)
“Lustre Pearl”
97 Rainey Street
open for business
“Clive Bar”
609 Davis Street
application + under construction
-Jude
W Hotel Sneak Peak Of Facade
Thanks to Priller over at SkyscraperPage for the pic of the facade beginning to take form at the W Hotel (aka. Block 21 Residences) in downtown Austin.
Central Austin Transit Issues
City of Austin Transportation Director, Rob Spillar, has been in the news recently presenting the reality of central Austin roads. No new roads can be constructed inside Central Austin. We need to quickly implement signal timing efficiencies wherever possible. Further we must acknowledge that central Austin roads are at full capacity and embark upon new modes of transportation. I like Rob’s approach, lest we become culpable observers for worsening city problems.
The ABJ is reporting on a resurgence in the discussion for central Austin rail system. I like Mark Littlefield’s quote:
“Mark Littlefield, a public affairs political consultant, said the entity chosen to run the proposed rail system will be an important aspect in determining how voters stomach a potential bond vote. The economy will also factor in, he said.
‘We could have, hypothetically, the most economically, financially responsible plan that makes the most transportation sense and could solve every traffic problem in Austin forever, but if it’s going to be run by Cap Metro, it would have a difficult time passing,’ he said.”
-Jude