I enrolled at the University of Texas in 1995… when Tower Records was the SPOT! I was buying Wu-Tang CDs like Ol’ Dirty Bastard was having kids. The building was originally the Varsity Theatre. In recent years it’s been vacant, after a poorly timed retail attempt by a bookstore, Intellectual Property Capital. The ABJ’s Jacob Dirr scoops what’s next for one of the most desirable retail sites in Austin, along with some history of the building. We found some old photos to share with you. [Read more…] about Varsity Theatre
Archives for 2011
Progress at 68-74 Rainey Street
A couple of weeks ago we discovered this Rainey Street development site was placed under contract. Asking price was $2.4MM for the 0.57-acre parcel (24,840ft) assembled from three contiguous single family lots.
Thanks to a tip from Downtown Austin Blog reader Austin Talley [Austin is a rare downtown resident who owns and lives in a single family home in the Rainey Street neighborhood] there appears to be geotechnical survey truck on the 68-74 Rainey Street property today taking core samples.
Austin, who is an engineer, shared with us “… geotechnical engineering studies are primarily done to investigate subsurface conditions to assist with engineering design for a large scale building or other large projects. The previous times I saw a geotechnical truck in the Rainey area the Legacy, Shore, and Milago were later built on the sites. It is likely [Read more…] about Progress at 68-74 Rainey Street
Completed Deconstruction Of Green Water Treatment Plant (PICS)
We just got a note and some pics from Cindy Jordan with COA Public Works Dept. This looks like it could be a park! Great progress for downtown Austin, especially the 2nd Street District. “The work has reached Substantial Completion!!! If you drive by the site on Cesar Chavez you can actually see that the site is clear and that the area has been seeded. We hope to have grass growing soon to stabilize the dirt. The site will remain as it is until the redevelopment team takes possession and starts their construction.”
Pics after the jump! [Read more…] about Completed Deconstruction Of Green Water Treatment Plant (PICS)
Upzoning Sought For W 7th Street Sites
The Austin Business Journal is reporting that 701 and 711 W 7th Street in downtown Austin are seeking an upzoning to CBD. 701 W 7th is zoned “GR – general retail” and 711 W 7th is zoned “GO – general office”. Both zoning definitions cap building height at 60 feet. The properties are adjacent and if packaged together they would represent a half-block of prime [Read more…] about Upzoning Sought For W 7th Street Sites
The Dinner Detective: Interactive Murder Mystery Dinner Show Comes to Downtown Austin
Update 2/20/2011: Check out their Facebook Page!
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Want to eat a four-course meal AND solve a fictional murder? Well, pretty soon, you’ll be able to do just that in downtown Austin. The Dinner Detective, an interactive dinner theatre concept originating in Los Angeles, is coming to Austin this month.
Last week, I sat down and briefly spoke with Mike McLendon, one of the Executive Producers of the show. After graduation from UT a few years ago, Mike moved to LA to pursue acting. He fell in with the crew of The Dinner Detective, and began acting in their LA shows. According to Mike, the show concept was so popular, the owner decided to, in essence, [Read more…] about The Dinner Detective: Interactive Murder Mystery Dinner Show Comes to Downtown Austin