downtown Austin's real estate and neighborhood blog
Complete pricing for the downtown Austin condo, The Shore, is available Jude Galligan, 512-226-3414, judegalligan [@] gmail.com
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(512) 226-3414
Jude Galligan
Downtown Austin Realtor
More images after the jump!
[Read more…] about The Shore Austin: Photos and Images
Now this is an example of a inclusive mayoral campaign. Brewster McCracken has launched “Ideas for Austin” – a website that works much like digg.com – visitors can suggest city initiatives and vote on their importance. What’s interesting is that ANYONE can participate. Including those supporting Lee Leffingwell or Carole Strayhorn. We can all agree that it gets old being pandered to by our politicians. This is one of the most progressive platform tools I’ve seen. The City of Austin should take notes and provide the citizens a site this well done.
-Jude
If you’re looking for something to do this weekend walk on over to Sixth Street’s old Pecan Street Festival. Let’s see if I can recall the old street names…. 5th Street used to be “Pine”, 4th used to be “Cedar”, 7th used to be “Bois de Arc”. Check out this old map of downtown Austin for more.
You know that house on the south bank of the lake, just west of and next to I35? It’s on the top of the hill? You’ve undoubtedly seen it if you’ve been to the dog park on Riverside Drive.
That’s the Norwood House in Travis Heights, and it needs your help.
The first time you look at that house you ask yourself, WTF? “Look at that view of downtown Austin… how could this house be allowed to deteriorate?” The answer: the City of Austin purchased it in 1985.
Ironically, in a city that’s known for having a plan for everything, including making plans, the city didn’t have a plan for this.
Originally constructed in 1922 by Ollie and Calie Norwood, the house quickly became one of Austin’s most notable residences. Here you can see the house in its glory days. Tennis courts, tea gardens, and a dramatic view across the river (it wasn’t a lake at the time) of downtown Austin. Ollie Norwood is the name behind downtown Austin’s Norwood Tower.
The house has been examined and can be saved. The Austin Parks Foundation is partnering with a group of activists called the “Norwood Posse” to raise funds to rehabilitate the house. Since the house is part of Austin’s park system, its use must be open to the public. If you would like more information, or to contribute to Norwood House’s rehabilitation you can contact Wolf Sittler at 447-2150, email restorenorwood [@] yahoo.com, or visit AustinParks.org.
-Jude
Austinist is reporting that Travis House could be replaced soon. I haven’t seen plans for what could replace it, but the owners believe it needs to be razed to do whatever it is they might do. Eric Van Hyfte of BOKA Powell architects appealed to the Historic Landmark Commission last night (detail pdf).
The structure currently known as Travis House is sort of downtown Austin obscurity. The building has been vacant for years and was victim of a fire in January. In past this building has served as a YWCA and also the Guadalupe Hotel. Before 1946 the site was the location of a Southwestern Bell garage. I recall while at UT, the building was a halfway house.
Interestingly, directly across the street at the burned out Guadalupe Arts Center, 1705 Guadalupe and 1715 Guadalupe have jointly obtained entitlements for 350 foot height and a 12:1 FAR which translates into a 30 story tower.
It’s my understanding that historic landmarks do nothing to preserve the ‘history’ of a building, only to prevent it from being torn down. If anyone has more information please email me or share in the comments.
-Jude
image links to pdf
Thanks to DANA’s Roger Cauvin for the heads up on this Daily Texan article!
