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Violet Crown Cinema To Open In April

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The 2nd Street District in downtown Austin is known for being a chic shopping and dining district in the city center.  Populated with trendy wine bars, boutique dress shops, upscale furniture stores, and fashionable residential apartments and condos, 2nd street’s motto “Shop. Live. Dine.” seems to encompass your options pretty completely.

Well, not after April 2011. The 2nd street district’s motto will most likely have to change to add the word “See.” As in, see indie art films. The Violet Crown Cinema is slated to open in late April of this year. [Read more…] about Violet Crown Cinema To Open In April

Car2Go Partners With Whole Foods HQ

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Need a car to get your groceries home?  Now you can hop in one of the dedicated Car2Go smart cars parked in the Whole Foods garage, according to today’s press release.  You’ll find them on the “P1” level of the garage.

Living on Rainey Street I sometimes have the impulse to walk to Whole Foods via a leisurely stroll on the trail.  Only to come to my senses a split second later about how I’m going to get groceries home.  So, I end up driving my car.  This is a practical solution that could change that.

416 Congress Ave: Boutique Hotel Renderings

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Downtown Austin Blog learned this past May about a project to erect a boutique hotel over what is currently Sky Lounge.  Known simply as “416 Congress” we now have images and renderings from Dick Clark architecture that will be presented to the Downtown Commission.   The proposal calls for 130 rooms and 26 stories.  Downtown Austin rarely sees tall mid-block construction.

This could be a harbinger for more mid-block development and we hope the city supports the concept, not that it’s perfect.  Expect some discussion around parking and sidewalk width. The site is not encumbered by a Capitol View Corridor, but there are setback requirements.  The developer is seeking CBD-CURE zoning in order to bump the FAR from 8:1 to 13:1.

More info and pics after the jump. [Read more…] about 416 Congress Ave: Boutique Hotel Renderings

CBD + OMV = Doh!

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CBD zoning was required to create the giant residential tax base we now have in downtown Austin.  CBD zoning also enables bars to easily obtain OMV permits.  These are good examples of the power of CBD zoning. However, there is a legacy problem surfacing in CBD zoned non-entertainment districts of downtown Austin: compatibility.

The surge in new OMV permits issued outside of the established entertainment districts in downtown Austin has generated a response from the Downtown Austin Neighborhood Association.  DANA has issued a position letter (pdf) that suggests procedural, enforcement, and compatibility improvements to be applied outside of E. 6th Street and the Warehouse District.

BTW, the local news media is going to generate plenty of hyperbole and “show down” sensationalism.  I choose to ignore it.  The solution to compatibility problems boils down to common sense and compromise. [Read more…] about CBD + OMV = Doh!