Home

Slake Cafe in Downtown Austin – No Muss No Fuss

AG | October 10, 2013 |

I never turn down a free lunch. So when Alex, the GM for Slake Cafe in downtown Austin at 7th and Brazos (where Bakerman’s Bakery used to be) sent me a note inviting me to come in for just that, how could I say no?

The weather was beautiful, so I walked from the office to Slake at around noon the other day. There were several patrons in line already, and the tiny little front area of the cafe (apparently, the entire Slake space is about 3,400 sf, but it’s mostly kitchen) had a bit of a chaotic, but not bad, feel (there were people in line, people milling about waiting for their order, couple of folks eating at the sparse interior tables, 4 or 5 folks behind the counter – kind of a lot going on in not a lot of square footage). They are about to [Read more…] about Slake Cafe in Downtown Austin – No Muss No Fuss

Where Could You Put A Permanent Public Market In Downtown Austin?

Jude Galligan | September 23, 2013 |

The Downtown Austin Alliance is hosting a meeting this Wednesday (you can RSVP here) to discuss whether downtown Austin is ripe for a public market. They’ll also be bringing in a public market expert from a group called the Project for Public Spaces to discuss them with us.

I’m no expert but to me public markets are different than farmer’s markets. They should operate every day, often have options to sit-n-eat, and enjoy a cosmopolitan experience. Above all, a public market should be a “place,” a “destination,” and unique experience that melds cultures where you would take in-laws visiting from out of town.

Where would it go?

There are only a few sites downtown that could host a large public market. Fortunately, most of these sites desperately need more activation.

Below are four site options in order of best opportunity! (Hat tip to mi amigo, Jake Dirr, who helped brainstorm with me on this)

1) Convention Center Parking Garage ground floor (600 E 4th St): The ground floor of this city-owned parking garage is set up for retail, but fell victim to years of litigation regarding the original property owner, Harry Whittington. It’s adjacent to transit, and surrounded by parking. The ground floor could be gutted to create an indoor bazaar and market. Because this option is climate controlled, it offers a year-round option, where as open aired public markets will suffer considerably in the 100-plus degree heat.

Kimber Modern Is Coming To Downtown Austin – And It Looks Incredible

Jude Galligan | September 17, 2013 |

If you have ever looked for parking behind the Continental Club on South Congress, you may have been surprised to see the Kimber Modern hotel quietly tucked along the back street.

The Kimber, with it’s clean, manicured building lines, has become a favorite destination for people visiting Austin, or even Austinites taking a staycation.

Though the notion of a Kimber Modern in the Rainey District has been percolating for a while now, the principals have been very tight lipped.

For the first time, we have an original rendering of the project that we can share, and can confirm that it will be called, simply, “Kimber Modern Rainey.”

Here’s what we know…

– 30 hotel rooms (approx.)
– Four above grade floors
– One floor of underground parking
– Street level lobby, bar, pool, and restaurant open to the public
– Three floors of rooms
– Designed by Burton Baldridge
– Will be operated by Kimber Modern Team
– Co-Developed and built by Acero Construction

In almost poetic contrast to some of the recent cookie-cutter development in and around downtown, the Kimber Modern Rainey will be one of a kind.

Rendering of new Kimber Modern coming to Rainey Street district

It’s always refreshing to see a development putting forth a bold design vision. Despite how much downtown Austin has evolved, many of us feel a bit let down by safe “beige box” aesthetic of several new buildings. Hat tip to Burton Baldridge on the design.

The site for the chic bed & breakfast’s 2nd location will be on East Ave (near the corner of River St), sharing an alley with the core of Rainey Street. Made up of two adjacent lots: 62 & 64 East Ave, it will welcome people into the neighborhood.

I’m excited that owner Kimber Cavendish and Vicki Faust are bringing this kind of quality, home-grown hospitality into the Rainey Street area, four years after they launched their South Congress base.

Notably, the South Congress location picked as on of 13 winners (out of 227 entries) in 2012 to receive the Texas Society of Architects Design Awards from a total of 227 entries.

The Kimber joins Hotel Van Zandt in the neighborhood, which finally erupted into construction earlier this year after years of smoke. Just outside the ‘hood the mega-luxury, mega-size Fairmont is also looking to get underway soon.

Plans Evolve For Rainey Street’s Waller Center

Jude Galligan | September 16, 2013 |

Here are the latest revisions to the 3 acre Waller Center plan – an ambitious project that stretches along the east bank of Waller Creek, from E Cesar Chavez to Davis Street.

The updated renderings (below) give a more comprehensive vision for the massing of three distinct towers, and how they could be best be oriented. According to the ABJ‘s interview with development firm, The Sutton Company, their target is to submit plans to the City of Austin for approval by late November

Here’s what we know about the goals of the project:

Tower A is a 21 story office building
Tower B is a 46 story residential tower
Tower C is a 38 story mixed use Tower
Target FAR is 10:1
26,000 ft retail (possibly grocery store)

Checkout the images below.

Downtown Austin News & Rumor Roundup

Jude Galligan | September 15, 2013 |

Wooldridge Park is open again

Wooldridge Park – the basin-like lawn and gazebo at 9^th & Guadalupe – opened this past week after a year-long upgrade with drought-tolerant turf grass, a new irrigation system and electrical upgrades including high-efficiency LED light fixtures.

The upgrade was made possible, by in-large, due to the selfless and dogged determination of DAB friend Michael McGill, a city council staffer in Sheryl Cole’s office and a founder of Friends of Woolridge Square.

If you see Mike in the ‘hood, and you value downtown Austin, please take a moment to tell him: “Thank you.”

That aside, the question everyone is asking is if the park will revert back into a hangout for homeless people, as it was pre-upgrade. I have a hard time believing that the people who invested so much time and energy into upgrading this place will allow it to revert back into a Hooverville.

I’ll keep tabs on this and update everyone in a few months!

New Kids on the (Downtown) Block

Downtown Austin’s largest property holder – Thomas Properties – just let go of it’s book of commercial properties… sort of.

Orlando-based Parkway Properties Inc. acquired Thomas, in what is described as a “merger,” but it remains to be seen how the acquisition will impact downtown Austin, as Thomas Properties’ influence runs deep around here.

The ABJ did a bang-up job detailing the properties impacted and digging into the local reaction.

Children’s museum shutters downtown

The Austin Children’s Museum closed its doors earlier this month, as it prepares to rebrand and relocate to new, custom-built, space out in Mueller.

First opened in 1983, the museum moved to its 2^nd Street location in 1997. Since that time, 2^nd Street has grown into a thriving live/work/play strip of downtown. I think that the bright green, children-themed façade of the museum helped lend an air of comfort to people exploring downtown from the suburbs, which helped revitalize downtown. So, it’s departure is a loss for downtown.

The ABJ previously reported that the building would be leased, but I’ll be interested to see if it is razed for another skyscraper instead.

The Whitley Apartment Building Is For Sale

Jude Galligan | September 10, 2013 |

Downtown Austin’s most recently completed apartment building is for sale according to commercial real estate company CBRE’s website.

The timing is interesting because the Whitley just welcomed its first tenants only a few months ago. And, we were very excited when Royal Blue Grocery was announced as an anchor bodega-grocery store.

Construction of the Whitley was first announced back in September 2011, and would replace the former Whitley Paper warehouse that occupied a half-block at the northeast corner of 3rd & Brazos Street (just south of the Railyard condos).

Since the building’s completion, they have already achieved 66% occupancy, according to the info on CBRE’s website. That’s nearly 176 apartments rented in just a few months!!!

Details:
-266 units (66% leased)
-16 stories
-12,000 ft of ground level retail space (100% leased)
-333 structured parking spaces
-Price is to be determined by market

whitley-apartments-austin-exterior — View of the Whitley from southwest corner of 3rd & Brazos

Big Changes Coming to Guadalupe & Lavaca

Jude Galligan | September 10, 2013 |

There’s so much chatter about transportation projects that have varying degrees of reality, it’s hard to keep track sometimes.

One of those projects is coming online in the very near future and going to have big impacts on the downtown transportation grid.

Starting next year, the right most travel lanes on Guadalupe and Lavaca will become the Transit Priority Lanes for the MetroRapid busses. Vehicles in these lanes will be restricted to transit vehicles and cars making right turns.

Notably, in addition to the new MetroRapid busses, all the bus transit will be diverted to those streets from Congress Avenue, which will pay dividends for drivers on Congress and also significantly improve the pedestrian environment – the latter that I predict will catalyze more sidewalk and pocket park cafes along Congress.

Patio Perfect – How to Make The Most of Your Downtown Austin Condo’s Balcony Space

AG | September 5, 2013 |

I will admit, my patio here at The Shore Condos has not been top of mind lately. With our condo facing west (read: pretty much useless from afternoon until the sun goes down), and the Austin summer heat being so crazy, I don’t actually spend much time out there.

Now, with fall coming up, I’m starting to give real thought on maximizing our outdoor space.

I envision Saturday mornings with fresh coffee and scones, reading the paper. Or, fall evenings enjoying the view and a beer with friends. Or, maybe, we put the patio to real use and do a small outdoor herb garden. Or, maybe we can do ALL of these things! So many choices, so little space!

To give you an idea of the space I’m trying to maximize: we are working with a 10 ft long, 4 ft deep patio space. And some of that really can’t be used (about 3 ft x 4ft), because we have a door that swings outward into the patio. So, really about 7 ft x 4 ft.

I’ve done some online research, and the advice for maximizing balcony space seems to generally be universal:

Add seating that is scaled to the size of your patio. A good example is the “Bryant Park Chair”.
Keep items lightweight, mobile, and if possible, dual purpose (seating with storage, for instance).
Use bold colors
Make use of plants, but try to keep planting vertical. The Great Outdoors on S. Congress is your friend!
Avoid clutter
Add an outdoor rug or other textile to cover exposed concrete.

Below are some pictures that have given me inspiration:

Small-Balcony-Design-Ideas_11 — http://www.stylisheve.com/small-balcony-design-ideas/

http://www.shelterness.com/25-cozy-balcony-decorating-ideas/

Private-small-balcony — http://www.decoist.com/2013-05-02/tips-for-decorating-a-small-balcony/

awsome-small-garden-ideas8 — http://www.outdoortheme.com/outdoor-design-decor/awesome-small-balcony-design-ideas/

We’re really interested to see is how some you high-rise dwellers are decorating YOUR balconies! I know that I can’t be the only one who is having or who has had this challenge. I would LOVE to see some reader patios / balconies – feel free to post in the comments.

Public Art and Austin Floods

AG | September 3, 2013 |

I recently wrote a little blurb on The People’s Gallery, a project that’s part of the Art in Public Places program by the City of Austin’s Economic Growth and Redevelopment Services department. I’m a fan of the program, and think these types of City projects and programs help to make our city great!

That’s why I’d like to continue, from time to time, highlighting these little gems of public works in Downtown Austin. Today’s piece, I’m embarrassed to say, just came into my purview, even though I’m an almost daily runner of Lady Bird Lake’s 3 mile loop.

I happened to notice it the other day, and thought I’d share some shots of the work, particularly since they highlight some history of the lake and Austin. The piece is done by Deborah Mersky and is called [Read more…] about Public Art and Austin Floods

It’s Open! No Va Kitchen and Bar on Rainey Street

AG | August 31, 2013 |

I’ve been watching 87 Rainey for some time, and I’ve been anxiously awaiting to try No Va Kitchen and Bar since I first saw the TABC notice on the door in May 2012.

Well, it’s finally open, and I had the chance to try it last night. Despite the name, the restaurant / bar concept is a definite go.

So many things to like! First off, there’s a celebrity chef component (Brad Sorenson of The Next Food Network Star fame), AND he’s really friendly! Second, more FOOD on Rainey (which, as a Rainey resident, is very near and dear to my heart and stomach). The food is tasty and not crazy expensive!