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Veterans Day Parade

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From Travis County Press Release:

Veterans Day Parade, memorial service to pay tribute to military families

The Travis County/City of Austin Veterans Day Parade will march along Congress Avenue beginning at 9 a.m. Wednesday, culminating with a memorial services at the State Capitol. The parade will start from the Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge and continue to the Capitol. Spectators can observe the parade at any point along Congress Avenue. A reviewing stand will be at the Inter-Continental Stephen F. Austin Hotel at Seventh Street and Congress. A special ceremony honoring the families of veterans and active duty military will be conducted at 11 a.m. at the south steps of the Capitol. The Commemorative Air Force from San Marcos will also be performing a flyover during the ceremony.

The parade will have some effect on streets in the downtown area. The Ann W. Richards bridge will cause closure of Congress Avenue from Riverside Drive to Cesar Chavez Street from 6:30 a.m. to noon. Also, Congress from Cesar Chavez to West 11th Street will be closed from 9 a.m. to noon.

The parade will celebrate our nation’s veterans and those service men and women currently serving at home and abroad. The City of Austin employs more than 1,200 military veterans and Guard and Reserve members.

City of Austin News Release_Veterans Day Parade.doc

Downtown Austin Open Houses

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(Looking for this week’s open houses? You’ll find them here.)

downtown-austin-open-house

Open houses in downtown Austin for Sunday, November 8th

The great thing about downtown Austin open houses is that you can generally walk from building to building. Take a stroll downtown now that summer is over and the temperature is cooler.  If you’re into adaptive reuses of older buildings, checkout DAB’s list of downtown Austin lofts. Looking for FHA approved condos? We’ve got the info here.

This weekend you can browse at your own pace at the 5 Fifty Five, 360 condos, Spring, and the Austonian sales center.

Sunday
1) 360 Nueces St #3811, 2bd, 2ba, $576,700, 1-4pm [Urbanspace] map
2) 360 Nueces St #1616, 2bd, 2ba, $435,000, 2-4pm [Keller Williams] map
3) 555 E 5th St #713, 2bd, 1ba, $375,000, 2-5pm [Remax] map
4) 555 E 5th St #2811, 1bd, 1ba, $399,555, 2-5pm [Capital City Sothebys] map
5) 300 Bowie St, Spring sales center, model units, 1-5pm map website
6) 200 Congress Ave, Austonian sales center located at 300 W 6th, 12-5pm map website

Fantastical Fun Fun Fun Fest

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In honor of Fun Fun Fun Fest (this weekend at Waterloo Park), I thought I’d write a fun, fun, fun and fantastical story that incorporates some of the band names (with links to their Myspace pages or Website) that will be playing.  Because word games are fun, and not at all nerdy.

RATATAT!!! Was the sound made by some group of Night Marchers, and heard loudly in the Crystal Castles of Montreal (which just happens to be less than 7 Seconds from the Moonlight Towers, but an incredible distance from Harlem.) Regarding all this noise, Why? Well, the marchers were a group of The Laughing Young Widows, along with their All Leather wearing Street Dogs (whom, by the way, kept running Russian Circles around the Strange Boys that were passing by) and were on their annual Mission of Burma to find the Shonen Knife and to finally come Face to Face with Lucero (who, in his ever Growing power, would grant them the gifts of the mighty Destroyer.)

The plan that this Youth Brigade had was to Broadcast the Atlas Sound and light the sacred D.R.I Torche in The Underground Railroad to Candyland, where hopefully they would meet Lucero.  Then, these Cool Kids would Reign Supreme, yelling “Off With Their Heads” to the deaf yeasayers and the already Dead Confederates who made mayhem in the Coliseum there. Things might get Fucked Up, but they were prepared for The Roller coaster, and did not let the bitter warnings of “This Will Destroy You!” upset their brave Foot Patrol or push their Fuck Buttons.

Danzig, the Neon Indian who was their king, donned ceremonial Crystal Antlers atop his Royal Bangs.  He seemed to have No Age – to be in perfect HEALTH. Death could not touch him. His Kid Sister, whom they called Mika Miko, however, was definitely one of the Whitest Kids U’Know (or will ever know – trust me on this). Red Sparowes told of how her whiteness was brighter than Alaska in Winter.

As their journey wore on, the group began to Coalesce like a Melt Banana – their purpose was clear and true.   There were the Bankrupt and the Borrowers during these Black and White Years, but one Pack of Wolves would begin the New Movement that had been wished for since the beginning, since the time of Vega.  It was time….time to conquer, time to entertain, time to get on with things…it was time to go to FUN FUN FUN FEST!

Enjoy everybody!

Tax Credit For Buying A Condo

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“it’s official” yada yada… lot’s of noise about this on the ‘tubes in recent weeks, but Obama has officially signed off on everything.  I’ve yet to confirm if the FHA will continue to allow buyers to monetize this credit [on FHA approved condos] in order to use it as a down payment.  If so, that makes this program even more attractive.

The chart below is helpful in clearly outlining what’s available and changing.

tax-credit-chart
New Tax Credit Chart

This Week's Chronicle Feast

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This week’s Chronicle is packed with interesting articles.

1) Wells weighs in on downtownAustinfacts.com.

2) Katherine Gregor nearly writes a book comparing Austin’s efforts toward regional sustainability to Copenhagen’s embrace of sustainable mobility and bicycles.  BTW, have you seen the BIXI system of shared bicycles?  🙂

3) Is a planetarium bound for Austin?  Richard Garriott believes it’s a good idea.

Republic Square Park Improvements

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Phase 1 improvements to Republic Square should be complete before the new year

One of downtown Austin’s most cherished parks is Republic Square, located between 4th and 5th streets, just west of the Plaza Lofts.  The park has been under construction, recently getting a much needed face lift.  Charlie McCabe, director of the Austin Parks Foundation, visited with DANA yesterday to discuss the progress of the park’s improvements, and to share a bit of history.

Did you know this is where Edwin Waller, the first Mayor of Austin and the namesake of Waller Creek, in 1839 held the original land auction for Austin’s downtown blocks?

From Austin Parks Foundation

“…city lots were auctioned under the shade of the live oak trees on what is now called Republic Square. A small grove of live oaks – known as the Auction Oaks – survive at the southwest corner of the square today.”

The focal point of the park is a 300 year old oak tree.  Considering this was a parking lot for decades, with asphalt up to the tree, it’s astonishing these trees have survived so long.  The new design by TBG Partners gives the tree breathing space with a raised ipe wood deck built around the tree.

Other changes to the park include leveling the berms – the raised artificial grass hills – which limited visibility into the park.  Republic Square will actually grow by 17′ to the west, as San Antonio St becomes a promenade in front of the stairs to the still-under-construction Federal Courthouse.  Beginning in January, when the phase one improvements are complete, the Austin Farmers Market will relocated into the park.

The Austin Parks Foundation works diligently to raise money for Austin parks.  The $450,000 improvement budget comes from the Austin City Limits music festival, Downtown Austin Neighborhood Association, Downtown Austin Alliance, General Services Administration, Gables Apartments, and others.

Austonian Interior Photos

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austonian-interior-DSC_0023

Downtown Austin Blog was provided with early access to the still-under-construction Austonian in order to snap a few photos of the luxury building’s interior finishes.  The unit you are looking at above is the northeastern corner, “D” floor plan, on the 11th floor.  This will become a staged model unit within the next few weeks.  Beginning at the unit’s front door – made from Italian walnut – the standard finish packages are the highest quality we’ve seen in a downtown Austin residential tower, thus far.

We were impressed with the kitchen features: Scavolini cabinets, white carrera marble counters and back splash, built in Sub Zero refrigerator, Wolf gas-range, Miele coffee maker, Dornbracht fixtures.  American walnut floors through out.  All units outfitted with solar shades.  From the 11th floor you have a clear view of the Capitol.

Link to DAB’s coverage of the Austonian

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Downtown Austin Open Houses

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(Looking for this week’s open houses? You’ll find them here.)


downtown-austin-open-house

Open houses in downtown Austin for Sunday, November 1st

The great thing about downtown Austin open houses is that you can generally walk from building to building. Take a stroll downtown now that summer is over and the temperature is cooler.  If you’re into adaptive reuses of older buildings, checkout DAB’s list of downtown Austin lofts. Looking for FHA approved condos?  We’ve got the info here.

This weekend you can browse at your own pace at Austin City Lofts, The Shore, Villas On Town Lake, Spring, and the Austonian sales center.

Sunday
1) 603 David St #911, 2bd, 2ba, $425,000, 1-3pm [Urbanspace] map
2) 800 W 5th St #201, 2bd, 2ba, $649,900, 1-3pm [Urbanspace] map
3) 80 Red River #103, 2bd, 2ba, $309,000, 1-3pm [John Horton Realty] map
4) 300 Bowie St, Spring sales center, model units, 1-5pm map
5) 200 Congress Ave, Austonian sales center located at 300 W 6th, 12-5pm map