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Auction Systems

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[youtube = http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3j2ff1YydWE]

The auction of the Sage Condos will use a different system than the auction at Brazos Place or the Bel Air.  Rather than auction each individual unit, the auctions are for the right to choose which unit you want.  Everyone bids and the highest bidder gets to choose the unit he/she wants. The auctioneer repeats this process until 10 units are sold.

The different models necessitate different tactics.  For instance, at the Brazos Place auction, a buyer was able to study the units they wanted and were only required to participate in the auctions for those specific units.  Collectively, with only those interested in the same units, buyers would only participate in the auctions for those units.  Conversely, the auction system being used at the Sage encourages all buyers to bid in every auction.

At the Sage, if I simply want the best deal – without regard to view, size, etc – then I am still competing with other buyers that DO want a premiere unit and are willing to bid more to win the right to choose that unit.  It is hard to say if this would encourage or discourage me from bidding.  This system should clear out the premiere units early.  Most likely, those that want the choice of premiere units will bid early and aggressively.  Those that want the best deal at the Sage will bid in subsequent auctions once the premiere units are absorbed.

It remains to be seen if the bidding system used at the Sage will be of greater benefit to the Seller by encouraging more bidders and higher bids.

The Bel Air auction is this Sunday.   The Sage auction is a couple of weeks from now.

-Jude

[Update from local auctioneer, Mike Hanley: “This is called the Multi Parcel Auction Method. It can be very effective!  I have seen it used at Sheldon Good Auctions of Condos in Dallas,a Tranzon-Hanley Auction in Wimberly and have used it myself for the sale of undeveloped land in Utah and New Mexico.”]

What A Ride On Waller Creek

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[youtube = http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCtZ0N_W8wc]

With 50+ people in attendance, Saturday’s Waller Creek Bike Ride was successful at bringing people together to envision a future for Waller Creek.  We gathered at the Mexican American Cultural Center, which is just a few hundred feet from the southern outlet of Waller Creek.  From there we rode on along the hike and bike trail before entering what is properly known as the Waller Creek Greenbelt.

The Goose
The Goose

Click here to view the photostream from the tour

We stopped at several points along the way.  There is a large gap in the trail at Cesar Chavez where the flooding and runoff have destroyed the path.  As you ride back up behind Iron Works you can briefly reconnect by crossing Red River.  At 5th and Sabine we stopped and gathered to listen to a vision for creating a promenade – pedestrian and bicycle only – along the narrow and sparsely traveled Sabine Street between 4th and 7th Streets.  An interesting idea that can leverage the already wide sidewalks along Sabine Street.

[youtube = http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Vqm4otX8FE]

Pushing on we were able to reconnect with the creek bank between 6th and 7th Streets, below Texas Picnic Company.  This is a notorious gateway for vagrancy and criminal activity, so it was no surprise that as our group pulled up we were greeted by five APD cars investigating something.  Down into the creek, we begin to see the wonderful limestone creek bed.  It’s beauty is ironically created from centuries of violent flooding.

As we rode past the Police Headquarters, gathered behind the Waller Creek Building, then continued to ride through Symphony Square and into Waterloo Park it became salient just how much property the city owns along Waller Creek.  Once we arrived at Waterloo Park we had a Q&A.  As it turns out there was someone from the State of Texas who joined the ride and commented that the State is very interested in working on solutions to improve Waterloo park by addressing the problems of unfriendly parking garages along San Jacinto.  Having only heard that there has been no outreach, to or from the State, I took this as a very positive declaration.

[youtube = http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ez0RpsqR4c]

The Waller Creek Tunnel Project, simply the infrastructure that will enable and entitle district improvements, stops at Waterloo Park near 12th Street.  We continued to follow the path of the creek north bound past 15th Street and behind the UT Tennis courts.  We ultimately stopped at Crown & Anchor where everyone was able chat over beers and burgers.

This was a unique experience and an opportunity to hear the whispers, subtle conversation, and sharing of opinions on how to utilize Waller Creek once the tunnel is complete. Jeb Boyt, Shawn Shillington, Jana McCann, Rachel Proctor May, and Councilmember Chris Riley provided great information and a fun time.

-Jude

New Hot Dog Joint Frank Is Delightful

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Frank Decor
Frank Decor

“Duuuuuuuuude, it’s a real sausage fest in here,”  I joked to my buddy Zeke as we sat down at Frank, a new restaurant on the corner of 4th and Colorado (where Starlite Diner used to be). Frank is one of the newest restaurants in downtown Austin.  I’d describe it as a hot dog eatery and bar, except that it’s really more than that.  There’s something in the vibe of Frank that’s very inviting and it’s a place you aren’t soon ready to leave once entering.

ANYWAY – after congratulating myself silently for the snappy pun, I surveyed the layout of the place.  The restaurant is expansive and airy, with ample ceiling height and a roomy dining area with several small tables that are perfect for 2-4, or that can be easily pulled together for larger parties. There’s a large, open bar area right at the entrance, a good place to grab a beer while looking out the big windows facing Colorado Street. Behind the dining area and upstairs, there’s even more space. I was told by one of the owners, Jennifer Northcutt, that the owners of Frank will also be putting in an upstairs lounge and a specialty, high-end grocery concept in these other spaces within the next couple of months.  There’s a lot of natural, polished and exposed wood on the walls and the floors are a simple and dark concrete, which combined with the openness of the space, do much to add to the comfortable, but slightly masculine atmosphere.  There’s also a neat little (working) phone booth towards the front of the restaurant and a painted mural/beer advertisement on the dining area wall (above photo).

Here’s a pic from my table looking to the front of the restaurant/bar area:

Frank Restaurant - Austin - Interior
Frank Restaurant – Austin – Interior

But enough about the layout, “How is the food, I wonder,” I said to Zeke.  We glanced at the menu, and I was pleasantly surprised to see some vegetarian options to eat.  I hadn’t really expected much in the way of vegetarian food, and was going to only order a beer, so to see that there were veggie dogs, vegetarian chili, and some other sides that were vegetarian was a real bonus.  The menu is pretty simple, but I wouldn’t say it’s completely basic.  Jennifer, the owner, had explained to me that there was an actual chef in their kitchen, not just a line cook, and the variety of the menu illustrated that to an extent.  There were “artisan sausages” listed, and things like the Jackelope, which is an antelpope and rabbit sausage with huckleberry compote, sriracha aioli, and applewood smoked cheddar.  Granted, the menu pretty much only consists of hot dogs, fries, and beer, but I have to say the specificity doesn’t turn me off one bit.  Pick what you do and do it well. I ordered a veggie dog with slaw and my friend Zeke had the Jackelope and we shared a side of corn and fries and were just as happy as can be.  The place also offers a full bar and fairly extensive beer selection, and I can see myself just poppin’ in for a drink without wanting a meal from time to time.

All in all, I’d have to recommend trying it out.  The food is good, but not fancy, and the atmosphere is chill and casual. High-end quality food without being high-falutin’. This business is also owned by locals who are invested in the downtown community and who try to use local vendors whenever possible.

This isn’t the place to go and get healthy, but it is the place to go for a quick and satisfying lunch or to chill with a few friends after work.  Do it.

-AG

Info:

www.hotdogsandcoldbeer.com, 407 Colorado Street, 78701

Waller Creek Bike Tour

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Photo by downtown Austin resident, Ken Cobb
Photo by downtown Austin resident, Ken Cobb

Thanks to Dale Glover, Austin Parks Foundation board member and downtown Austin resident for sharing this…

Waller Creek Bike Tour
Saturday, August 1st @ 10:00 am
Starting at the Mexican American Cultural Center Plaza (600 River Street)

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“The Waller Creek master planning process is well underway. This is an effort to redesign the currently underutilized downtown creek into a premier community space — a potential venue for strolling, jogging, biking, dining, shopping, music, break-dancing, balloon-animal-making, capoeira demonstrations, competitive toenail-painting, and a host of other activities. The master planning process will help us decide what kind of space we want and what kind of activities we want to promote to activate the space. However, a key issue shaping the decisions is the facts on the ground — the condition of the creek and the creekside amenities today. Hop on your bike and join us for a two-wheeled exploration of the opportunities and constraints for this future community hub. We’ll be joined by experts and participants in the Waller Creek master planning process, including:

• Council Member Chris Riley
• Jeb Boyt of the Waller Creek Citizen’s Advisory Committee and Austin Metro Trails & Greenways
• Jana McCann of ROMA Design Group
• James Moody of The Mohawk and the Austin Live Music Task Force
• Shawn Shillington, the Urban Development Editor for Austinist.com

And more! The tour will end at 11:45 with snacks and conversation at Crown and Anchor (29th and San Jacinto).”

-Jude

Downtown Austin Retail Space

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One of the better trends in urban design is to include retail space below residential buildings.  I see downtown Austin’s retail offerings as overly homogeneous: salon, boutique, restaurant, or bar.  Feedback from DANA members, and urban-Austinites in general, is the desire to see more practical stores to serve the many thousands of people that live and work here.

After the jump are a few examples of the ground floor retail space currently available below some of downtown Austin’s luxury buildings.  You’ll see that space below these buildings is not cheap and ranges from $30-36 per foot plus NNN.  This could yield a monthly lease payment of $3,500-4,000 per month per 1,000 feet of retail space.

The Downtown Austin Alliance has a great list of retail vacancies you should check out, too.

[Read more…] about Downtown Austin Retail Space

The Dillo Is Dead

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Will CapMetro Kill The Dillo Before The Metro Rail Begins?
Will CapMetro Kill The Dillo Before The Metro Rail Begins?

You might have already heard this rumor circling through various blogs and discussion boards.  Clearly the Dillo is a downtown-centric service.  As a frequent rider of the Dillo, I can attest to the fact that there were never many riders sharing the bus with me.  I’ve often thought that by extending the 6th Street Dillo route into East Austin and beyond Whole Foods (for, instance Comal to Mopac) would encourage more ridership.

What CapMetro did right:
-The Dillo is inexpensive to ride.
-The Dillo route is easy to remember
-The Dillo 5-minute headway was very convenient

I find it irrational that they would consider killing the Dillo before the Metro Rail has even begun.  If the Metro Rail is a success, then this will trickle down to the Dillo.  The Dillo would have been a transfer bus to get from Red River to Lamar.

Concerts In The Park

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Austin Symphony - Concerts In The Park
Austin Symphony - Concerts In The Park

Yesterday evening Amber, Jeff, and I decided to head over to the Long Center’s lawn to listen to a string ensemble.   The Austin Symphony’s Concert In The Park series was covering several movie themes.  The Hartman Family Foundation’s support of the Austin Symphony subsidizes the entire series.  Arriving at 7pm with folding chairs and cooler in hand, we claimed a patch of real estate and settled in.  With downtown Austin as the backdrop and a nice breeze crossing the lawn, this is a terrific way to spend a Sunday evening.