Downtown Austin Blog

downtown Austin's real estate and neighborhood blog

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MetroRail now set to launch March 30

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Capital Metro announced the new launch date on Wednesday after the transportation authority’s board met to evaluate progress. The commuter rail was supposed to begin service this year but construction delays
with two of the line’s stops along with delays on the route’s signal system prompted Capital Metro to push back the launch. [link]

Iron & Wine @ ACL

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Occasionally a singer/songwriter or band comes along that is so good that you realize you had forgotten what good music is.  Austin’s own Iron & Wine brings rhythmic guitar grooves underlying a unique style of vocal harmony. Austinist has the write up [link]

I Heart the Dillo, and You Should, Too.

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Austin Dillo
Austin Dillo

Free ‘Dillo service (the trolley-like buses downtown) is getting a make-over.  With a lot of work by the city and cap metro and with heavy input from your representatives at DANA (the Downtown Austin neighborhood Association), the ‘Dillo map has  been simplified into an easy to remember North/South, East/West route with a greater frequency of buses (every 5 minutes during the week) that is expected to make the service more convenient for every day riders and casual users trying to get around town.

If you want this phenomenal service to continue, I recommend using it and using it often.

BTW – my favorite route?  It’s the one that goes from 5th and Red River to Whole Foods back to 5th and Red River.  HOW COOL IS THAT?

You can download or print the new map here:
http://www.capmetro.org/riding/current_schedules/maps/new%20dillo%20m…

If you were a regular user of the service and want to know how your commute
has been impacted, Cap Metro has posted additional information here:
http://capmetroblog.blogspot.com/2008/08/if-you-loved-red-dillo.html

Cesar Chavez – update!

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video

A $7 million
project to turn Cesar Chavez Street into a two-way street through
downtown Austin is running two months behind schedule, but project
managers say the delay has been caused by additions to the project.

[link]

Downtown Park Plan

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from the Austin Business Journal… “The Austin City Council on Thursday approved a resolution to identify potential funding sources for a comprehensive Downtown Open Spaces Plan and conduct condition reports and feasibility studies for downtown heritage homes, historic squares and parks.”

[link]

Paramount Theater's Summer Film Series

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From the Austinist… “Summer is here, and as the mercury continues to rise, many will seek shelter in the icy coolness of movie theaters. The Paramount Theater has been keeping people cool while exposing their eyeballs to quality cinema for over ninety years. So what could be better than to chill out with some classic film?”

[link]

ACL 2008 Schedule Released This Morning

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The music lineup for one of Austin’s biggest events was announced. From the Austinist, “This morning, Austin City Limits Festival
organizers released the schedule for 2008. The lineup, featuring acts
like Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, Spiritualized, Foo Fighters,
Beck and Manu Chao, is notable this year thanks to its extremely strong
middle section (the “heat of the day” section, as we like to call it)
and offers acts like MGMT, Patty Griffin, Hot Chip and Duffy, as well
as several quite worthy local acts, including Okkervil River and White
Denim.”

[link]

Live Music Taskforce Meeting On Wednesday

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The purpose of the public hearing is to receive citizen input on issues surrounding entertainment districts.

Created by Mayor Will Wynn and the Austin City Council in January 2008, the task force is evaluating the state of live music in Austin. The 15-member task force is comprised of musicians, venue owners, promoters and neighborhood representatives, and has formed four subcommittees to review specific areas related to live music.

http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/council/livemusictaskforce.htm

[link]