Downtown Austin Blog

downtown Austin's real estate and neighborhood blog

Bike Messenger Culture

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**Downtown Austin Blog has been given special access to the amazing PBS Downtown TV series.  Thanks, DAA!**

One of my favorite clips from the Downtown TV program is the story about Downtown Austin bike messengers.  Though I never got into the whole narrow handle-barred-10-speed-sans-brakes thing, I did grow up riding Haros and trying to do tailwhips.

These guys know Downtown Austin like most people never will.  They know where everything is and understand the hidden paths to get there.  Oh, according to the video, don’t ride your bike past Little City cafe and not expect to be judged by the messengers waiting on their next call.

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Feels like old times: "Put it on my tab!" @ Royal Blue Grocery

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More reasons to shop at Royal Blue Grocery
More reasons to shop at Royal Blue Grocery

I was having coffee earlier this morning and chatting with someone about how most people in the world purchase their food on a daily or weekly basis.  In New York it’s routine to drop in to D’Agostinos and pick up a few things for the next day or so.  Then, with synchronicity, a few minutes ago I receieved a note from DANA’s Roger Cauvin telling me that at Royal Blue Grocery you can open a “tab”!  That’s cool.

“Did you know that you can open a “tab” with Royal Blue?  When you sign up, they take your credit card info and enter you in their computer.  Then, whenever you buy items at the store, they simply put it on your tab.  At the end of each month, they automatically charge your credit card and send you a statement.  There is no fee for the service.

One of the benefits of having a dense downtown is that it makes conveniences such as this one viable, due to the sheer number of residents within walking distance of retail shops.” – Roger Cauvin

The phenomenon of the supermarket was an American invention that paralleled the exodus from cities into suburbs.  Well, as people move back to the city to become more connected, it’s nice to see an Austin entrepreneur, George Scariano, meet the demand for more neighborhood friendly businesses that are walkable and accessible on a daily basis.  Also, see Waltons Fancy & Staple and Emerald City

Royal Blue is located @ 3rd & Lavaca.  Their second location, at the ground level of 360 condos, is expected to open next week.

Downtown Crime: the solution is not more light

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Krimelabb.com
Krimelabb.com

KVUE and FOX 7 news are reporting that the Public Safety Task Force is proposing to cut down on Downtown crime by… get ready for it… adding more light. 🙁

This is a misguided effort to thwart a much bigger problem.

There is a BIG elephant in the room, and it’s called the ARCH.  Drug dealers come from all over the city and prey on those with addiction and/or have mental illness.

According to the article, “Austin police call the area bordered by 8th, 6th, Red River and Trinity, a hotspot for crime.  Forty-two percent of all drug arrests in downtown happen here.” Adding more street lamps is only going to disperse the problem, and will make the understaffed police force’s job more difficult!

As I’ve said before, the ARCH doesn’t belong across from a major liquor store and a block from Austin’s biggest party – Sixth Street.    The way to cut down on crime in Downtown Austin is to: 1) expand the day-time uses of the historic Sixth street buildings, east of Neches St. 2) move the ARCH and its support services away from Sixth Street – though, NOT out of Downtown 3) Revitalize Waller Creek, because right now drug dealing and drug use is hidden from view below the banks of the creek.

Yes, the ARCH should remain Downtown.  Doing so relegates to ‘bunk’ status the argument which demands the ARCH remain centrally located, and the NIMBY-ism arguments against moving the ARCH at all.   Downtown Austin is a big place with plenty of under-utilized land and buildings.

Downtown Austin Flash Mob – Whole Foods

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rv–5rKnMJs]

Nice example of urban hackery.  Yesterday, months of planning came through with an Improv Everywhere-esque human freeze at Whole Foods.  This is why I love Austin (and Whole Foods)… from the Flash Mob Austin blog…

“Can we just do a quick shout-out to Whole Foods and their Lamar/ Flagship crew? They were such good sports! They could have very easily gotten annoyed and angry and demanded that we leave, but they were super cool with it.  Huge kudos goes out to Whole Foods security, managers, and food staff on the salad bar side of the store. Thanks for not calling the police! Oh, and thanks so much to those who grabbed some lunch there or bought some groceries after you unfroze!”

Video of the Flash Mob @ Whole Foods

Flash Mob Wiki