• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Downtown Austin Blog

downtown Austin's real estate and neighborhood blog

You are here: Home / Search for "members"

Search Results for: members

Austin Bike Share Enters the Homestretch

Jude Galligan | January 15, 2013 |

It’s been almost two and a half years since I started advocating for Austin Bike Share in the state capital.  It became the highest rated of any SpeakUpAustin initiative, ever.  Because of incredible grassroots support, generous financial support by several local businesses, and hard work by City staff, Austin Bike Share is finally happening for Austin.

Austin City Council this week is expected to approve an important step in the process, which will allow the city to form a partnership with nonprofit Bike Share of Austin to operate the bike share program.

The City and Bike Share of Austin are aiming to have the bike share program up and running by spring 2013. A separate contract with a bike share vendor for the purchase of bicycles, kiosks, and the bike share system network is scheduled to come to City Council for approval at the next scheduled council meeting, which would be Jan. 31.

It has long been rumored around town that Austin is going to pick B Cycle, the same bike share operator as San Antonio, to supply the bike share system for Austin.  San Antonio’s system is a phenomenal success and expanding.

According to the City, the bike share will bring about 40 bike share kiosks, with as many as 400 bikes, to Central Austin area.  That’s a good start.

jude-bike-shareIt was around 2009, when traveling in Montreal, that I was first introduced to a robust bike share system. That system was called BIXI, but it was the same bike design used in Minneapolis.  The system works impressively well.  You can become a member, or pay-as-you-go. The three-geared bikes are comfortable and well maintained.

That Austin’s Bike Share initiative seems to be heading for the final stretch is superb news, and I’d like to thank all of our City Council members and all the folks at the city who are working to make this happen.

We can expect a draft map of the locations within the next couple of months.

I’ve learned that City staff’s process of identifying possible sites for bike share kiosks is based on several criteria:

  • Proximity of bike infrastructure such as bike lanes or cycle tracks
  • High employment density
  • Nearby parks, recreation facilities, tourist attractions, or other destination
  • Favorable topography
  • Public transit services

Get it out there.

For the sake of getting bike share off the ground, I really hope the City doesn’t let perfection get in the way of progress.  I, myself, would be in favor of a phased launch and the City says, “we are putting half the stations in these spots. Deal with it.  However, we would like to hear from the public about where we get the other stations set up at.”

That would get Austin Bike Share rolling, with kiosks being put into the ground, instead of letting all the zealots debate the minutia and delaying having something the public can actually use.

-Jude

Filed Under: around town, austin recreation, austin traffic, austin transit, city council Tagged With: austin bike share

Private Clubs in Downtown Austin: The Austin Club and Its Murals

AG | December 10, 2012 |

There are three main private clubs that I know about in downtown Austin.  They are Headliners, The Metropolitan Club* (*gone at Plaza Lofts but coming back elsewhere), and The Austin Club.

The Metropolitan* is was a little different than the other two, in that its more of a spa concept, whereas Headliners and The Austin Club are true private dining clubs, and welcome both men and women.

Both Headliners and The Austin Club have a lot of interesting history.  For instance, Headliners used to actually be located at the top of The Westgate Condos in Austin, Texas (and before The Westgate, they were located in The Driskill Hotel. The Club is now on the 21st floor of The Chase Tower at 6th and Lavaca.)  The Westgate Condos actually referenced Headliners as part of their request for historic designation.

The Austin Club is currently located at 110 E. 9th Street (two blocks south of the Capitol building, right off of Congress to the East), the club was founded in 1949, and currently has 1,100 members (many of which are associated with the Legislature in some capacity).  The Austin Club has been in this location – also known as the historic Millet Opera House, since 1981.  The Millet Opera house was built in 1878, and is on the National Register of Historic Places and is a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark.  When the Capitol building burned down in late 1881, the building was actually used to host legislative sessions until the new Capitol was built.

However, one of my FAVORITE things about the Austin Club are the murals they have in their main dining room. In 1992, the club commissioned Chicago artist Richard Anderson to paint a series of murals depicting performances that took place at the Millett Opera House in the mid to late 1800s.

Below / After the jump are pictures of the murals with their descriptions.  There’s also a “map” at the bottom left of each picture showing [Read more…] about Private Clubs in Downtown Austin: The Austin Club and Its Murals

Filed Under: downtown austin

Downtown Austin Neighborhood Association – October 2012 Urban Core Happy Hour

AG | October 10, 2012 |

Come on by and say hello to ~200 of your downtown Austin neighbors at Rival’s Steakhouse tomorrow (Thursday, October 11) from 6:30pm to 8:30pm at the Downtown Austin Neighborhood Association’s monthly Urban Core Happy Hour.

The event is sponsored by Community Impact and Rival’s Steakhouse.  DANA members get in free, non-members pay $5.  Drink tickets and complimentary heavy appetizers will be served up to attendees, as well!

[Read more…] about Downtown Austin Neighborhood Association – October 2012 Urban Core Happy Hour

Filed Under: downtown austin

Gyms in Downtown Austin – YMCA TownLake

AG | September 3, 2012 |

Being active is a part of the Austin lifestyle. There are tremendous opportunities in downtown Austin for folks to be active, too. Here at Downtown Austin Blog, we’ve written about several things like dance classes at Ballet Austin and personal training in downtown Austin – but we haven’t really explored a lot of downtown gyms, of which there are several.

Probably the most popular among the trendy set is Pure Austin downtown, right across from Whole Foods at 5th and Bowie.  I have several friends who have memberships there, and they love it.

However, to be frank, I’m sometimes a little intimidated by the aura of Pure, so I’ve been going to a place that’s a little less trendy, but I think still pretty awesome. The TownLake Branch of the YMCA. I’ve been doing the Zumba classes, and boy are they crowded and fun! Look at [Read more…] about Gyms in Downtown Austin – YMCA TownLake

Filed Under: austin lifestyle, austin recreation, lady bird lake, life, life in austin

DANA Hosting Discussion On Affordable Housing (Thursday February 16th)

Jude Galligan | February 15, 2012 |

foundation communities

foundation communities site for capitol terrace

With the proposed Foundation Communities development needing support of the neighborhood, DANA invites its membership to come out for a special presentation by the CEO of Foundation Communities and a discussion on development proposed for 11th & Trinity Street that would be the first affordable housing project proposed Downtown in over 45 years and which will include Permanent Supportive Housing. DANA board members will be looking for feedback on the design and operational proposals.

When: Thursday, February 16th, 6pm 
Where: St. Mary’s Cathedral, Bishop’s Hall, 203 E 10th St  Austin, Texas 78701

More Info

 

Filed Under: austin apartments, austin neighborhoods, development, downtown austin

  • « Go to Previous Page
  • Go to page 1
  • Go to page 2
  • Go to page 3
  • Go to page 4
  • Go to page 5
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Go to page 13
  • Go to Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Archives

TOWERS.net – Austin Condos For Sale

TOWERS realty
LEGAL NOTICE: Texas Real Estate Commission Consumer Protection Notice. • Information About Brokerage Services. • Copyright © 2007-2022 Jude Galligan. All rights reserved. Site Map