It’s hard to imagine Austin without its crown — the 10-mile trail that encircles much of Lady Bird Lake in the heart of the city. Officially known as the Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail, the path offers a natural respite in Austin’s increasingly concrete core, serving the fitness and commuting needs of…
Inside the 70 Rainey Condo Tower, Underway on Downtown’s Eastern Edge
Though it feels like it’s been a million years since the building first broke ground in 2016, the 70 Rainey condominium tower is rising quickly in the Rainey Street District — it’s currently at 23 floors and counting, more than halfway to its total 34 stories. Despite the building’s growth, we haven’t heard many updates…
At the SkyHouse Austin Apartments, It’s Déjà Vu All Over Again
Am I the last person on earth to realize that downtown Austin’s SkyHouse apartment tower at 51 Rainey Street has identical twins all over the country? This may be common knowledge for the extremely cosmopolitan readership of TOWERS Austin, but it’s news to me that the SkyHouse residential brand by Atlanta-based developer Novare Group essentially reuses a…
Ora Houston, City Council’s Least Predictable Voter, Would Like You to Stop Selling Austin’s Soul
That 10 of the 11 elected leaders in the Austin City Council are at least nominally associated with the Democratic Party does not mean there is any shortage of divisions on the dais. The Council’s all-too-frequent marathon sessions, often stretching into the wee hours of the morning, reveal the many differences of opinion that exist…
YIMBY is not left or right but both and neither
The YIMBY moment hasn’t exactly arrived in America but it’s on the platform and the train is coming. The framework for political arguments in many City Halls has transformed from “Neighborhood vs Developer” to “YIMBY vs NIMBY.” State Houses like California are being shaken up by YIMBY legislation, both passed and proposed. The movement’s growth has created…
Take Our Fabulous Austin Survey and You Could Win a Fabulous Prize
Here at TOWERS.net, thinking about Austin is a full-time job. That’s why we’ve decided to take an opportunity to make you think about Austin for a change — what you like, what you don’t, that sort of thing. We’ll be running surveys every once in a while on various Austin topics in an ask-the-audience-style attempt…