We've been waiting a little longer than we thought, but the deed is finally done: Stream Realty Partners has kicked off demolition at the former Hooters restaurant located at 401 South First Street, making way for the upcoming construction of its 15-story office and retail project RiverSouth. At a "ceremonial demolition" and groundbreaking held at the site earlier today, an ...
Blog
Commentary, analysis, and quick thoughts on almost everything in town.
Austin Can’t Build Its Way Out of Traffic
If you live in Austin, chances are you drive a car to get most places you need to go. And chances are at least some of the time, you sit in traffic and get pretty frustrated about that. And chances are, you don’t necessarily want more of our city’s precious natural beauty to be paved over, but that’s just what we have to do to alleviate this traffic that’s grown so awful, ...
Austinites Weren’t Always So Sure About Downtown’s Iconic Frost Bank Tower
At 515 feet, the Frost Bank Tower at 401 Congress Avenue was downtown Austin's tallest building after its grand opening in 2004, but found itself quickly surpassed by the 360 Condominiums in 2008, which stood higher by a mere 47 feet. Still, four years of being the tallest in town ain't bad, right? As Austin's growth continues seemingly unabated, at ...
In Downtown Austin’s Northwest Corner, a Neighborhood Cries Out for a Name
What do you call the part of downtown Austin northwest of the Capitol? No, I don't mean Judge's Hill, a neighborhood located further to the west than this area according to its self-defined boundaries -- we're talking about the region roughly bound by West 12th Street to the south, Rio Grande Street to the west, MLK Jr. Boulevard to the north, and Lavaca or perhaps ...
Five Snapshots of Downtown Austin’s Ever-Changing Sixth Street
East Pecan Street, now called Sixth Street, has remained a prominent corridor in downtown Austin since the city's incorporation in 1840. Its historic, Victorian-style buildings have mostly remained the same, but the street's social function has continually evolved. Almost 20 years ago, January 30, 1999 was a notable night in the history of both Sixth Street and the Austin ...