A multifamily residential development could be in the cards for the former restaurant and music venue Threadgill’s Old #1 at 6416 North Lamar Boulevard, which closed approximately a year ago — but the new owners hope to preserve part of the original building as a monument to this site’s storied past. That . . . Become a patron to get the full story and…
One Weird Trick for Fixing Downtown Austin’s Density Bonus Program
It’s become pretty clear over the last few weeks that the debate currently brewing over possible updates to Austin’s so-called Downtown Density Bonus Program has the potential to break out into a
Preservation Austin’s 2021 Homes Tour Celebrates a Historic East Side District
The Rogers-Washington-Holy Cross District is the newest of Austin’s eight local historic districts, its designation approved by City Council back in September 2020 — so you could say it’s high time for this neighborhood to do a victory lap. That’s the perspective of the nonprofit Preservation Austin, which has chosen this collection of historic midcentury homes for…
The Travis Apartment Tower Project Finally Stirs to Life in the Rainey District
The still-uncertain impact of the last year’s pandemic on many of the tower projects previously announced for downtown Austin has us watching several sites around town with more anxiety than usual, and the Travis at 80 Red River Street was near the top of our list for towers we weren’t quite sure would survive. But in this…
What’s Missing from the Conversation about Reinstating Austin’s Camping Ban
The City of Austin currently owns 1,765 properties totaling nearly 14,000 acres. 1,148 of those properties have no improvements. A 2020 Point In Time count from ECHO reveals the number of people sleeping unsheltered that night was at least 1,574. Why hasn’t the City of Austin endeavored to create a joint venture . . . Become a patron to get…
Imagining Homeless Housing at Austin’s Vacant City-Owned Home Depot
Since 2008, the City of Austin has owned the approximately 13.7-acre empty former Home Depot store on East St. Johns Avenue near the interchange of Interstate 35 and Highway 183 in the St. John neighborhood. At the time, the city hoped to use the site . . . Become a patron to get the full…