Imagine my surprise when, while scrolling through the many projects seeking backers at last year’s Texas-China Investment Summit, I discovered that some crazy folks wanted to build America’s first indoor ski resort right here in Austin. I wasn’t super optimistic about this project last year, but I’ve been wrong many, many times before, so I figured a little digging was necessary….
Uneasy Neighbors: Zilker Residents Want to Keep Downtown “Downtown”
South Austin managed to get through the 20th century without much fuss, so obsessed were the city fathers with their favorite children—all the neighborhoods north of the Colorado River. “South Austin was seen as sort of a stepchild,” said Jeff Jack, president of the Zilker Neighborhood Association and local architect. Residents south of the river thrived in this sort of anonymity, managing…
South Austin Development Roundup: There Sure Is a Lot of It, Huh?
It doesn’t take a roundup to know how much development is currently underway south of the river. 78704 has all the streets with “south” in front of their names, and we all know what that means — even though you’ll have to seriously twist my arm before I start saying “SoLa” and “SoFi.” Vertical mixed-use and multifamily development is…
Marriott’s Moxy Hotel in West Campus Bringing 154 Rooms to Austin’s Most Hashtaggable Millennials
We already knew West Campus was going places, but it turns out the Autograph Collection and AC By Marriott Hotels planned for 1901 San Antonio Street aren’t the only hotels slated for the region. According to new city filings, Marriott International has its sights on another prime location along the Drag — the abandoned Jack in the Box restaurant at 2552 Guadalupe Street. The space has remained…
The Rail Spur Building: An East Austin Warehouse’s Second Act
East Austin boasts more development than any other part of the city, but you could be forgiven for not paying full attention to what’s going on past, say, Robert Martinez Jr. Street, or even off the main drag of East Sixth. Stuff going on inside the Plaza Saltillo TOD also has a way of getting everyone’s attention. But look further out, and you’ll…
A Look at Austin’s New Central Library, Inside and Out
Last week, I was lucky enough to take an all-access tour of Austin’s New Central Library branch, which is currently in the final stages of construction along Cesar Chavez Street next to the new Seaholm District on the west side of downtown. John Gillum, facilities process manager for Austin’s library system, showed me nearly every inch of the…