We usually have a good time ragging on the outdated urban planning principles of the later 20th century — urban renewal, highways everywhere, other weirdness — so it’s a little embarrassing to admit that Hancock Center, the 34-acre strip mall you know and love(?) at East 41st and Red River Streets, was a more pleasantly-designed environment for human beings between its…
adaptive reuse
The Seaholm Waterfront’s First Phase Is Ready to Roll on Lady Bird Lake
It’s not like we haven’t had plenty of other important things to think about lately, but over the last few months our minds have wandered once again to the status of the Seaholm Waterfront, the long-awaited adaptive reuse project by the Austin Parks and Recreation Department, the Trail Foundation, the Austin Parks Foundation, and local architecture firm…
Govalle’s Art Deco Wastewater Plant is an East Side Architectural Gem
The federal agencies of the New Deal brought some classic examples of Depression-era public works architecture to Austin in the 1930s, much of which embodies the forever-popular Art Deco styles known as Streamline Moderne and PWA Moderne. Though most of these buildings still stand in the city today, one shining local example remains decidedly under the radar, likely due…
East Austin’s Historic Texaco Depot Could Get a ‘Cosmic’ Rebirth
As the 10-acre site of Austin’s first rail yard settles into its new identity as the Saltillo mixed-use development, other than the tracks themselves there are few reminders left of this area’s century-long history as an industrial and shipping hub enabling much of the city’s economic growth in the 20th century. The Texaco Depot buildings found…
12-Story Hilton Hotel Tower Could Rise From Historic 1880s Austin Building
This evening, Austin’s Historic Landmark Commission will hear the details of a proposed 12-story tower addition to the historic Bartholomew-Robinson Building at the southeast corner of West 15th and Lavaca Streets downtown. The project would seemingly integrate elements of the existing single-story building, which dates back to the 1880s, into the new structure’s ground floor, while raising…
Hey Austin, What Happened to the Seaholm Waterfront Redevelopment?
Q: Remember the plan to remodel the Seaholm intake facility on Lady Bird Lake? It’s been forever since the city’s said anything about it, so what’s going on, my guy? A: Our readers have an uncanny knack for asking the right questions in just the right way, so let’s catch up on the future of…