Austin-gone-international sandwich chain Schlotzsky’s has had its ups and downs. First opened in 1971 at the current site of Amy’s Ice Cream at 1301 South Congress Avenue, the growth of the brand through the 1990s eventually saw the relocation of its flagship outlet to a two-story former grocery store at 218 South Lamar Boulevard, which also…
design
At Downtown Austin’s Block 36, ‘Micro-Unit’ Apartments and Billboards Mingle
We’ve waited for a rendering of developer Transwestern’s Block 36 apartment project in downtown Austin for the better part of two years at this point, so long in fact that we have all become skeletons sitting patiently in our chairs. But the wait is over! Recent marketing materials for the project give us our first good look at the…
At La Vista de Lopez, an East Austin Holdout Imagines a Tower of Its Own
After holding out against development in a rising district of East Austin for more than 30 years, the Lopez house isn’t giving up — in fact, it might go up instead. This historic single-family home just east of I-35 at 809 East Ninth Street, officially known as the Routon-Alvarez-Lopez House, has enjoyed a long life despite a universe of growth…
These Are Austin’s 10 Worst Intersections. Which One Wins It All?
Last month, we asked our intrepid readers to weigh in on their least favorite intersections in Austin. Based on the record-setting number of responses we received (apparently traffic congestion is an issue people here feel very strongly about) we’ve selected the 10 intersections that showed up the most in our survey, and now it’s time to pick…
Demolition at the 6 X Guadalupe Tower Site Could Arrive Next Month
To build the new tallest tower in Austin, you’ve got to break a few eggs — or, in this case, demolish a completely unremarkable hotel. In other words, the Extended Stay America now occupying the famously “cursed” former home of the late Alamo Hotel at the northwest corner of West Sixth and Guadalupe Streets is not long…
Austin’s Tiny Home Startup Kasita Rides Again, With Tiny Hotels in Mind
Kasita, an Austin startup founded in 2015 amid significant local and national buzz for its prefabricated “tiny smart home” concept, is officially no more. Rising in its place is Kasita, a new firm fashioned in the rough image of its predecessor, but with a notably different application imagined for the modular dwelling technology constituting the previous company’s legacy —…