A project by Austin Public Works converting more than six miles of abandoned rail line in South Austin to an all-access urban trail is shifting into the next gear this month — and although it’s not too flashy, the plan has the potential to bring some downtown-style urban design improvements to the region south of Highway 290,…
history
Saving North Austin From Suburban Sprawl, One Tower at a Time
The growing skyline of towers near the Domain area of North Austin is all the evidence you need for the success of the city’s North Burnet / Gateway Regulating Plan, a 2000s policy tweak unlocking extra height and density for projects around the intersection of West Braker Lane and Burnet Road. With an increased height limit of 420 feet recently approved in some areas and a new study requested by…
Texas French Bread Seeks Partners to Rebuild Its Business ‘Better Than Ever’
When a fire destroyed Rio Grande Street bakery and restaurant Texas French Bread back in January, the future of this longtime local business didn’t seem particularly sunny . Owner Murph Willcott and his wife Carissa Ries, devastated at the loss of the nearly century-old building at this site occupied by their business since 1986, weren’t sure what a path forward for their…
Downtown Austin’s Seaholm Intake Celebrates First Phase of Renovations
The restoration at the former intake facility of downtown Austin’s decommissioned Seaholm Power Plant celebrated a milestone earlier this afternoon, with city officials and the project’s stewards at the Trail Conservancy marking the completion of the renovation’s critical first phase with a ribbon-cutting and tour. We are creating something so beautiful people are already coming by, I am so excited to…
When It Comes to Parking, Austin Could Learn a Thing or Two From California
Yesterday, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 2097, a bill eliminating parking requirements statewide for new housing and commercial developments located within a half-mile of major transit stations. It’s likely the most significant parking reform legislation ever passed, removing the parking mandates that often represent a significant burden to the cost and feasibility of housing construction. CA is making housing cheaper &…
This Downtown Demolition Application Could Tell a Tower-Shaped Story
A demolition application scheduled to appear at the October 5 meeting of the city’s Historic Landmark Commission could point to a new tower development on the northwestern edge of downtown Austin. The permit, listed for consideration on the upcoming meeting’s agenda, indicates an applicant is seeking to demolish the building at 1800 Guadalupe Street, a former apartment building dating…