Last month, the Austin City Council enacted a zoning change and turned over a public alley in the most effort to lure a major convention hotel to Block 18 --- the Congress Avenue block that used to house Las Manitas and which was at one point going to be taken over by a very large Marriott hotel.The Congress Avenue Marriott -- a 1,000 room hotel complex on 2nd and Congress avenue -- was one of the most controversial, and one of the least popular downtown projects. The project is best known for displacing Las Manitas and other local businesses. Before being . . .
