Urban Planning in Reverse
Museums, Reviews, Shopping September 22nd, 2007When I moved to Austin in the late 1960s, it was a sleepy college town that experienced excitement every two years when the Texas Legislature met. You could see the Capitol building from anywhere you had an elevated view. This view was supposed to be maintained; alas, it was not.
Since the 1970s, urban sprawl has shaped the direction of Austin’s growth and it has not been pretty. However, now plans are being formulated and downtown districts are in various stages of development. So, while I applaud the efforts of the city’s government to get a handle on the growth, especially in the downtown area and along Lady Bird Lake (Town Lake), I cannot help thinking that this is NOT how you plan a town.
Sixth Street
A seven-block stretch of Victorian-era buildings once known as Pecan Street is now a National Register district. Sixth Street is lined with cafes, nightclubs, pubs, dance clubs, live music venues, restaurants, galleries and shops On weekend nights, the street closes to traffic as the music capital of Texas explodes.
On Halloween night, this is the place to be. The only gathering I have ever attended that matched the intensity was Halloween night in Lahania, Maui.
Warehouse District
West of Congress Avenue, along Fourth and Fifth Streets, lies the Warehouse District. Here, you will discover renovated warehouses that have been turned into trendy restaurants, concert halls and bars. A bit trendier and certainly more pricey, it caters to a slightly older crowd than the other downtown entertainment areas.
Market District
The Market District is centered on Sixth Street and West Avenue and is anchored on the west end by Whole Foods, Waterloo Records and Book People.
West End District
Located along West 6th Street, the West End District begins where the Market District ends. West End contains an eclectic collection of art, antiques, and collectible shops in cottages and storefronts built in the 1930s and 1940s. There are restaurants, bakeries and coffee houses.
Second Street District
This is a six-block infill and redevelopment project that will be located north of Town Lake and along the south edge of downtown Austin, Texas.
Map of Second Street District
SoCo (South Congress)
First Thursdays on South Congress offer a pedestrian-friendly, open-air shopping and entertainment experience for visitors. The art galleries, vintage shops, boutiques, furniture stores, and salons stay open until 10 pm.
Catch an orange ‘Dillo (trolley) every 10 minutes from Riverside to Live Oak street and back again between the hours of 630-11pm. Better yet, walk or ride your bike and help keep Austin green.
Visit First Thursday for more information.
Map of SoCo.
September 24th, 2007 at 4:15 am
It does seem that many towns are the result of a lack of planning, rather than actually planning.
October 22nd, 2007 at 1:06 am
@perro-The absolute worse is the town in which I grew up, Houston. There you can have a 7-11 right next to your house. There is zero zoning.