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01/31/2012

9 semifinalists named in waller creek design competition

01/31/2012

Nine teams were chosen Monday as semifinalists for the Waller Creek Conservancy design competition, from a pool of 31 entries. The competition calls for a redesign of a 1.5-mile stretch of city parkland and urban space along Waller Creek in downtown Austin. Among firms chosen by a panel of landscape architects and urban designers are Austin's Miro Rivera Architects, PageSoutherlandPage and Ten Eyck Landscape Architects, as well as San Antonio's Lake/Flato Architects. Each team consists of a landscape architecture firm and design architecture firm. Read more...

austin's comp plan promotes 'centers' approach

01/31/2012

By spring, Austin City Council is expected to consider adopting a new comprehensive plan that would direct the city's growth and development over the next 30 years as its population likely doubles to 1.5 million people. "The whole emphasis of the plan is to get things connected and in close proximity to each other," said Garner Stoll, assistant director of the city's planning and development review department. "Some people can walk or use transit, but not everyone will have to take auto trips." If Austin develops in accordance with the plan, Stoll said the result would be a more affordable and liveable city. Read more...

developers to break ground on first hotel at mueller

01/26/2012

Developers are set to break ground on a 112-room Marriott next month at Mueller, the first hotel for the mixed-use development northeast of downtown. The four-story Residence Inn by Marriott will be built at the southwest corner of Lancaster Drive and 51st street, an ideal location to serve the nearby Dell Children's Medical Center of Central Texas at Mueller, said Greg Weaver, executive vice president of Catellus Development Corp., the master developer of Mueller. The hospital is adding a third wing as it grows even faster than originally planned, Weaver said. Read more...

why austin, texas wants to be an autos city (yes, austin)

01/26/2012

When you think of Austin, Texas, the first things that come to mind are probably the University of Texas, food, music, and the South by Southwest festival. But now, Austin wants you to think of it as an automotive capital. Isn't Austin too deep in the heart of Texas? How can it compete with Detroit, let alone other established cities like Lexington, KY, Nashville, Tenn., Jackson and Tupelo, Miss.? And isn't an auto industry focus at odds with Austin's hip reputation? Austin's tactic is to home in on companies that are developing advanced technology, explains Adrianna Cruz, vice president of global corporate recruitment for the Austin Chamber of Commerce. Read more...

stricter rules could hit rainey street

01/25/2012

At a commission meeting Tuesday night, the City of Austin's Planning Commission discussed initiating a code amendment that could require new cocktail lounges on Rainey Street to apply for a conditional use permit. Currently cocktail lounges, or bars, that are in the area downtown zoned as Central Business District, or CBD, do not have to be reviewed by the Planning Commission or the Austin City Council before they can be established. This proposal would change that, but just for the Rainey Street District. Read more...