[KevinFromTexas]

http://impactnews.com/central-austin/283-news/10180-downtowns-main-street-the-next-park-avenue-

Downtown’s main street the next Park Avenue?

By Bobby Longoria
Friday, 22 October 2010

Congress Avenue targeted for update, revitalization

CENTRAL AUSTIN — Hundreds of individuals, officials and organizations across Austin are working to redesign Congress Avenue into an entertainment and retail district similar to Chicago’s Michigan Avenue or New York City’s Park Avenue.

“It’s the main avenue of this city, it’s the main street of the state Capitol and it was one of the first streets laid out by this state,” said Molly Alexander, associate director of the Downtown Austin Alliance. “The strength of this street, the experience that we can generate and the vision that we can manifest will impact everybody.”

On Sept. 24 the DAA released a strategic report for envisioning Congress Avenue in 2020 and beyond. The 110-page report is the result of months of research and workshop sessions with stakeholders that submitted several recommendations for improving the avenue. The report formulated six themes to improve the avenue and set it on par with other great streets across the nation:
• improved outdoor dining,
• a better representation of art, culture, and theater,
• a better shopping experience,
• the preservation and promotion of history and architecture,
• construction of an urban rail or street car and
• a better pedestrian experience.

[Jdawgboy]

If they can pull this off, it will be very nice. Would love to see Congress fixed up especially the southern end. Its kind of sad when you pass Stassney that it turns to a 2 lane country road LOL. but Congress south of Oltorf honesty could really use some help.

[KevinFromTexas]

I think they're only talking about the portion in downtown, but yeah, that area is sad. I live a block south of Stassney between South First & Manchaca, so I know what you mean. I would like to see some bike lanes and sidewalk improvements for the area between Sheraton Avenue and Stassney Lane. There really aren't any through there, and it's dangerous. I ride my bike through there at night sometimes on my way to and from downtown. It can be scary crossing the creek with like 2 feet clearance between me and traffic. I basically have to get into the right lane since there's no shoulder across the little bridge over the creek. Plus there are no street lights through that stretch!

[Spaceman]

Improving Congress south of Oltorf would be nice but Austin is about 1/2 million people short to support this area of growth....There really is no demand for this type of improvment in that area now...South Main in Houston and Peachtree in Atlanta are examples, I think, of what you envision....But there is no medical center or Buckhead at the south end of Congress and probably will never be. I graduated from St. Ed's in 1980 and actually the area looks very much the same.

[wwmiv]

Austin does not have necessary density of wealth downtown to support such a district and probably never will.

[Armybrat]

Improving Congress south of Oltorf would be nice but Austin is about 1/2 million people short to support this area of growth....There really is no demand for this type of improvment in that area now...South Main in Houston and Peachtree in Atlanta are examples, I think, of what you envision....But there is no medical center or Buckhead at the south end of Congress and probably will never be. I graduated from St. Ed's in 1980 and actually the area looks very much the same.

Well, the area between Oltorf & Ben White looks nothing like it did in '59 when I first enrolled at St.Ed's High School.

Neither does St. Ed's, except for the Old Main & a few other buildings.

At least the new El Gallo TexMex place is still there.

[NYC Rick]

I live and have lived in NYC for 25 years after growing up in the west.

Austin was a sleeper but it is becoming completely cool and foucused since my last time there.

Great city!

After that, I live in NYC and there is NO CITY AND NOT STREET that can touch Park Avenue. The sheer density as well as a beautiful focus on trees, parks and amazingly beautiful architecture are unrivaled.

This is not to diminish what cites like Austin, Seattle, Salt Lake City, Portland and others are doing. Each of these and more cities are actually getting it.

I refuse to accept the comparisons with NYC where you are talking miles of linear and over the top of residential high rise design where beauty is in the building and not in the heirgh.

Sorry, I just had to support my city. 1n 18 million CMSA that is in the hub of remaking them selves and chasing no one.

Remember, I love what many of the urban cities are turning into. I am not dissing any of them. A lot of focus is being placed for the future!

I really think that the USA and architecture are really making an aesthetic advance at the same time.

[KevinFromTexas]

I think everyone just holds places like New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Boston and Philly to the highest degree. They're the good examples of what we would like to think of as great urban environments. There are others, too, I would put Seattle and even Pittsburgh high on the list for their sense of urban cohesion.

[Armybrat]

I live and have lived in NYC for 25 years after growing up in the west.

Austin was a sleeper but it is becoming completely cool and foucused since my last time there.

Great city!

After that, I live in NYC and there is NO CITY AND NOT STREET that can touch Park Avenue. The sheer density as well as a beautiful focus on trees, parks and amazingly beautiful architecture are unrivaled.

This is not to diminish what cites like Austin, Seattle, Salt Lake City, Portland and others are doing. Each of these and more cities are actually getting it.

I refuse to accept the comparisons with NYC where you are talking miles of linear and over the top of residential high rise design where beauty is in the building and not in the heirgh.

Sorry, I just had to support my city. 1n 18 million CMSA that is in the hub of remaking them selves and chasing no one.

Remember, I love what many of the urban cities are turning into. I am not dissing any of them. A lot of focus is being placed for the future!

I really think that the USA and architecture are really making an aesthetic advance at the same time.

I agree.

There will never be another NYC, LA, Chitown, Miami, or Nawlins.

But plenty of other unique & cool places to live or visit.

[wwmiv]

I agree.

There will never be another NYC, LA, Chitown, Miami, or Nawlins.

But plenty of other unique & cool places to live or visit.

I'd rather live in Seattle or Philadelphia - two places that should be included on that list of yours.