Austin | Villas on 24th | 312 Feet | 31 Floors | U/C

[wwmiv]

I agree with both sentiments, if they can be boiled down to the following statements:

1. there are dead zones that should be reactivated;
2. the character of the neighborhood should be preserved as distinct from the core central business district part of the original plat and from the West Campus neighborhood as well;

The problem is that the area does not easily lend itself to new highrise development at all:

1. There are a number of historically designated structures in the area;
2. There are few properties with deferred maintenance (the low hanging fruit for developers);
3. There are few surface parking lots (another form of low hanging fruit);

What can be done by developers and the city to rectify the problem?

1. There are some potential redevelopment sites, such as:
A. the parking garages at 16th/17th and San Antonio/Guadalupe;
B. the three blocks bounded by Guadalupe, Rio Grande, MLK, and 18th (there's already some action going on here);
C. St. Martin's could partner with a developer to construct something on their parking lot (lots of urban churches do this to ensure their survival);
D. Stitch together more cohesive commercial strips on Guadalupe and San Antonio headed into downtown and 18th and MLK at the boundary with UT;
E. Wells Fargo Bank site on 15th is low hanging fruit, as are most of the lots in the three blocks bounded by 12th/15th and Nueces/Rio Grande;
F. South of 12th things are a bit rosier, but I consider that as a different subsection of downtown;

Other than that, the neighborhood build is largely set-in-stone and isn't going to change much. I've said it before, and I will say it again, but Heritage (political dynamics aside) is the much stronger bet for highrise development in the long-term. There is a lack of historic structures in that neighborhood, there are structures that already have or likely will have deferred maintenance, and there are other forms of low hanging fruit present (cheaper builds, non-economical properties, low-intensity offices, surface parking, and a greater number of non-inspiring mid-century apartment architecture). And even that neighborhood will still likely retain about half its lots as single family homes or apartment converts in the long-term.