This is just a guess trying to look at it impartially so doesn't necessarily mean I agree nor disagree, but considering the amount of money the city has put into transforming that entire area plus all of the residential not least the Independent being nearly next door, a large homeless presence will likely not be tolerated. There's families with children that already live in the area with more moving in. It will also draw people from around the city including tourists. There will soon be a hotel on the other side of the creek. The city will clamp down on loitering especially at night.
Libraries are free and open to everyone. There will be a staffed social worker office in the library to assist the inevitable presence of those who need such services. That being said, disruptive and harassing behavior will not be tolerated, nor will camping in the creek parkland.
I see no reason to think the homeless population will migrate to the new library. They hang out around the main library mostly because there a lot of people who hang around the jail and Woolridge Square waiting on their pals to get out. It's just sort of become an accepted thing in that part of downtown. I have a family member who works for the sheriff's office and the area was always crawling with all kinds of people whenever we'd go pick him up. That area of downtown also goes to sleep after hours, so it's convenient for that activity. The area around the new library is a pretty different area of downtown. Even with the electrical substation being there creating a dead zone and the new library, the area is active enough otherwise to keep them away. Also, the connectivity now with the Shoal Creek trail will likely make it not so popular if they have people on bikes zipping past them in the dark. I also get the feeling that with all of those residential towers around there and the people who are paying big bucks to live in them that they aren't going to be ok with something like that going on at their doorstep.
It looks more bluish. Are we all going to hope they change colors and start that conversation again?? I didn't expect anything at all so I'm happy with just this.
If you plan on going there at night, I would recommend wearing sunglasses. It looks like they installed 10K watt lights throughout the interior.
It looks more bluish. Are we all going to hope they change colors and start that conversation again?? I didn't expect anything at all so I'm happy with just this.
If you plan on going there at night, I would recommend wearing sunglasses. It looks like they installed 10K watt lights throughout the interior.
It not only changes colors but it cycles through different patterns on what seems to be 20-30 min intervals. Walked by tonight and first it was like a random chasing display then when I walked back around it was red.
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"GOOD TIMES!!!" Jerri Blank (Strangers With Candy)
This is awesome! I love how our city is starting to be so light filled at night:
I agree. Still would have been nice if they lit the tower portion of Northshore, but all in all, the skyline is looking pretty good at night nowadays. They just need to re-light the One American Center. It's as if they gave up lighting it since the building is starting to fade into the background but it's still one of our most significant office towers and is an iconic building. It hasn't been lit up for at least a year now.
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"GOOD TIMES!!!" Jerri Blank (Strangers With Candy)
I agree. Still would have been nice if they lit the tower portion of Northshore, but all in all, the skyline is looking pretty good at night nowadays. They just need to re-light the One American Center. It's as if they gave up lighting it since the building is starting to fade into the background but it's still one of our most significant office towers and is an iconic building. It hasn't been lit up for at least a year now.
Do you have a photo you can share of One American Center lit up? I'm drawing a blank on how it used to look. Wasn't it just white lights at each level?
Do you have a photo you can share of One American Center lit up? I'm drawing a blank on how it used to look. Wasn't it just white lights at each level?
Yea each of the stair steps were lit with flood lights. I probably have a pic somewhere but since it's been so long it's probably somewhere in the cloud lol.
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"GOOD TIMES!!!" Jerri Blank (Strangers With Candy)
Will the lights be synchronized with the new bridge?
So far I haven't seen any indication of that. I'll be walking my dog around the river again this evening and will see what's going on with the lighting but the bridge cycles through different colors fairly quickly while the lights on the library seem to do random things but with a much longer interval between changing up.
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"GOOD TIMES!!!" Jerri Blank (Strangers With Candy)
Silly question but I'm up to my head in travel stuff for work and my mind is blank at the moment. I'll be coming through Austin with my family next Spring - the library is/will be open, right? I know my wife and son would love to go check it out (and I will hopefully be able to also!).
Silly question but I'm up to my head in travel stuff for work and my mind is blank at the moment. I'll be coming through Austin with my family next Spring - the library is/will be open, right? I know my wife and son would love to go check it out (and I will hopefully be able to also!).
The library opens in just over a week - on the 28th.
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I didn't expect anything at all so I'm happy with just this.
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