Quote:
Originally Posted by NYC2ATX
I lived in Austin for two years from '14 to '16, and even back then I remember the clubs around 5th/Congress and east of there as being the most mediocre arm of the downtown nightlife kingdom. In my own personal experience, Rainey, Warehouse, Red River, West 6th and Dirty 6th (in that order), all seemed to have much more to offer.
I agree that nobody wants to see the character and energy of Downtown Austin fall to developers, but the 5th stretch and the blocks directly abutting the CC are the most in need of reinvention IMO. If the higher-design venues of the JW Marriott, which opened while I was living there, and the conversion to the Line Hotel are any indication, there may be hope yet that major hotel presences could actually improve the area. Not to mention the increasing numbers of commuters coming through the area whom will be catered to by future development.
Also, I've always felt that Austin has plenty of room to grow and flesh out nightlife districts in areas adjacent to downtown and even further out in the city. This is already seen on South Congress and South Lamar, and in East Austin; and Rock Rose at the Domain and Aldrich Street at Mueller have demonstrated that these can be built from the ground up, and that Austinites across the city have an appetite for these places.
Austin nightlife is the furthest thing from dead, it's only just now reaching adolescence.
|
Let's not forget why an event such as SXSW was able to get started, grow and thrive here. It was because of the amount of entertainment venues in close proximity to eachother, litterally walking distance in a centralized core as opposed to being spread out. Not having to get into a car and drive from one place to another. It's one thing to have entertainment venues expand into other areas of the city, but to "flesh" them out of a centralized area where many people can easily move around from one to another not only reduces the options people have/had, it negatively impacts SXSW. I have heard organizers talk about this very issue just this year.
I don't disagree that the area immediately around the CC needs major improvement but the 5th/Congress down to Lavaca were far from mediocre. Those clubs played an important role for the local EDM Dance/Electronica scene and while we can get into a debate about size, or layout of some of these clubs, it comes down to personal taste in what you like to listen to. As I recall, we ran into each other a few times at those clubs for shows and whatnot. Also that area was much more active before you moved here. 10 plus years ago that area was the busiest in terms of nightlife door traffic outside of E.6th. West 6th is nowhere near how it once was. The only district that has grown and improved is Rainey and it didn't even exist as an entertainment district a decade plus ago.
I upside that I've heard is some good things are on the horizon for the local EDM scene.
Prev
Linear Mode
