Downtown

September 1996

• Destination Downtown Arts & Entertainment Map
  Over 40,000 copies have been distributed since October 1995.

• Downtown Art Museum
  Proposals have been received and reviewed for a comprehensive study of the operating budget for the museum. City Council action on this is anticipated in September.

• Downtown Development Initiatives
  On August 21, 1996 the City Council issued a formal Notice of Intent to the other taxing units in the proposed TIF district (AISD, ACC and Travis County) of its intention to establish a Reinvestment Zone for Tax Increment Financing. A public hearing is tentatively scheduled for October 24, 1996.

• Downtown Noontime Concerts
  The Fall 1996 season resumed September 3, the Tuesday following Labor Day. The September schedule is: September 3 - Susanna Sharpe and the Samba Police; September 10 - Derailers (rock-a-billy); September 17 - The Little Big Band (7-piece big band); September 24 - Mike Landschoot & The Paul Glass Band (bluegrass)

• Downtown Office Space Consolidation
  In July the City Manager and the consultant staff made a presentation to the City Council. Currently the City staff is looking at options for long-term lease consolidation of Downtown office space.

• First Tuesday Downtown
  The Alliance is committed to producing First Tuesday Downtown the first Tuesday of each month through December, from 5:00­9:00 p.m. Venues remain open after hours and there are many sidewalk activities until 9 p.m. Attendance reports have been between 3,500 and 5,000 for the initial July and August events. Upcoming First Tuesdays are: October 1, November 5 (Election Day), and December 3.

• Holly To Seaholm Transmission Line
  Construction work on the new transmission line and removal of the existing transmission lines and poles are complete. Distribution line work adjacent to the Rainey Street yard is underway. Plans have been completed for underground distribution facilities along Festival Beach Road and at the ballfields on Bergman Drive. Design work for additional landscaping is underway.

• Lamar Boulevard Bridge
  Preliminary engineering is near completion. Collection of data and surveys of existing conditions are complete. The draft preliminary engineering report to identify alternatives is under review. A public meeting will be held September 12, 1996, followed by a public hearing in spring 1997. The City Council will be presented with the alternatives and results of public input before selection of an option on which preliminary engineering will be completed.

• O. Henry Museum Preservation Plan
  A/E and City have reviewed the shutter submittal and returned the submittal "approved with comments" for manufacturing.

• Scattered Cooperative Infill Housing Program (SCIP 2)
  As originally proposed, the development of SCIP 2 was contingent upon multiple funding sources including State Low Income Housing Tax Credits. To date, however, no Tax Credits have been approved for the project. Currently, funding for the project totals $2,830,000 provided by the City of Austin for the acquisition of land and construction of 52 lower income housing units (35 rental and 17 homeownership). Additional units are anticipated to be developed contingent upon the availability of funding.

• Shoal Creek Flood Repair
  The project is substantially complete.

• Street Reconstruction and Overlay
  • Congress Avenue: Construction is complete.
  • San Jacinto Street: The design is complete; construction is scheduled for spring 1997.
  • Lavaca Street: Construction is to start mid-September and is expected to take 6 months to complete.