Downtown At A Glance

November 1995

• ADA Curb & Sidewalk - East Austin
  The pre-construction meeting with Engineering Micro Research, Inc. (EMR) took place on October 12, 1995. EMR has also started the construction of ramps in the East Austin section.

• Austin Downtown Rangers
  On June 1, the Downtown Austin Alliance celebrated the 1st Birthday Party of the Austin Downtown Rangers at the Frost Bank Plaza at 816 Congress Avenue. Mayor Bruce Todd and Downtown Austin Alliance Board Chair David Bodenman presented certificates to the 10 original Rangers who had been with the program since the beginning.

  During the Ranger's first year, an outstanding issue was where to house the Rangers. As of September 1995 this problem was solved when the Downtown Austin Alliance moved to its new home at 211 E. 7th Street, which provides separate space for the Rangers, their offices and equipment.

• Downtown 'Dillo Routes (Capital Metro)
  The #88 Old Pecan Street `Dillo Circulator is a new downtown cross-town service that began on October 29, 1995. This new service operates from Austin High School to Red River along 5th and 6th Streets. Beginning January 16, 1996 the service will be extended into East Austin to Robert J. Martinez Street.

• Downtown Art Museum
  A committee is working to identify potential funding sources for completion of design, construction and operation. A preliminary report is expected in January 1996.

• Downtown Convention and Visitor Activities
  This new report covers a time period from September 1, 1995 to October 31, 1995, and reports Downtown Convention and Visitor Activities.

• Downtown Development Initiatives
  Since the approval of the contract, staff at the Department of Planning and Development has been working with the consultant to create the data bases (base mapping, zoning inventory, parcel information, and geographic information system coverages) necessary for the analysis and creation of a TIF. They have developed a proposed schedule for the steps needed to complete the Phase II work, beginning with City Council work sessions in early 1996.

• Downtown Graffiti Removal
  Since the City of Austin has assumed responsibility for graffiti removal in the public right-of-way, the Downtown Austin Alliance has re-allocated its resources to private property graffiti removal. The Downtown Austin Alliance has contracted with "Off the Wall" Graffiti, Inc. for graffiti removal on private property within the Public Improvement District. Only member parcels for which the Alliance has a signed release of liability are included in this program. All graffiti should be reported to the City Graffiti Hotline: 473-4125.

• Downtown Mobility Action Plan (Capital Metro)
  DMAP is scheduled for completion of a draft plan by the end of December 1995. Public participation for DMAP is targeted to existing boards and commissions. Meetings will be held beginning in January 1996.

• Downtown Noontime Concerts (Downtown Austin Alliance)
  The Downtown Austin Alliance (formerly Austin DMO, Inc.), and the Austin Federation of Musicians have co-sponsored two years of free noontime concerts. A variety of local musicians perform every Tuesday at Regents Plaza, Sixth and Colorado. The concerts will conclude November 28 with Pinnacle Quintet (perfect cold weather blues). They will resume in April 1996.

• Holly To Seaholm Transmission Line
  Foundation construction is scheduled to begin November 1, 1995. Pole setting and wire stringing will begin in January 1996. Construction projects should be completed in March 1996, with clean-up and restoration activities concluding in April 1996.

• Lamar Boulevard Bridge
  Preliminary engineering is underway. Collection of data and surveys of existing conditions are complete. The draft preliminary engineering report to identify alternatives is scheduled to be completed in November 1995. The public input phase is expected to be completed by February 1996, after which 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.

• New City Hall
  The City Staff team, including Charles Curry, is working on a presentation to the City Council. The presentation is tentatively planned for November 16, 1995. It will emphasize a need for action for the space needs in the downtown.

• O. Henry Museum Restoration - Phase I
  Construction is approximately 92% complete. Interim control of lead-containing paint has begun.

• Reconstruction of Congress Avenue
  The Water and Wastewater Utility has completed the replacement of two water lines.

• Scattered Cooperative Infill Housing Program (SCIP 2)
  The Plan I Environmental Review of the proposed development has been completed and all is clear. Capital Market Research has completed a market study of the area. Henry Neil, under contract with ACDC, has completed and submitted the tax credit application to the State. Austin Housing Finance Corporation's (AHFC) Board has approved an action to provide additional option contracts on six parcels to ACDC. This option contract is for land located on East 12th Street. An award of tax credits to ACDC's SCIP 2 project is not anticipated until mid-November, 1995.

• Seaholm Substation Expansion
  Construction of the substation is underway and should be completed by March 15, 1996.

• Shoal Creek Flood Repair
  Construction started in September and will be completed in January 1996.

• South 1st Street
  The project was awarded by the City Council on September 14, 1995, and construction started on October 28, 1995.

• Street Reconstruction and Overlay
  Congress Avenue: The contract has been awarded; construction is on hold. Colorado Street: The design is essentially complete; bidding is on hold. Brazos Street: The design is in progress; construction is scheduled for 1996. 2nd and 9th Streets: The project is currently under construction.

• Waller Creek Flood Management and Water Quality Improvements Study
  The Study is approximately 95% complete, and the estimated study completion is November 1995.