28 Downtown Blocks to Close During F1 (Austin, Portland: real estate, houses, tax)

[Komeht]

Originally Posted by Austin97

I attended SXSWi for the first time last year. I never have been to ACL or any of the other big festivals. They arent my thing. However I think they are absolutely awesome for austin.

Agree completely. I don't go to ACL - but I have a ton of friends who do who love it. I know people who fly in from all parts of the country just to go to it, and love it. They love Austin because of it. These are good things. Austinites have a history of reacting negatively to any perceived change. The good thing is once they get on board, they realize how great it is and how silly the fight was to stop it.

I'm reminded of the ridiculous fight over the Triangle development. The Hyde Park NIMBY's came out in FORCE against it. Every other house had a "Save Triangle Park" sign. (as an aside, "Triangle Park" was a vacant field).

Now it's a nice little amenity for the neighborhood with great take-out, cafes, bars, restaurants, grocery. . .all a couple of minutes drive or walk from most of Hyde Park - and guess who I see at the Flying Saucer ever night - the same residents who a few years ago had a the "Save Triangle Park" sign in their yard.

[atxcio]

Originally Posted by Komeht

Now it's a nice little amenity for the neighborhood with great take-out, cafes, bars, restaurants, grocery. . .all a couple of minutes drive or walk from most of Hyde Park - and guess who I see at the Flying Saucer ever night - the same residents who a few years ago had a the "Save Triangle Park" sign in their yard.

But it's so crowded there now...

[Austinite101]

I love the excitement.

[austin-steve]

Originally Posted by Austin97

Thats because you are too old. For the people that like to go out all the time, and who have the energy to do it, these huge parties are awesome.

If austin can turn itself into a non stop festival city, that would certainly be weird.

Well, I may be "old", (turning 50 this month), but I was partying hard in Austin back when it supposedly "nothing" compared to today (mid 1980s). We use to go non-stop for days on end, and did so for years.

We would put these prissy F1 wine sippers and their botoxed wifes under the table in less than 3 hours, and just be getting warmed up for a 3 day run. Going out and partying? Been there done that. Don't need to be told I don't like to go out. I'm out all the time.

And we never needed to be put into a 28 block "playpen" of downtown for an entire freaking week (Tues to Tues - before Thanksgiving mind you). Do you even realize how much of downtown that is? Ridiculous.

Austin manages to host weeks of SXSW, ACL, UT Football, marathons, ROT Rally, etc. without shutting down 28 BLOCKS of downtown FOR A WEEK right before Thanksgiving.

My entire point is that the scope of it all just doesn't make sense. A night or two? Sure. A few streets for a weekend? OK. My issue is with the scope, and the "taking" of downtown for a week for what is essentially a private party use for out of towners.

Note, the first road closures start Nov 13th, and the last ones end Nov 20th (8 days). Thanksgiving day is Nov 22nd. Time will prove me right or wrong, but I think the airport and traffic snarls are going to be epic and legendary. Austin is in no way equipped or prepared to handle an event of this magnitude and I think there's a good chance that it will be an embarrassment, not a success.

Just my opinion, and I may be wrong.

[centralaustinite]

Regarding the Triangle development -- you have your history wrong, go check out some back issues of the Chronicle. It was the neighbors who wanted a more innovative and walkable design -- the original developers wanted a supermarket and a movie theater there surrounded by an ocean of parking. It was the residents who held design charettes and spent hundreds and hundreds of hours fighting with the city and state and then working with the city and state to create something more walkable, dense and interesting on that site -- and parkland too!

Regarding F1, I worry that this is where Austin "jumps the shark"! I so deeply wish it was happening in Dallas!

[Komeht]

Originally Posted by centralaustinite

Regarding the Triangle development -- you have your history wrong, go check out some back issues of the Chronicle. It was the neighbors who wanted a more innovative and walkable design -- the original developers wanted a supermarket and a movie theater there surrounded by an ocean of parking. It was the residents who held design charettes and spent hundreds and hundreds of hours fighting with the city and state and then working with the city and state to create something more walkable, dense and interesting on that site -- and parkland too!

Regarding F1, I worry that this is where Austin "jumps the shark"! I so deeply wish it was happening in Dallas!

The Triangle was always going to have the type of development that went in. It's true that the neighborhood defeated the movie theater which would have been amazing to have a central Austin theater that you could walk to. At that time there was not violet crown and the only theater that wasnt a drive to the hinterlands was Alamo which has quirky art house pics only.

So yeah, chalk a huge victory up the the NIMBYs who could have had a theater that they could walk to.

[centralaustinite]

Originally Posted by Komeht

The Triangle was always going to have the type of development that went in..

Totally not true.
It was originally going to be the site of a huge "Super-Randells" and a suburban type movie theater and asphalt parking lots! It was the grocery store and parking lots that led to neighborhood ire!

The agenda also includes an amendment to once-and-for-all get rid of the planned grocery store in the Triangle development – which, seven years ago, sparked a central-city revolt aimed mostly at its proposed anchor super-Randalls. The item before the council would change the site plan to include several smaller retail spaces; the revised plan then goes the following Tuesday to the "special board of review" of state and local officials that has final say over plans for the still-state-owned land.

Austin Chronicle, 2004 Naked City: Headlines and happenings from Austin and beyond - News - The Austin Chronicle

Their coverage goes back to 1996. Most (but clearly not you) now agree that the slow-down and re-design of the development was a tremendous win for the neighborhood and Austin, as the denser development with residential areas, park, and variety of retail is a much better use of state land than a giant grocery store and movie theater.

[Komeht]

Originally Posted by centralaustinite

Totally not true.
It was originally going to be the site of a huge "Super-Randells" and a suburban type movie theater and asphalt parking lots! It was the grocery store and parking lots that led to neighborhood ire!

The agenda also includes an amendment to once-and-for-all get rid of the planned grocery store in the Triangle development – which, seven years ago, sparked a central-city revolt aimed mostly at its proposed anchor super-Randalls. The item before the council would change the site plan to include several smaller retail spaces; the revised plan then goes the following Tuesday to the "special board of review" of state and local officials that has final say over plans for the still-state-owned land.

Austin Chronicle, 2004 Naked City: Headlines and happenings from Austin and beyond - News - The Austin Chronicle

Their coverage goes back to 1996. Most (but clearly not you) now agree that the slow-down and re-design of the development was a tremendous win for the neighborhood and Austin, as the denser development with residential areas, park, and variety of retail is a much better use of state land than a giant grocery store and movie theater.

I was there. I listened to the park people. They didn't want ANYTHING in the vacant lot. Getting rid of the movies theater was the compromise. Congrats on that front.

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by austin-steve

Well, I may be "old", (turning 50 this month), but I was partying hard in Austin back when it supposedly "nothing" compared to today (mid 1980s). We use to go non-stop for days on end, and did so for years.

We would put these prissy F1 wine sippers and their botoxed wifes under the table in less than 3 hours, and just be getting warmed up for a 3 day run. Going out and partying? Been there done that. Don't need to be told I don't like to go out. I'm out all the time.

And we never needed to be put into a 28 block "playpen" of downtown for an entire freaking week (Tues to Tues - before Thanksgiving mind you). Do you even realize how much of downtown that is? Ridiculous.

Austin manages to host weeks of SXSW, ACL, UT Football, marathons, ROT Rally, etc. without shutting down 28 BLOCKS of downtown FOR A WEEK right before Thanksgiving.

My entire point is that the scope of it all just doesn't make sense. A night or two? Sure. A few streets for a weekend? OK. My issue is with the scope, and the "taking" of downtown for a week for what is essentially a private party use for out of towners.

Note, the first road closures start Nov 13th, and the last ones end Nov 20th (8 days). Thanksgiving day is Nov 22nd. Time will prove me right or wrong, but I think the airport and traffic snarls are going to be epic and legendary. Austin is in no way equipped or prepared to handle an event of this magnitude and I think there's a good chance that it will be an embarrassment, not a success.

Just my opinion, and I may be wrong.

My main point was just that you might not appreciate the size and duration of the party, but there are a lot of people who do. I think many people will come just for the parties, not for the races.

From the original article:
<<By comparison, at this year's SXSW Music Festival, 36 downtown blocks were fully closed, most for four days. Those closures did not include Congress Avenue.>>

I have no idea if it will be good or bad and my predictions dont really matter. I personally won't attend because I dont enjoy partying like that at all.

[oldtoiletsmkgdflrpots]

Originally Posted by Austin97

Thats because you are too old. For the people that like to go out all the time, and who have the energy to do it, these huge parties are awesome.

If austin can turn itself into a non stop festival city, that would certainly be weird.

That comment about being "too old" is hilarious! It isn't about "energy" it's about brain cells and how to use them.

Go Steve!