Tag Archives: Congress Avenue
Friday, September 24, 2021 by Jonathan Lee
Preservation
Dilapidated Congress Avenue buildings move one step closer to reconstruction
After a yearslong saga, the owner of three run-down buildings at 907, 909 and 911 Congress Avenue will finally be able to reconstruct the buildings’ facades. On Sept. 14, the Planning Commission overruled a decision by the Historic Landmark Commission…
Tuesday, December 22, 2020 by Sean Saldaña
Preservation
Landmark commission denies Congress building owner’s request for mural
Last month, the Historic Landmark Commission discussed a proposal to install an eye-catching, soccer-themed mural at 506 Congress Ave. The mural, which would have been completed by the artist Ruben Sánchez, was noteworthy because it would be located near the…
Wednesday, November 25, 2020 by Sean Saldaña
Preservation
Landmark commission postpones decision on Congress mural
A building at 506 Congress Ave., just a few blocks from the Texas Capitol, could soon be the site of a new mural – but not before additional review. A proposal to paint a mural with a soccer motif on…
Friday, September 25, 2020 by Savana Dunning
Roads
New changes to Congress Avenue mark step toward permanent street redesign
Austin Transportation is installing the first of many temporary safety and mobility additions to Congress Avenue this week as the interim step toward the city’s complete redesign project launched in 2017. During the four- to six-week phased installation process, the…
Friday, October 11, 2019 by Ryan Thornton
Transportation
More walkable Congress Avenue vision gaining traction
An innovative framework meant to help reinvigorate Congress Avenue downtown has earned the favor of the Urban Transportation Commission. The framework was developed by the Pedestrian Advisory Council in May as a way to allow experimentation with pedestrian-friendly policies through…
Wednesday, July 11, 2018 by Jessi Devenyns
Preservation
Three Congress storefronts will soon be dismantled
For over a decade, three properties at 907, 909 and 911 Congress Ave. have stood vacant as they awaited a plan to restore their original facades. In September of 2006, two of the properties were approved for dismantling, but now…
Tuesday, June 26, 2018 by Caleb Pritchard
Austin
Ciclovia on hold while parking proposal creates controversy on Congress Avenue
The dream of shutting down Congress Avenue for a daylong bicycle festival is in a state of suspended animation. City Council made a step toward the idea just over a year ago when it voted on a resolution directing the…
Monday, May 21, 2018 by Caleb Pritchard
Planning
City planners picture fewer cars on Congress
Imagine if the main street of Texas had wider sidewalks, dedicated bike lanes and no pull-in parking spaces. That’s one potential outcome of the city of Austin’s Congress Avenue Urban Design Initiative. Last week, the Public Works and Planning and…
Friday, October 28, 2016 by Elizabeth Pagano
Preservation
Neon wrong kind of historic for Congress Avenue
At the most recent Historic Landmark Commission meeting, commissioners faced the question of when “historic” was, exactly. One of Austin’s most celebrated new restaurants provoked the question, by proposing installation of a sign that the owners said was historic, though…
Tuesday, May 10, 2016 by Jo Clifton
Austin
Viral news proves a mixed bag for Great Outdoors
Tom Tinguely, owner of the Great Outdoors nursery on South Congress, wants everyone to know that he is working through issues with the city’s Development Services and Code departments and that the business is fully operational. That’s important, because when…
Tuesday, October 27, 2015 by Elizabeth Pagano
Development
Council OKs alcohol for South Congress shop
City Council has approved a waiver that will allow a new business on South Congress to serve alcohol, despite its close proximity to the Texas School for the Deaf. Two Hands Brew LLC sought an alcoholic beverage waiver last week…
Tuesday, March 17, 2015 by Elizabeth Pagano
Preservation
Possible strip club makes museum wary of deck
With a proposed Congress Avenue strip club drawing fire from groups across the city, it might not be the right time for other tenants of 422 Congress Ave. to ask for changes. Though the owners of Shiner’s Saloon explained that…
Tuesday, February 3, 2015 by Elizabeth Pagano
Development
Congress Avenue facade flip passes first hurdle
It’s not what usually comes to mind when one thinks of flipping houses. But last week, Austin’s Historic Landmark Commission gave its tentative blessing to an undertaking that will see Congress Avenue’s Grandberry and Mitchell-Robinson Buildings flipped — brick by…
Thursday, November 13, 2014 by Jo Clifton
Austin
Downtown hotel zoning shifts to code amendment
After almost a year of going through the zoning change process, including trips to four different commissions and winning initial approval from City Council, developers of the Aloft Austin & Element Hotel are now seeking an amendment to the Land…
Monday, October 27, 2014 by Elizabeth Pagano
Development
Congress hotel closer to Council approval
It has been a long, slow road, but a proposed Congress Avenue hotel passed its first official City Council hurdle in October. Council members unanimously approved a rezoning that will allow for a change to the building’s street setback on…
Friday, September 5, 2014 by Elizabeth Pagano
Development
Commission nixes neon for P. Terry’s sign
(Natalie Krebs participated in the preparation of this story.) The new downtown P. Terry’s struck out for a second time at the Historic Landmark Commission on Monday night, where it became abundantly clear that the local burger stand will not…
