January 1998

• Austin Downtown Rangers
  From April, 1997 to December, 1997, the Rangers received training in the following areas: 1) Customer Service, from ACVB, 2) First Aid training, from EMS, 3) CPR training, also from EMS, 4) gang awareness training from APD, 5) Bicycle Training and Safety, from the University of Texas at Austin, 6) Cultural Diversity, from the City of Austin, 7) Sexual Harassment Awareness, from the City of Austin, 8) Self Defense, from Bob Foster of Equix Advisory Corporation (an Alliance Board Member and martial arts expert), and Communicable Disease, from Austin EMS.

• Block 4 Residential Development
  The Austin City Council has identified housing as a priority for downtown development. They have directed City staff to study the feasibility of a public-private partnership with AMLI Residential Properties Trust., for residential mixed-use development at the Block 4 site owned by the City. On January 22, 1998, the City Council approved the signing of a letter of intent between the City of Austin and AMLI, and Third & Colorado, L.L.C.

• DAA Destination Downtown Arts & Entertainment Map
  For one year, Experience Austin, the official publication of the Austin Convention & Visitors Bureau, will carry a 1/3 page ad for the map and Downtown.

• DAA Downtown Parking Signs and Map
  Close to 100 signs were in use by the end of January 1998.

• DAA Great Streets Program
  
  • Congress Avenue's 200 block is planned for streetscaping to match the rest of the "Main Street of Texas." Construction is planned to start summer 1998.
  • The Driskill corner construction should begin April 1998.
  • The Barton Springs - Congress Avenue "Triangle" will have xeriscaping and a bat sculpture/stabile by Dale Whistler. The large metal bat will move in the wind, as it heralds the entry to Downtown. Donors include the Austin American-Statesman, Embassy Suites Hotel, Hyatt Regency Austin, Parsons Brinkerhoff, Quade, Douglas and the Downtown Trust.

• DAA Downtown Tuesday Noontime Concerts
  The Spring 1998 concerts begin on Tuesday, April 7 and run through June 30, 1998.

• Downtown Design Guidelines
  The City Council has directed the Design Commission to develop Design Guidelines for downtown development. The Design Commission has a developed scope of work and a proposed work schedule. A status report of their work on the Design Guidelines will be sent to Council by late February.

• Downtown Development Initiatives
  Downtown Development Advisory Group: The Downtown Development Advisory Group meets on a weekly basis and forwards their recommendations to Council. They have reviewed the proposed letters of intent for the Block 4 and Pole Yard Development Initiatives, and financing improvements to the Waller Creek corridor, and have discussed guidelines for the lease of City-owned land, and affordable housing.

  Heritage Austin: Heritage Austin is a program of the Heritage Society of Austin. The team, comprising five local architects, meets weekly to develop a community values based vision for downtown, as well as fourteen issue papers. Heritage Austin will soon be opening a Storefront Community Design Center at 807 Congress Avenue.

• Downtown Parking Plan
  The first phase of the installation was completed in September 1997. The conversion to electronic parking meters will be completed in Fiscal Year 1998.

• Downtown Public Improvement District (PID) and Downtown Austin Alliance (DAA)
  In October, 1997 the Austin City Council approved a five year extension of the Austin Downtown PID. In December, 1997 the Council approved the 1998-99 PID Service Plan and Budget.

• Labor Connections (Day Labor Site)
  Under the auspices of the Community Action Network (CAN), the City and County recently negotiated a contract with Austin/Travis County Mental Health Mental Retardation (A/TC MHMR) to provide services at the Day Labor Pick-Up Site from January-December 1998.

• Lamar Boulevard Bridge
  An idea competition will begin in Spring, 1998 to obtain input on facilities.

• Pole Yard Residential Development
  The Austin City Council has identified housing as a priority for downtown development. They have directed City staff to study the feasibility of a public-private partnership with Post Apartment Homes, L.P., for residential development at the Pole Yard site owned by the City's Electric Utility Department. Post Apartment Homes has been evaluating the development potential of the site, and is preparing preliminary concept plans. City staff is currently working with Post to develop a letter of intent.

• Resource Center for the Homeless
  Under the auspices of the Community Action Network (CAN), the City and County recently negotiated a contract with Austin/Travis County Mental Health Mental Retardation (A/TC MHMR) to provide services through the Homeless Resource Center from January-December 1998.

• Scattered Cooperative Infill Housing Program (SCIP II)
  Currently, funding for the both Phase One and Phase Two of the SCIP II project total $4,416,000 provided by the City of Austin for the acquisition of land, a portion of the construction cost, and down payment assistance for 52 lower income homeownership units. Additionally, the State of Texas has committed $500,000 in funds for down payment assistance for 52 of the units that will be homeownership units. To date, eleven (11) single family homeownership units have been completed and sold. Construction of the second panel of approximately 16 units is scheduled to commence March 15, 1998. December, 1999, is the target date for completion of all construction activities within the SCIP II project.

• Seaholm Power Plant Reuse
  The Seaholm Reuse Planning Committee will conduct public meetings in February 1998 to hear community input and ideas. A "Come Join the Brainstorm!" open house is set for February 28 and will include tours for the public through the 110,000 square foot building.

• Seaholm Substation Expansion
  Modifications to the 35 kV circuit breakers were completed in June, 1997, resulting in the purchase of a new Autotransformer. Delivery of this Autotransformer is scheduled for January 29, 1998.

• Waller Creek Flood-Management and Water Quality Improvements Study
  On February 5, 1998 the City Council adopted by resolution the City Manager's recommendation to finance the expansion of the Convention Center Project and the Waller Creek Tunnel Project through the use of additional revenues created on the passage of a two percent increase to the hotel/motel occupancy tax. The City Council also directed the City Manager to return to Council within 30 days with a recommendation for the date of an election (probably to be scheduled for May 2, 1998) to ask voters to approve designating the Waller Creek tunnel and Convention Center as a venue project, and also whether to raise the Hotel/Motel tax 2%.

• Waller Creek Trail and Park Improvements
  The following is a summary of the nine individual sites that will undergo change:
  • Town Lake: A rest area will be created as well as kiosk improvements at the intersection of Town Lake and the mouth of Waller Creek. A pedestrian bridge will be constructed just south of César Chávez, thereby making the trail continuous throughout. A rest area will be located south of the Convention Center.
  • Trask House: Additional trail, landscaping and benches will follow Waller Creek at street level to Third Street.
  • Palm Park: Improvements to this historic park feature a new water fountain and picnic tables.
  • Sixth Street: To improve security, lockable gates will be installed on the existing tunnel which will be locked at night.
  • Seventh Street Bridge: Lighting will be placed underneath the bridge.
  • Ninth Street: Just south of Ninth Street a ramp will be widened to conform to code and insure accessibility to the trail which, at this point, comes from creek level to street level.
  • Doyle House: The ramp will be made accessible, benches will be replaced and a water fountain replaced.
  • South of Symphony Square: South of Twelfth Street the design calls for adding a low-water crossing and steps leading from the parking lot to the creek.
  • Waterloo Park: At this non-wheelchair accessible stretch of the creek the existing sidewalks will be removed and walkways will be revised to insure access.
  • New signage between Waterloo Park and Town Lake includes seven kiosks featuring maps of the trail, as well as signage on bridges with street identification and directions to landmarks (Symphony Square, Waterloo Park, Convention Center, etc.)