September 1999 Downtown Report
Downtown Public Improvement District (PID)

Austin Downtown Rangers

The Rangers serve as eyes and ears for APD and as goodwill ambassadors for the downtown Austin area. The Austin Downtown Rangers dress in easily distinguishable uniforms and carry two-way communication equipment to be in constant contact with Austin Police dispatch. The Rangers were trained by APD in police patrol techniques. The Rangers are not peace officers, do not carry weapons, and do not make arrests. They report situations requiring Police Officer attention to the Austin Police dispatch office.

The Rangers are also trained by ACVB in their ambassadorship responsibilities. The Downtown Rangers serve as guides for the public; they are trained to answer questions about points of interest in downtown Austin. They carry maps and other materials to guide guests of our city to their destinations.

The Austin Downtown Rangers program assists both the Downtown Austin Alliance in implementing its Security Service Plan element, and satisfy a current APD goal to increase the number of women and minorities in its ranks. All of the Austin Downtown Rangers are City of Austin employees, funded by a grant from the Downtown Austin Alliance.

The principal purpose of the Austin Downtown Ranger program is security. Therefore, the Rangers are directly responsible to the Supervisor of the Walking/Bicycle Beat in Downtown Austin. That Supervisor works closely with the Executive Director of the Downtown Austin Alliance and the ACVB Director to develop the deployment schedules and areas of security coverage throughout the year. This coordination will be on a continuing basis to satisfy the security needs of downtown Austin.

The Rangers have adjusted their hours to further help impact the minor crimes in the Public Improvement District. The new hours are from 6:30am - 10:00pm. The Rangers also received new bicycles in April 1999.

Monty Dolieslager has returned as Ranger Supervisor.

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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 Adrian's Hydro-Blasting, Graffiti Control Systems and Off-The-Wall Graffiti for graffiti removal on private property within the Public Improvement District. There is no charge to the property owner. The Alliance will clean any part of a building which faces the street. All downtown parcels for which the Alliance has a signed release of liability are included in this program. The Alliance cannot clean any parcel unless an appropriate property representative has signed the release. Quick and effective graffiti removal is a priority. Most tags will be removed within 24-48 hours of being reported, weather permitting.

For graffiti that occurs on the fronts of buildings in the Public Improvement District, please contact Sam Allison at 469-1766. For other graffiti please call 473-4125.

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Litter Removal

Beginning May 1, 1999, the Downtown Austin Alliance started its annual contract with Easter Seals of Central Texas for litter removal. The contract covers sidewalks and Waller Creek. Heavily trafficked sidewalks are cleaned once per day, other sidewalks are cleaned once per week. Special cleanups can be arranged. Call 469-1766 for more details.

The crews comprise up to four people. They work eight hours per day, Monday through Friday. For questions about the "Green Machine," the automated sidewalk litter machine, please call Steve Miller or Ray King of the City of Austin, Solid Waste Services Department, at 476-4381.

The areas being cleaned fall within the boundaries of the Downtown Austin Public Improvement District. Within that area, the sidewalks will be cleaned from the private property line to the street curb. Alcoves will also be cleaned by the "Green Machine." Alley cleaning is not a part of this contract.

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Downtown Parking Signs and Map

The Downtown Austin Alliance has produced a third version of the Downtown Parking Map in September 1998, and has distributed nearly 15,000 maps to date. The map shows the locations of publicly available off-street parking in Downtown. The Alliance provides free signage to all facilities that choose to participate. Close to 100 signs were in use by the end of September 1998. Nearly all private sector facilities that offer public parking are indicated on the map.

The map is available from the Downtown Austin Alliance. The Alliance has been following up with managers of parking garages to determine effectiveness. For more information please contact Shelly Branch at 469-1766.

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Noontime Concerts

The Downtown Austin Alliance and the Austin Federation of Musicians have co-sponsored three years of free Tuesday noontime concerts. They are held in Spring (April-June) and Fall (September-October). The concerts are traditionally held at Regents Plaza, northwest corner of W. 6th and Colorado.

The concerts have been held every Tuesday each Spring and Fall since 1994. Types of music performed in the past include: 60's and Motown, Cajun, Mexican, Urban Folk, Eclectic Bluegrass, Big Band Sound, Tejano / Conjunto, Irish Harp, New Orleans Dixieland jazz, original Austin progressive country, jazz, original soul and Top 40 cover tunes, South American vocals and multi-instrumental, rock-a-billy and Zydeco.

The Fall 1999 season will begin September 7 and will run every Tuesday, 12 noon-1:00 p.m. until October 26. The schedule is:

• September 7 - Rotel & the Hot Tomatoes (Beehived Babes & Rock 'n Roll)
• September 14 - Grupa Aventura (Tejano/Variety)
• September 21 - Tribal Nation (World Beat and Reggaaaae, Mon!)
• September 28 - Don Walser (Pure Texas Cowboy Yodelin')
• October 5 - Eggmen (Beatle Covers, Beatlemania, Austin Powers Outfits!)
• October 12 - ** OPEN ** - NO CONCERT
• October 19 - Third Degree (HIGH ENERGY ZYDECO!)
• October 26 - W.C. Clark Blues Revue (Austin Blues!)

For more information on the concerts please contact Anne Gilliam at 469-1766.

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Great Streets Program

The Downtown Austin Alliance, Inc. has established a Great Streets Program. This program's mission is the improvement of the physical design of Downtown streetscapes. At this time the program has completed three projects:

1. Congress Avenue's 200 block streetscaping matches the rest of the "Main Street of Texas." Construction on the west side is finished. The project is complete, except for the tree planting, which will be done in the fall.
2. The Driskill corner construction is complete. The orange fencing that is currently on the corner belongs to the Driskill Hotel. The temporary fencing is for work they are doing to their portico on the 6th Street side of the hotel.
3. The Barton Springs - Congress Avenue "Triangle" now has xeriscaping and a bat sculpture by Dale Whistler. The large metal bat moves in the wind, as it heralds the entry to Downtown. Donors include the Austin American-Statesman, Austin Energy Embassy Suites Hotel, Hyatt Regency Austin, Parsons Brinkerhoff, Quade, Douglas and the Downtown Trust. Additional support was provided by ArchIllume, Black & Vernooy Architects, City of Austin Public Works, and Clean Cut Landscaping.

Funding for projects selected as part of the Great Streets program will come from a variety of sources, including parking meter revenues, starting October 1, 1998. The bond issue passed by the voters in November, 1998 included $5 million for construction of Great Streets projects. Other sources of funding, both public and private, are being sought.

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Basic Data

• Project Contact: Dave Kreider, Assistant Director, Planning, Environmental and Conservation Services Department, 499-6381
• Project Manager: Charles Betts, Executive Director, Downtown Austin Alliance, 469-1766, fax 477-7456, Southwest Tower, 211 E. Seventh Street, Suite 100-L, Austin, TX 78701