R/UDAT Austin: A Call to Action

The success of the plans recommended by R/UDAT Austin depends on Austin achieving its economic potential as a commercial center. In addition, areas adjacent to Downtown, most notably East Austin, must participate and benefit from Downtown development. The separation of East Austin from Downtown is "visual, psychological, physical and inescapable." The approach advocated by R/UDAT Austin and this Call To Action is one of inclusiveness, one that recognizes the interdependence between the minority communities of East Austin and Downtown. Downtown's interest will be served and advanced by investment in development and linkages with East Austin, and East Austin must share in the economic benefits of such development.

Downtown should:

• Offer basic services and traditional amenities but also take advantage of the latest in conveniences and technology;

• Provide a compact, multifaceted mix of business offering a panorama of merchandise and services so diverse that everyone can find something appealing and affordable;

• Provide an economic climate sufficiently rich, open and tolerant so that each person finds employment suited to his or her taste and talent;

• Offer adequate access to education, information and capital so that both economic mobility and stability are encouraged and enhanced;

• Meet the needs of all income levels;

• Reflect all cultural backgrounds;

• Provide economic opportunity to all people regardless of race, sex or ethnic origin; and

• Become rich in its compact complexity, which includes a re-emphasis on traditional, creative and aesthetic values which render the built environment amenable, habitable and enjoyable.

R/UDAT Austin

Specific recommendations are:

BUSINESS REVITALIZATION/ MARKETING	Economically enhance the Downtown area by increasing shopping and eating destinations for Austin's citizens and visitors. Through the auspices of the DMO, sponsor a comprehensive market analysis for Downtown and use its finding to attract new business in and for Downtown. Focus new retail development projects to central Downtown locations and not to the periphery of Downtown.
GATEWAYS	Revitalize the gateways to Downtown and those areas immediately surrounding Downtown.
THE CITY'S ROLE	Retail revitalization efforts should take place in a public-private partnership. Public participation, at a minimum, involves staff liaison for research on sales and property tax issues. Focus should be directed to research on the tourism pool rebate to the City of Austin from the State of Texas. Additional study is also required into other state efforts to capture tourism dollars and how these efforts can benefit Austin. Authorize incentive and rebate programs to attract and retain businesses in the targeted area.
CITY OF AUSTIN REBATE INCENTIVES	SALES TAX REBATE Implement a rebate plan based on gross sales for the first 20 entities that locate in or renew leases in the targeted area. The rebate schedule is a sliding scale over five years ranging from 1.0% in the first year, and reducing to 0.2% in the fifth year. BUILDING PERMIT FEES Waive or reduce building and permit fees for tenant improvements. CURRENT INCENTIVE PROGRAMS Identify current incentive, rebate and abatement programs which could be used for the Downtown retail and business program.
PRIVATE INITIATIVES	Facilitate the lease or purchase of a minimum of 500 net usable square feet by each of 20 street-level retail shops or restaurants. Ten of the new establishments shall be located in the area bounded by 11th Street, First Street, Colorado Street and Brazos Street. Five of the establishments shall be enterprises owned by minorities and women. Coordinate the publication of a Business Resources Directory outlining existing resources available to businesses and retail and property owners.
HERITAGE MARKETING	Heritage tourism and marketing is an essential tool for developing Downtown and East Austin. Programs to make the historic sites more interesting, accessible and attractive must be developed. Develop tourist programs capitalizing on existing historic sites and attractions such as the Capitol and the nine national register districts. Special emphasis should be placed on the areas within easy walking distance of Downtown. Continue support of the Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Historic Landmark Commission in their ongoing efforts of preservation, heritage services and marketing.
PRESERVATION	Continue to provide funding for preservation and restoration of historic sites and buildings. Install historic markers on appropriate buildings in Downtown and increase the use of text markers to provide visitors with greater access to interpretive information. Expand the historic banner program to include Congress and the Bremond block and to create linkage between the Capitol and the Convention Center.
HERITAGE SERVICES	Expand visitor information services through a new visitor center located in Downtown. Continue to develop and promote various free walking tours for visitors at regularly scheduled times as well as on special requests. Develop a new historic walking tour for children. Develop a new historic/anecdotal tour of East Sixth Street which features historical interpretations of buildings as well as stories about the street and its heritage. Develop a tour of the Sixth Street area west of Congress Avenue. Work with Capital Metro and Sixth Street businesses to arrange for the use of an open-air tram and create linkages between Downtown and the historic amenities in East Austin. Develop driving tours of historic Hispanic Austin and historic African-American Austin. Support the initiation by ACVB of a Forum of Heritage related businesses and organizations to organize and coordinate their efforts to the mutual benefit of all of the historic community in Austin. Such a forum could be used to identify marketing opportunities which cross individual property boundaries or public and private sector activities. Develop a guide to Bed and Breakfast establishments in the inner city.
Long-term recommendations are:
MARKETING	Continue the national marketing program which features historic opportunities in Downtown and in East Austin. Expand the marketing of the "Walk Of The Town" cassette. Continue to develop new historic brochures.
LINKAGES WITH EAST AUSTIN	Develop measures and a timetable to ensure minority participation in the local economy. Begin linking Downtown and East Austin along the East 11th, East Sixth, East Fifth, and East 12th street commercial corridors. Develop a neighborhood scaled project on East 11th Street and fund it. Link the development of vacant parcels north and south of East 11th Street and directly east of IH-35 to downtown, primarily via the East 12th Street median and landscaping, to create a significant draw to the East 11th Street area. It is imperative that the East Austin community participate in the planning of any project and that the development capability be created in East Austin to enable the community to take advantage of linkages. Consider linking downtown to East Austin under IH-35's East Fourth Street underpass, using the open space under IH-35. Support development of the Capital Metro site on East Fourth Street, east of IH-35, that benefits and has the support of the community in East Austin.