Downtown Neighborhood Plan

INTRODUCTION

This document is a Plan Framework that conveys a schematic vision for Downtown Austin. With some strategic planning, Austin can have one of the great downtowns of the nation. The University of Texas, the State Capitol, Congress Avenue, Sixth Street, Town Lake and downtown creeks and parks, the lack of congestion and blight, and the historical assets make Austin one of the strongest downtowns in the southwest. This vision is to consciously integrate and build upon them. The vision is a safe, bustling downtown, with vital retail and cultural activities. The vision is a triangle of intensity surrounded by institutional, recreational, cultural and residential uses. The vision is downtown as the dominant feature in the region.

GOALS SUMMARY

Each of these activities contribute in an essential and unique way to the vitality of downtown:

1. Make downtown the center for a variety of uses and activities which create a vibrant 24-hour environment. Promote downtown as:
   • a regional retail center
   • the location of local, state and federal governmental offices
   • the location for high density office development
   • the location for housing for all income groups
   • the location for the music and entertainment industry
   • the location for art and cultural activities
2. Promote the utilization of the Convention Center and surrounding area to develop tourism and economic opportunities associated with conventions.
3. Develop a transportation system which focuses on downtown and permits movement within the area.
4. Develop urban design guidelines which enhance Austin's distinctive character.
5. Encourage development of parks and open spaces.
6. Ensure a safe environment.
7. Develop a marketing plan.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

SYNTHESIS OF EXISTING CONDITIONS

PLAN FRAMEWORK

The Plan Framework comprises a Land Use Framework and a Circulation Framework, that explicitly acknowledges existing conditions and addresses goal achievement. Every aspect and element of the Plan Framework is intended to reinforce the goal of downtown as a 24-hour environment with a diverse mix of uses. It is the goals and objectives against which the plan should be tested and evaluated.
 

Land Use Framework

In order to achieve a 24-hour downtown with a diverse mix of uses, the Land Use Framework must be both flexible enough to permit virtually any use, yet stalwart enough to encourage long-term investment. Absent detailed study, the only way to achieve "stalwart flexibility" is through the application of a few simple and robust concepts, rather than an extended series of detailed plan proposals. Additional benefits accrue to a conceptual framework plan: consensus is more easily achieved and the linkages between the concepts and the goals are more apparent. The few simple concepts that form the basis for the Land Use Framework are as follows:

The High Intensity Mixed Use Triangle — The highest intensity, highest value development in the region should be encouraged within a triangle formed by Capitol view corridors on the northwest and northeast and Town Lake setbacks on the south. The allowable intensity should be at least as great as that currently allowed in the CBD (8:1 FAR). The northern apex of the triangle is truncated by the Capitol Dominance District (1/4 mile radius) while the southern base of the triangle (including the 4 1/4 blocks of City-owned land) is perhaps best suited to municipal and public/private ventures that serve as an active transition between the high intensity, private activities within the triangle and the low intensity public activities of Town Lake.

Residential Community Enhancement — The Rainey Street area and the area bounded by Lamar Boulevard, 15th Street, West Avenue and 7th Street are both currently characterized by residential or residential-scale development. Further mid-intensity residential development is explicitly encouraged in these residential mixed-use districts; high intensity residential development is encouraged within the triangle. Throughout downtown, increased residential mixed-use is vital.

Retail Mixed Use District — Capitalizing on the east-west couplet of 5th Street and 6th Street, a retail overlay district is encouraged along the highest volume streets downtown. This district is not intended to subvert other retail uses throughout the downtown, but is rather to serve as a significant regionally competitive retail center. The intensity of the retail activity would be dictated by historic considerations and its location vis-a-vis the triangle. The east-west orientation captures the commuter consumer. For all retail enterprises the plan emphasizes the need for retention and expansion.

Historic Districts — Retain the historic districts.

Public Open Space — Reinforce the linkage and development of the existing assets, including Town Lake, Waller and Shoal Creeks and downtown parks.

Institutional Integration — UT and the Capitol complex are first-order assets of downtown. Continuing institutional investment in downtown (particularly in the Capitol Dominance Zone) is encouraged, as is stronger physical and programmatic integration. Other institutional uses – ACC, AISD, the federal, municipal, and county governments – must be encouraged to remain downtown as well. Public (and private) investment downtown must be orderly and dependable in order to create an environment of economic stability and growth.

Convention Center — The Convention Center generates tremendous economic impact. The operation of the Convention Center and any expansion thereof should maximize the economic impact on the downtown area while addressing traffic impact.

Municipal Mixed-Use District — see High Intensity Mixed-Use Triangle.

Cultural Overlay Districts — Where cultural overlay districts enhance intensity of the downtown, they should be enocuraged.
 

Circulation Framework

The circulation framework for downtown Austin must:

• give priority to downtown as the dominant center within the region;
• provide a high level of access by all modes of traffic;
• help stimulate the economy within urban blocks by developing compatible traffic patterns that integrate the framework of streets.

Improved Access From Primary Road Network — Improve access from both IH-35 and MoPac. Through traffic should be diverted from IH-35 in the downtown area as soon as feasible. The design of both IH-35 and MoPac should both improve safety and provide an increased number of access points to the downtown. In the redesign every attempt should be made to reduce both the impact on adjacent areas and the barrier effect to East-West traffic flows.

Intercept Parking and Shuttle Service — Identify opportunities for intercept parking. If this is shown to be effective as a parking solution, then reserve suitable land, adjacent to primary access roads for major car parking usage. Consider incentives for the owners of those tracts and developers within the downtown core to bring those areas into parking use. Expand an attractive and efficient shuttle service linking parking with all areas of downtown. Frequency and hours of operation should encourage use for all Downtown activities. The shuttle should also serve as an internal circulator within the Downtown area.

Establish A Strong Network of Downtown Streets — Streets should neither be closed to traffic nor given over exclusively to the will of motorists. It is proposed to return to the original intentions of the Waller grid – a means to provide both a keen sense of orientation and high level of access. The relatively small block structure ensures a good degree of access provided it can be used on an equitable basis. This means that the ability to both access a block and realize its fullest economic potential should take precedence. High speed, through-town linkages should be reduced.

Car Parking — Encourage a high level of access to all city blocks, but discourage unsightly parking structures and curb cuts.

• Consider a policy of encouraging parking access from alleys.
• Integrate parking into buildings, and in particular ensure an active street edge.
• Consider effective and attractive alternatives for remote parking.

DOWNTOWN COMMISSION NEIGHBORHOOD CONCEPT PLAN