How much has Austin changed for the worst? (Houston, Denton: condo, mortgage)

[capcat]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

Trying to figure out why I can't remember that one - my husband's business was at Burnet and Rutland during that time period, so I know we must have shopped there often, but I cannot for the life of me bring it to my mind's eye.

It faced 183, near, or in, the space West Marine occupies plus another business or two.

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by scm53

And you would know this how?

because that is the cycle of life. If you want Im sure I can dig up quotes, but it seems rather obvious.

[RoadWarrior12]

Originally Posted by capcat

It faced 183, near, or in, the space West Marine occupies plus another business or two.

West Marine to Pluckers

[scm53]

Originally Posted by Austin97

because that is the cycle of life. If you want Im sure I can dig up quotes, but it seems rather obvious.

Generalizations and assumptions that fit your agenda. Unrooted in fact, because you have no idea what Austin was like in the times you are referencing. You are guessing because it is convenient.

The fact is, Austin was simple, unpretentious, and quirky from the time my mother showed up here as a freshman in 1946. It was known nationally through the Seventies as a cheap place for retirees. Didn't change an iota through the Eighties - except for a huge RE slump for the second half. That all started changing in the second half of the Nineties - to become the pretentious, status and image conscious thing it is today. Doesn't have anything to do with what is "the real Austin" - as much as you'd like to define that. The OP asked "how has Austin changed for the worse". Since you haven't been around long enough to know, hard to see how you see fit to correct the ones of us who have.

[hillcountryheart]

Originally Posted by scm53

You left out the WF at Burnet and 183, which opened at about the same time as the Brodie Oaks store.

That was a great center, with WF, Book Stop, and one of the original Chez Zee's.

I miss Book Stop and Chez Zee's too. My ex-husband set one of the bread basket napkins on fire at Chez Zee, though I think the one in Westlake. They tended to be "crowded" for brunch.

Anyone remember the Toddle House, Clarksville Creamery, or more recently, Marimont Cafeteria? Heck Luby's isn't even the same since the Pappa takeover. The Night Owl was good and I'm glad the Frisco is still around.

But it's not the specific restaurants or stores I miss, despite the fact that I do miss them. It's precisely the wankerish selfie crowd and the transformation of downtown to exclusivity for the wealthy, which is no wonder why people are now talking about homogenizing Sixth Street.

[Austin97]

Originally Posted by scm53

Generalizations and assumptions that fit your agenda. Unrooted in fact, because you have no idea what Austin was like in the times you are referencing. You are guessing because it is convenient.

The fact is, Austin was simple, unpretentious, and quirky from the time my mother showed up here as a freshman in 1946. It was known nationally through the Seventies as a cheap place for retirees. Didn't change an iota through the Eighties - except for a huge RE slump for the second half. That all started changing in the second half of the Nineties - to become the pretentious, status and image conscious thing it is today. Doesn't have anything to do with what is "the real Austin" - as much as you'd like to define that. The OP asked "how has Austin changed for the worse". Since you haven't been around long enough to know, hard to see how you see fit to correct the ones of us who have.

were you around in austin in the 1900s or 1850s? If not how would *you* know if the austin of the 1930s or 1950s or 1960s was acceptable to those earlier austinites?

As I understand it many adults believe that elvis and rock and roll music was inspired by the devil. Many of the earlier austinites were surely *racists*. In fact they made laws indicating where blacks could live. Do you think they would be happy that blacks and whites are now integrated or would they mourn the loss of old austin?

Likely your mom was one of those crazy newcomers to austin that was trying to change austin from what austin was really about.. when blacks stayed on their side of the city or werent allowed to attend UT. The people that were there before your mom made rules and laws to keep blacks out.

Change is inevitable and *every* generation complains about the next generation making things worse than what they used to be.

<<The University of Texas was "the first major institution in the South to admit blacks as undergraduates (Duren, 1979, pg.5)." Although black students were allowed in the classroom in 1956, it wasn't until May of 1964 that an integration of the residence halls was voted upon and approved by the Board of Regents.

Between 1956 and 1964, the cultural fight for equality was central to the quality of life that University students had as well as to the overall future trajectory of residential life and campus involvement for black students. In the fall of 1961, after housing policies were posted in all residence halls preventing certain "rights" from black students, several students filed suit against the University - the first case against the University since the Heman Sweatt suit of 1946. Shortly thereafter, concerned students met with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. when he was in Austin to "enlist his aid in planning nonviolent activities to lead to total integration." >>

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by scm53

to become the pretentious, status and image conscious thing it is today.

All I can say is you must be hanging around with the wrong sort of people. I can walk into any restaurant in the city and get service in jeans and a t-shirt. Or any bar (not just the dive bars, though there's lots of good ones of those). People in Austin drive everything from smart cars to art cars to dualie-pickups, and everything in between.

[Austin97]

These men fought to stop the change that was happening. Do you think *they* were ok with the change?

<<By April 1862 about 600 Austin and Travis County men had joined some twelve volunteer companies serving the Confederacy. >>

Was the discrimination against hispanics because the people welcomed change in the form of an influx of hispanics (which we take for granted today)?

<<Between 1880 and 1940 the number of black residents grew from 3,587 to 14,861, but their proportion of the overall population declined from 33 percent to 17 percent. Austin's Hispanic residents, who in 1900 numbered about 335 and composed just 1.5 percent of the population, rose to 11 percent by 1940, when they numbered 9,693...Though Mexican Americans encountered widespread discrimination—in employment, housing, education, city services, and other areas—it was by no means practiced as rigidly as it was toward African Americans.>>

It doesnt sound like these people liked change in the 70s.

<<Austin's rapid growth generated strong resistance by the 1970s. Angered by proliferating apartment complexes and retarded traffic flow, neighborhood groups mobilized to protect the integrity of their residential areas.>>

Again my point stands that major changes have come about in any city with every new generation. The old guard *always* dislikes the change.

THL decries the change today, but she (and you) were likely part of the problem in the 70s. SCM your mom was part of the problem in the 40s bringing with her, liberal attitudes against segregation. Austin had always been segregated before, why change??

You have frozen the real austin to be what existed in your formative years, while ignoring that change happened that was distasteful to the people that were there before *you*. change that you take for granted as being the "real" austin.

[MiaMia411]

Originally Posted by Austin97

were you around in austin in the 1900s or 1850s? If not how would *you* know if the austin of the 1930s or 1950s or 1960s was acceptable to those earlier austinites?

As I understand it many adults believe that elvis and rock and roll music was inspired by the devil. Many of the earlier austinites were surely *racists*. In fact they made laws indicating where blacks could live. Do you think they would be happy that blacks and whites are now integrated or would they mourn the loss of old austin?

Likely your mom was one of those crazy newcomers to austin that was trying to change austin from what austin was really about.. when blacks stayed on their side of the city or werent allowed to attend UT. The people that were there before your mom made rules and laws to keep blacks out.

Change is inevitable and *every* generation complains about the next generation making things worse than what they used to be.

<<The University of Texas was "the first major institution in the South to admit blacks as undergraduates (Duren, 1979, pg.5)." Although black students were allowed in the classroom in 1956, it wasn't until May of 1964 that an integration of the residence halls was voted upon and approved by the Board of Regents.

Between 1956 and 1964, the cultural fight for equality was central to the quality of life that University students had as well as to the overall future trajectory of residential life and campus involvement for black students. In the fall of 1961, after housing policies were posted in all residence halls preventing certain "rights" from black students, several students filed suit against the University - the first case against the University since the Heman Sweatt suit of 1946. Shortly thereafter, concerned students met with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. when he was in Austin to "enlist his aid in planning nonviolent activities to lead to total integration." >>

Why are you talking about race or segregation ? I dont think his/her point was aimed towards that I used to live in Texas in the early 1990s. I have seen the change in it, and it has NOTHING to do about peoples skin color. What Austin used to be and what it is now, is a big difference.

The people that lived there in peace , laid back lifestyle, low taxes, and normal jobs are seeing the opposite effect which is turning into a mini city of fast pace life, increasing taxes, packing people like sardines.

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by MiaMia411

Why are you talking about race or segregation ? I dont think his/her point was aimed towards that I used to live in Texas in the early 1990s. I have seen the change in it, and it has NOTHING to do about peoples skin color. What Austin used to be and what it is now, is a big difference.

The people that lived there in peace , laid back lifestyle, low taxes, and normal jobs are seeing the opposite effect which is turning into a mini city of fast pace life, increasing taxes, packing people like sardines.

Austin's density is _dropping_ (that's part of the problem). We're hardly packing people in like sardines.