What's Downtown Like? (Austin, Howe: appointed, home, to live)

[Lior Arel]

I like to live, work, and play Downtown. Sunbelt cities have a tendency to have NO downtown. From the maps, pictures, and bus routes I've seen it actually looks like Downtown Austin may be pretty buzzing.

Any thoughts? Anyone live Downtown (or downtown adjacent)?

[julrey]

Downtown is pretty buzzing but not nearly as large as people who haven't been here suspect. There's a lot of tall buildings going up as we speak but geographically it's pretty contained.

If you like to live and play downtown you'll like Austin's since most of the things to do in this town are pretty centralized.

[Lior Arel]

Originally Posted by julrey

Downtown is pretty buzzing but not nearly as large as people who haven't been here suspect. There's a lot of tall buildings going up as we speak but geographically it's pretty contained.

If you like to live and play downtown you'll like Austin's since most of the things to do in this town are pretty centralized.

Reps to you for the post. Thanks!

Austin looks good to me (off course I'll visit to make up my mind). I like a warm climate, but a cultured, large city with a walkable downtown. So far Austin seems to be the only one that fits the bill. At first I was downed by the fact that it wasn't near the coast, but then I realized that means low hurricane risk!

[brattpowered]

Downtown is pretty active compared to a lot of downtowns in Sunbelt cities, but if you are looking for a "real" downtown where people live, work, and play in large numbers (Like NY, Boston, San Fran, Philly, Chicago), you will be disappointed. However, it is on the right track and people keep moving there.

As it stands now, however, it is mostly full of restaurants and bars that are patronized during the evening, and offices that are populated during weekday business hours. Outside of these times, downtown can resemble a dead zone. I think only about 5,000 people live downtown now. It is mostly a destination that people outside downtown reach by car.

[julrey]

Originally Posted by brattpowered

It is mostly a destination that people outside downtown reach by car.

Or bus. Pretty much every bus that circulates through the city of Austin runs through downtown, so if you live near a bus stop it's not imperative to drive. They even have Night Owl service so depending on where you live you may not even need a cab home for those late nights.