Upscale shopping coming to Austin...

[AustinTraveler]

Kentucky Joe, please do not be discouraged by these negative posts on this forum lately. For some reason (maybe the upcoming holiday season), all the negative complainers have come out of the woodwork.

Everyone is of course entitled to their opinion, whether it be negative or not, so I will just give you mine. We moved to Austin two years ago and we love it. Is it perfect? Heck no. Has it changed from 20 years ago and is it still changing? Well yeah! What do you people expect? The reason Austin is growing so quickly is because it's a great place to live. Can growth be controlled better? No doubt.

Kentucky Joe, I too moved from a very unprogressive "red" area and the one thing that just blows me away about Austin is the spirit of the people. This place has a great vibe that is totally infectious. I can just about guarantee you that nobody will be upset that you moved here from the Midwest. The people on this forum saying stupid things like Carpetbaggers stay away are nothing but mean-spirited and they do NOT represent the people of Austin, at least not the ones I have met.

I know you will love it here and I for one welcome you with open arms.

[AustinGuy]

I remember back in 2000 or so when they were running the train/monorail ballot initiative they had an a big ad campaign about not wanting Austin to turn into Houston.

It struck me the other day as I stared up at that crazy new 183/620 toll road interchange that Austin really is now turning into Houston. At least the outskirts of town are.

Sadly, I'm not sure how central/south/and downtown Austin can continue to "keep Austin weird" if real estate prices, rents, and property taxes continue to jump. It will be interesting to see how things play out in the next few years.

[plaidmom]

So, we want to come to Austin and enjoy living there. Don't hate on us.

I'm confused by the fact that my post made you think I was "hating on" anyone?

I no longer live in TX. Just makes me sad to see a location I once loved dearly turned into "Anytown USA".

Move to Austin. You'll have summer all year long (except for a few nasty ice storms) and a hip, liberal populace. You'll also have Starbucks, and McDonalds, The Gap and now... "upscale shopping"...Just. Like. Every. Place. Else. In .The. US.

So, unless you are the owner/developer of multiple soul-less strip-malls across the country, there is no hate here. Go in peace. Take a few laps in Barton Springs for me. Share a bottle of wine atop Mt. Bonnell. Endo a few times at City Park. Try to clock a few 6-minute miles around Town Lake...and leave a flower at SRV's statue. Ok?

[roaring-rox]

This thread hits home to me what must be going on in most of the country...I don't see anyone being negative here towards anybody, but just stating how they feel about the kind of massive development going on today.

A couple of decades ago, the high-end shopping malls were wonderful. They still are today...but there is a difference today in that they are a harbinger of the massive residential developments (where everyone is crammed into tiny zero lots) soon to come (guess it is the other way around).

I will most likely have to move from my family home in 1 to 2 years here in central Florida. Right now I am on a farm with rolling pastures and cows. Those poor cows will be shoved aside, along with the sandhill cranes, alligators, etc. and replaced by concrete boxes one after another.

It makes me sad that towns/cities are not planned like they were in the past. It scares me to think what is going on...I read the Florida forum a lot and geez! I do get a feeling that there is such rampant greed that the middle class is being evicted from Florida. But I get a feeling this is going on everywhere.

The comments about SA to Austin to Temple tells me development is going on in a way like it is in central Florida.

It is sad also because Austin has the reputation of being a liberal, tolerant, progressive city and if I could get myself to leave Florida, Austin sounds like it is what I would like. I am a native Floridian and so I have to gauge how much I can stand to leave Florida even though in a way I would love to move...the d*** palm trees, palmettos, and ocean are holding me back...or feeling of family roots...whatever. Anyway, the comments on this thread are helpful to me because the constant development I see going on in Florida seems to be happening everywhere...at least I have a reality check.

Well, hope this is not too negative...had to rant a little.

Also, this forum is the most positive forum around.

[AK123]

Originally Posted by AustinGuy

I remember back in 2000 or so when they were running the train/monorail ballot initiative they had an a big ad campaign about not wanting Austin to turn into Houston.

It struck me the other day as I stared up at that crazy new 183/620 toll road interchange that Austin really is now turning into Houston. At least the outskirts of town are.

Sadly, I'm not sure how central/south/and downtown Austin can continue to "keep Austin weird" if real estate prices, rents, and property taxes continue to jump. It will be interesting to see how things play out in the next few years.

I know, I never quite got all the Houston-bashing, thought it was unneccesary and misleading.

But as far as the Galleria, big roads, etc -- in Houston that's all in town. I don't know why in Austin they'd think it's a good idea to sprawl out and have that way out in the outskirts.

[deeptrance]

Originally Posted by roaring-rox

...The comments about SA to Austin to Temple tells me development is going on in a way like it is in central Florida.

It is a lot like FL except that we are likely to have a more sustained period of growth because we don't have the problems of being close to sea level in an area that gets lots of hurricanes. I know quite a few people who moved here from FL to get away from the hurricanes. And I'm not talking about the U of Miami football team, although I'd probably want to move away from them too!

We have resources (land and water) and we have a state government that wants rapid growth with almost no controls. This will lead to a continuing decline in the standard of living for most people who live here, but it's great for people who make a living from growth or who can afford to live in the most desired elite neighborhoods, whether those are in rural enclaves or downtown condos. Everyone else? Prepare to spend lots of time in traffic driving to your $10-per-hour meaningless job.

[jread]

I have seen Austin change tremendously in the past 10-years, with much of it being very negative. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for growth. A larger population and a larger tax base means more jobs and more to do. The problem is that our growth has been VERY poorly managed and the trend continues. I also remember all the screaming about "keeping Austin from ever turning into Houston or Dallas", yet they turn around and do EXACTLY what Houston and Dallas have done; sprawl out into the countryside for eternity.

I'm very saddened by the development at South Park Meadows. A few years ago there was absolutely NOTHING there. I remember sitting on those green fields, drinking beer and watching Dave Matthews Band in concert. Those days are over. They've managed to pave over the area at a rate I have never seen before. Also, just as a final slap in the face, they had the audacity to call the place "South Park Meadows"..... more like "South Park Yuppie Haven". It's terrible. I hate how developers come in and name a development after the very area that they just paved over (Steiner Ranch, Circle C, etc.)

[roaring-rox]

It looks like all a person can do is look for a mid-sized city that has some of the downtown mix of culture, art, diversity and at the same time, the overall city is not too chaotically planned...find a home to buy (maybe) and hope for the best...that the place gets more diverse/creative/cosmopolitan in the inner core of the city and then ignore the madness going on elsewhere as time goes on and the place catches on as the 'new haven'.

The developers, from what I see and hear, are able to buy their way with politicians so that they can cram everyone into these subdivisions with the trees razed down (cheaper to build that way someone told me).

Found a mid-sized city that surprised me. It is considered a 'backwards' area, but I see it as having a lot of potential in the future. One thing, I found that they have some very good restaurants if you like a mix of funky, sophisticated, gourmet places to eat at. Anyway, found it a pleasure to drive around much of the city having pretty, woodsy trees all over the place. It isn't extremely cheap to live there either, but it is not sky-high yet and offers a good amount of desireable enough neighborhoods to live in without having to settle for the bland, concrete subdivisions further out.

We should have a revolution and demand that the developers start building neighborhoods the way they used to...even 20 years ago it was more humane. Know that won't happen, but wish we could turn the tide of what is happening.

[AK123]

We should have a revolution and demand that the developers start building neighborhoods the way they used to...even 20 years ago it was more humane. Know that won't happen, but wish we could turn the tide of what is happening.

Couldn't agree with you more there. This is a problem in new neighborhoods all over the state. Small lots and the houses all look too much alike.

[jread]

That revolution has already begun: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Urbanism