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I mean Texans know how to swing deals to make money, build larger, and recreate what once was. Houston, Dallas, San Antonio are nothing but concrete and steel. It was only a matter of time before Austin, Corpus, El Paso, Abilene, and other Texas cities began to grow. The entire population of the country is pushing 300 million. All those kids growing up and moving out of mommy & daddy's house gotta have jobs, their own cars, and their own places to live.
I think most Texans woke up from their 1970's hangover during the 80's and decided in the 90's that they wanted MORE and BETTER.
Dell computers is a Texas made business so I would not be too quick to say Californians are the one's responsible for the changes that have taken place over the last 20 years. Yes, there are alot of them who have moved here and they have brought money and some businesses here but only because it was lucrative for them to come here. Samsung is not a California business either, nor are all the new medical facilities in the area. Just my short-take 'cuz I could go on.
No good cheap sushi yet! No good dim sum! That's the kind of Californication I am praying for. Don't want the real estate bubble or more sprawl, or worse traffic, but good Asian food, Trader Joe's and jacaranda trees would be very welcome. If we could import Yosemite, I would also be very happy, but that's not likely!
both shanghai and fortune have good dimsum, have you tried either of them?
We live in a country where people often move to other states now for a variety of reasons. This is not our parents generation where you often grew up, and spent the rest of your life in the same place often working for the same company for your entire career. People often move to other cities and states because their jobs require it now. Our world is changing, and we either except that change or try and hold on to the past, and well that never really works out so well.
Austin over time will become more like whatever mix of people are coming here, whether from Cal or any other region...
When I first moved to the area, the majority of people I met were from scattered parts of TX, Austin natives, transplants from the bay area or the east coast, and a few from the midwest. The recent influx appears to be from Dallas, LA (the city), LA (the state), and the rust belt.
Quote:
Originally Posted by passionatearts
There's a lot of things that have been happening in the last 5 - 10 years that have made Austin seem more like LA or San Francisco. Here's a couple things I can think of off the top of my head:
* High-end condoization of downtown
* Faux-Tuscan architecture style that's been really popular in Westlake Hills
* Growth of high-end retail districts (2nd Street Retail District, The Domain)
* Transformation of funky south Austin areas into yuppie/hipster hangouts (South Congress becomes "SoCo," South Lamar becomes "SoLa," etc.)
* Increasing number of high-end "foo foo" restaurants
I don't mean to criticize any of these changes. These are merely observations of mine.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mwv
There are the obvious things like sprawl and traffic, but the more subtle change is that Austin has become much more centered around money and materialism.
In LA in particular, people are largely defined by their possessions and their obsession with looks and appearances. (These are two separate categories.)
In Austin twenty years ago, people much more related to each other more based on their aspirations and interests, whether that was something artistic or computer related it didn't matter. What kind of car you drove or which neighborhood you lived in was largely irrelevant.
People (strangers) were generally more open toward interacting with each other in a natural, laid-back way; today there are way more artificial barriers. If one doesn't have a certain dress type or level of physical attractiveness or a shown level of wealth, some other people will just close you off regardless any other merit.
Californians (especially S. Co.) have the most commoditized sense of life of anywhere in the USA; but this breeds alienation and envy at every turn. The constant need to measure oneself up against other people instead of just pursuing one's passions for their own joy creates empty vessels.
That Austin is so much larger and much wealthier has had its negatives for sure.
Quote:
Originally Posted by riaelise
I've only been here since 04, and not sure if it is California that has caused this, but this town is becoming filled with scenesters and metros, we now have these foo foo establishments... the Austin I remembered when I first came here in 2002 was so down to earth. It's hard to explain, but it was endearing. Thankfully, a lot of this can be found in the suburbs. I can't quite say that I miss the vapidness of New York, so Austin was a welcome change of pace.
Great observations. I've been saying this for years, along with some of my friends who grew up here. The city has gone "upscale, upscale, upscale", nothing is good enough any more. If I wanted the Dallas/LA lifestyle and values, I would have lived there instead. Now it's all coming here.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ATX Homeboy
I wouldn't totally blame it all on CA. I mean Texans know how to swing deals to make money, build larger, and recreate what once was. Houston, Dallas, San Antonio are nothing but concrete and steel. It was only a matter of time before Austin, Corpus, El Paso, Abilene, and other Texas cities began to grow. The entire population of the country is pushing 300 million. All those kids growing up and moving out of mommy & daddy's house gotta have jobs, their own cars, and their own places to live. I think most Texans woke up from their 1970's hangover during the 80's and decided in the 90's that they wanted MORE and BETTER.
Quote:
Originally Posted by orbius
Dont blame it all on the Californians. A lot of people were making a lot of money from carving up Austin.
Good points. Cities across the southwest have been growing for decades and somebody's walking away from land sales with a fat wallet. Rather than growing into a larger version of what it once was, Austin seems to be growing into a clone of every other southwestern city.
Quote:
Originally Posted by eichlerfan
We live in a country where people often move to other states now for a variety of reasons. This is not our parents generation where you often grew up, and spent the rest of your life in the same place often working for the same company for your entire career. People often move to other cities and states because their jobs require it now. Our world is changing, and we either except that change or try and hold on to the past, and well that never really works out so well.
Good point. I've met a handful of people who have been in their jobs for a long time. Rather than being thankful, they are quick to criticize and make statements that show a serious lack of awareness or understanding. Ironically these are the same people that many companies are now eliminating or replacing in order to cut costs. It must be a hard wake-up call when that happens.
I am merely one man's opinion and experience...but...
I was in Austin for the last 10 months after being in Boston for 28 years and I am moving up to Dallas. Austin proclaims itself to be the epitome of liberal, tolerant, and hip. What I have found from many (not all) people there is a self-righteous, materialistic attitude that is not so welcoming. I have traveled the U.S. and world for weeks and months at a time (although only living in MA prior to Austin) and have found so many more liberal places than Austin. To me, it is not a place people will commonly strike up conversations with you if they do not know you, whereas I have seen this in other places.
I am sure many of you people that have drank the Kool-Aid and believe Austin to be everything it is hyped for are scoffing at me for heading up to Dallas, but I think due to its sheer size it is more open-minded than Austin. I have visited Dallas over 20 times and have had great experiences there. I am far more inclined for bigger, more populated places that have to be open-minded out of necessity rather than the big fish in a small pond attitude I found in Austin.
And honestly, to comment on the title of this thread, I have found the current Austin mindset to be VERY SoCali. Very image related, "soooooo coooool", etc. After a certain point, non-conformity becomes conformity and I think that is what has happened with Austin. I am so sick of people saying "Hey, I heard Austin is a really cool place," when they haven't spent time there more than a weekend. I feel that Austin is riding out this "Top 10" type of hype and it has gone to its head.
Again, I am just one man's experience, and I am sure Austin has been great to many of you here.
One more thing...Austin people (99% of them this time) need to get a clue how to drive. If you politely have a directional on and really need to get in their lane, they totally ignore you and you miss your turn even if you put the blinker on several hundred yards ahead of time. On more main roads with the dotted lines for turn lanes, people would be caught dead letting you in by slowing down or stopping, and if you jump out in front of them so you don't have to wait an hour, they lay on the horn til next week. Also, FYI...yield means MERGE not STOP. And the left lane is for people traveling over the speed limit and passing those to the right, not for people who want to go 5-10mph below the limit.
Also, FYI...yield means MERGE not STOP. And the left lane is for people traveling over the speed limit and passing those to the right, not for people who want to go 5-10mph below the limit.
If 'yield' meant 'merge' then I would have merged right into an SUV going 50 mph last week and I probably would be in the hospital. So 'yield' can mean 'STOP' also.
I was in Austin for the last 10 months after being in Boston for 28 years and I am moving up to Dallas. Austin proclaims itself to be the epitome of liberal, tolerant, and hip. What I have found from many (not all) people there is a self-righteous, materialistic attitude that is not so welcoming. I have traveled the U.S. and world for weeks and months at a time (although only living in MA prior to Austin) and have found so many more liberal places than Austin. To me, it is not a place people will commonly strike up conversations with you if they do not know you, whereas I have seen this in other places.
This make me laugh because of the so many other threads on this forum over the years where people are complaining because people in Austin (and Texas in general) are too likely to strike up conversations with them and they're not used to that, it's too friendly, they think the people want something from them, or it slows them down in the checkout line 30 seconds. One wonders if you were in the same Austin that they were all in.
If 'yield' meant 'merge' then I would have merged right into an SUV going 50 mph last week and I probably would be in the hospital. So 'yield' can mean 'STOP' also.
Exactly. Yield as a traffic term means pretty much what it means as a non-traffic term: "you do not have the right of way, the other vehicle does, so do whatever you have to do to honor that, including slowing and stopping if necessary". Some folks from some other states just don't get that. It's not always the Austin drivers that are the ones with the problem (though sometimes it is).
The early and mid 90's, Austin was over run by the hi-tech, and all of Silicon Valley moved here.
It changed the face of Austin forever. Austin will never be the same as it was through the 60's, 70's or the 80's
Yes it was a very big change for Austin. Austin became stuck-up, and less friendly.
Californians, selling there small homes in Cali for $500,000+, moved here and saw homes 3 times the size they had in Cali, selling for 80-90,000.
Housing prices quadrupled in a short 5 years.
I see homes that were being built in 1990 for 90,000, now being built and sold for near the 500,000 mark. Rent in 1990, for a 4 bedroom home, was around 500 a month, that same home now, will rent for $2500 a month.
The early and mid 90's, Austin was over run by the hi-tech, and all of Silicon Valley moved here.
It changed the face of Austin forever. Austin will never be the same as it was through the 60's, 70's or the 80's
Yes it was a very big change for Austin. Austin became stuck-up, and less friendly.
Californians, selling there small homes in Cali for $500,000+, moved here and saw homes 3 times the size they had in Cali, selling for 80-90,000.
Housing prices quadrupled in a short 5 years.
I see homes that were being built in 1990 for 90,000, now being built and sold for near the 500,000 mark. Rent in 1990, for a 4 bedroom home, was around 500 a month, that same home now, will rent for $2500 a month.
I just don't get this. Why does everyone think a place will always stay the same. Most places grow and change, it's progress like it or not. I guess if you don't want any change then bulid a wall around your town and don't let anyone in or out.
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