Austonian

[verybadgnome]

Originally Posted by austin-steve

Agreed. Let's all send mail to Google and tell them what a stupid name they chose, which isn't even a word.



There has never been any "white flight" in Austin. Geez. Yes, there was forced segregation as there was in all the south, but nothing in the history of Austin's demographic shifting has there been anything anywhere than can be termed an "exodus".

Steve

Maybe 'exodus' is an over the top term but the downtown population has been shrinking until only recently, and I'm sure many of them were white (see page 5):

http://www.downtownaustin.com/downlo...y_20080402.pdf

DT population shrunk every decade from the 40s to the 80s and its only been the first decade of this century that real gains have been made.

[Mrs.JT]

Originally Posted by jread

While I could never afford to live there, I personally love the building itself and how it has really defined Austin's skyline. In fact, I think I'm one of the only people who has lived here over a decade who loves all the high rise development here. The views of the skyline from around town are fantastic.

Make that two people. I, myself, have been here over a decade, and I love the high rise development. But, as I've said in other posts, I'm a city girl at heart, so I welcome it.

[austin-steve]

Maybe 'exodus' is an over the top term but the downtown population has been shrinking until only recently, and I'm sure many of them were white

In order to have an "exodus" of whites and call it "white flight", you would need to prove a corresponding influx of non-whites, to which the relocation of the whites could be attributed. It didn't happen.

Why to you wish to inject race issues into a discussion of Austin downtown highrise condos? If you have something you want to say about Austin's race history, etc., start your own thread and title the thread appropriately.

Steve

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by verybadgnome

Maybe 'exodus' is an over the top term but the downtown population has been shrinking until only recently, and I'm sure many of them were white (see page 5):

http://www.downtownaustin.com/downlo...y_20080402.pdf

DT population shrunk every decade from the 40s to the 80s and its only been the first decade of this century that real gains have been made.

Boy, talk about theorizing ahead of your facts! I see nothing on that page to indicate race of the population before, during, or after.

Did you happen to notice, on the page you sent us to, that the number of households remained relatively steady during all that time that overall downtown population was dropping? That would be an interesting bit of information to follow up on.

I also find it interesting that the link takes us to a document that is a puff piece for condos.

[Mrs.JT]

Originally Posted by twange

Good point, agreed. Just because Austin is getting some high rises doesn't mean it's turning into a cheaper version of Manhattan or Chicago. Not even by a long stretch. There are so many other things that define a city's personality than buildings. They're just buildings. Nobody is forcing anyone to live in any of them. And they are in downtown, where they should be.

And who writes the rules on what Austin has, will or should become? Some surly people on an internet forum? Hardly.

I 100% co-sign. If the high rises are a problem, there is always the hill country to escape to. It's not that serious.

[jobert]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

Did you happen to notice, on the page you sent us to, that the number of households remained relatively steady during all that time that overall downtown population was dropping?

I interpret that as a result of rising real-estate prices. Children have been "priced out".

One more reason that I like the DT development is that it is more residential in nature. Buildings that are commercial in purpose tend to be more flashy, as they are a corporate symbol and must be an attraction for business tenants to be used 9-to-5. Residential structures have more subtle lighting because the tenants don't want mammoth light fixtures next to their balconies, and light flooding their living rooms. This decreases light pollution, and gives Austin a more mature and unique skyline than any other skyline in Texas, and through it all the Capitol still retains it's prominance. Has anyone driven by DT Dallas at night recently? It looks like circus vomit now. The neon per sf is starting to rival Las Vegas.