Following years of public outcry over the deterioration of East Sixth Street, Dallas-based Stream Realty has stepped forward with aspirations to give the notoriously rowdy block a facelift. Real estate attorney Richard Suttle stopped by last Wednesday’s meeting of the Historic Landmark Commission to share a preliminary look at Stream’s vision. Increasing height and density, […]
Sixth Street
Posted inAustin
City had data, but not follow-through, to ‘fix’ Sixth Street in 2014
City leaders had a pair of reports nearly a decade ago that prescribed changes to make the downtown Sixth Street entertainment district safer, yet many of those actions were never implemented despite a 2014 City Council resolution that included several of them. Last week during discussion on a resolution that advanced some of the steps […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Entertainment permit among actions Council envisions for safer Sixth Street
The city could institute an entertainment permit for nightclubs and other late-night gathering spots downtown as part of its plans to curb violence in the Sixth Street entertainment district. City Council voted unanimously Thursday to move forward with an assortment of programs and other actions related to the Safer Sixth Street effort that was launched […]
Posted inPlanning
Six months in, Safer Sixth Street initiative continues
At this week’s meeting, the Downtown Commission established a working group to help think through and execute the Safer Sixth Street initiative, which has been in the works for about six months. The project, which came about after a mass shooter killed one and injured more than a dozen other people last June, includes a number […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Chacon highlights priorities for Safer Sixth Street plan
Austin’s police chief has highlighted a handful of action steps as the most important things the police department can do to improve safety in the Sixth Street entertainment district, in the wake of a summer mass shooting that killed an out-of-state tourist. At the end of last month, Police Chief Joseph Chacon released a memo […]
Posted inAustin
Safer Sixth Street push includes call to rezone portions of entertainment district
City staffers expect to deliver recommendations early next month for a pilot program intended to make the Sixth Street entertainment district safer by gradually changing the mix of business and cultural activities there. A recent news report revealed some details of the pilot, saying it would target the 200 and 500 blocks of East Sixth […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Ingredients for safer Sixth Street include daytime activities, alternate land uses
The city hopes a plan to increase daytime non-drinking activity, promote a variety of land uses and coordinate safety plans with bar owners will lead to a safer atmosphere in the Sixth Street entertainment district. Following a recent report to City Council from Chief Joseph Chacon on Austin Police Department’s progress on improving safety in […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Chacon gives progress report on making Sixth Street safer
After decades of discussion about the culture and safety of the Sixth Street entertainment district, a team of city staffers from multiple departments is making headway toward carrying out City Council-directed measures to ensure the public’s safety. Council adopted a series of distinct action items in July for the interdepartmental team to review and implement, […]
Posted inCity Council
A Council resolution floats safety-minded changes on Sixth Street. Some are more controversial than others.
In response to a recent spate of violence on Sixth Street, City Council unanimously passed a resolution Thursday that sets out to tackle long-neglected safety problems in the area. If the proposed changes in the resolution come to fruition after discussions among city staffers and Council, the nighttime experience on Sixth Street will change – […]
Posted inPlanning
Would opening Sixth Street to cars on the weekend make it safer? One Council member wants to know.
Austin City Council members will vote Thursday on whether to have city staff look into reopening Sixth Street to vehicular traffic on weekend nights. The intent is to make the street safer, said Council Member Kathie Tovo, whose district includes downtown Austin. Tovo said according to a study done by the nonprofit Responsible Hospitality Institute, […]