Please excuse any grammatical errors

Sometimes I type faster than my brain can process and I noticed I have made a lot of grammatical errors (not to mention spelling errors) in my blogs. Just excuse them please. I know they are there. Just too lazy to go back and change them all....so if you can get the gist of what I am trying to say...I figure that is good enough. Right? Let's not get to AR about all this blogging...

From the Austin 360 calendar, this looks fascinating. I have never been but I think I just might check it out this year. Looks like there are plenty of opportunities this weekend still to see what's going on.

'Art Outside' Art in the forest
Schedule: March 24-April 2, 2006. 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. Fri, noon to 2 a.m. Sat., noon to 10 p.m. Sun.

Cost: $5 daytime, $10 at night, 12 & under free
Information:
info@artoutside.org
http://www.artoutside.org


AA-S Best Bet: Experience art among the trees at Art Outside, now in its second year. More than 200 visual and performing artists from Texas and across the country showcase their work on three wooded acres in South Austin. The display features sculptures, installations, paintings, performances and more.

From myspace.com/artoutside : South Austin, Texas. Art Outside returns for its second year with over 200 visual and performing artists to lay the foundation for a one-of-a-kind community endeavor. Art Outside seeks to reinvent the entire concept of what an "art show" is by including all forms of the art spectrum and placing them outside the contemporary box. Sculptures, installations, paintings, performances and mediums yet to be named escape the confinement and traditional display methods of the mainstream art world that appeal to a small, and in some eyes, 'classist,' niche.

Art Outside is the art show for the masses.

The canvas for this collaborative experiment is the Enchanted Forest, which is comprised of 3-acres of creekside woods in the heart of S. Austin: on Oltorf, near Lamar. By combining an eclectic array of artists and mediums together while attracting many uninitiated, unspoiled viewers to this unique site, which acts as the conduit to the art, Art Outside creates a transformative experience for all who arrive.

The festival brings multitudes of painters, sculptors, musicians, fire artists, performers, creators of other worlds from all over the country and the great state of Texas to South Austin. For a complete listing of artists, performances, and times, go to ArtOutside.org.

Location: The Enchanted Forest, located at Oltorf & South Lamar. Park at the Office Depot across the street and walk in through the big metal sculpture gate. There's really no way you can miss it.

photo courtesy of Austin.tribe.net

Dallas Business Journal: 'BioWillie' truck stop opens - 2006-03-28

Dallas Business Journal: 'BioWillie' truck stop opens - 2006-03-28

Trans-Texas railway from Dallas to Mexico ready for development - Top Stories

Trans-Texas railway from Dallas to Mexico ready for development - Top Stories

Intel Shell to Go

Plans are finally in the works to raze the "Intel shell", the abandoned eye sore in the middle of downtown. In 2001 Intel decided to default on plans to build offices in downtown Austin and left the site in mid-construction, fenced off and un-used until now. Pending approval by the U.S. Congress in the next budget cycle, The site will soon be the home of a new seven-story federal courthouse building to begin construction in 2008. I'm not sure I like the looks of this new building but then I was never a big fan of the Convention Center either. The new federal building will use Republic Square as its "front yard" in order to provide the necessary buffer zone from the street. While Austin will be getting rid of the controversial skeleton left by Intel there are some concerns about the future of Republic Square. The park is used for popular local activities such as movies in the park nights and the Saturday farmers market.

Below is an excerpt from an article in the Tuesday, March 28, 2006 edition of the American-Statesman.

"An outgoing courthouse,Designers reveal plans for an extroverted building on former Intel site"
by Jeanne Claire van Ryzin

Lead architect Mack Scogin, representing Mack Scogin Merrill Elam Architects of Atlanta, credited Judge Austin and his colleagues for asking that the building be "unusually extroverted."

"This building has to represent the entire U.S., not just Austin," Scogin said. "It's at once of this place and also of a much larger, complex place."

Security requirements adopted by the federal government since the 1995 bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City dictate that the building maintain a 50-foot setback from any street. By closing the San Antonio side of the block, the building can sit closer to the east edge of the property line, Scogin said.

Though exact materials have not been selected, the design dictates that the geometric building be clad in either pale precast concrete or limestone panels punctuated with long vertical ribbon-like expanses of glass.

Translucent glass will sheath two-story exterior courtroom walls on all sides. Deep recesses on the northeast corner will shade two-story lobby windows. Each of the four facades will bear a distinct profile, offering what Scogin called "a 360-degree relationship to the city."

The courthouse was designed under the auspices of the GSA's Design Excellence Program. The agency that oversees government building projects began the design initiative in 1994 to seek out top U.S. architects to create federal buildings "that ultimately become respected landmarks" according to its published mandate. Fifty-one courthouses have been completed under the program, with several dozen more under design and construction.

SoCo Lofts to be Built

Further on down the road, it looks like there's even more new construction proposed in the form of two more residential buildings. Although they are being touted as the "SoCo Lofts", the location seems too far south on South Congress to be called SoCo. The new lofts are proposed to be built one block south of Highway 290 West on Congress. That's mighty far from the center of the SoCo district. The other lofts are proposed for the corner of South Lamar and Bluebonnet Avenue and will be called SoLa...ok, that's stretching it. I just want to know what local businesses are they taking out at Bluebonnet and South Lamar to put up these SoLa Lofts? I don't know if all this rush to develop is such a good idea if it means demolishing local businesses.

$50M SoCo Lofts set for Congress
Austin Business Journal - 3:10 PM CST Wednesday

A $50 million multifamily and retail project is being planned for South Congress Avenue.

Austin-based Symcox Development is developing the project, called SoCo Lofts, which will feature more than 300 apartment units, 69 condo lofts and about 21,000 square feet of restaurant and retail space. The retail space is being called the Shops at SoCo.

Symcox Development is developing the project in partnership with Tierra Capital and Greystar Real Estate, according to Symcox Development's Web site (www. symcoxdev.com).

Jay Symcox, president of Symcox Development, spent more than three years developing the site plan and obtaining city and neighborhood approvals.

The site is off the southeast corner of Congress Avenue and Alpine Road, one block north of U.S. Highway 290 West.

Symcox Development also plans to begin construction on the SoLa City Homes during the second quarter of 2006. That projects will feature 48 townhomes on 3 acres at South Lamar Boulevard and Bluebonnet Avenue.

Austin Business Journal: JCPenney closing Highland Mall store - 2006-03-13

Ah Ha..so it is true...JC Penney is closing at Highland Mall! I love this comment by the JC Penney rep about closing this store:


"Closing our store at Highland Mall was not an easy decision," says Brenda Romero, a spokeswoman for JCPenney.

She says the company's goal was to "open stores in areas where we are currently under represented," adding the new stores "provide us with a stronger and more convenient presence for our shoppers."

Under representation? The area around Highland Mall is so much more under represented by big name retailers than the new proposed sites it's not even funny. The real reason they are closing is because the area around Highland Mall is in economic decline. Why don't they just tell the truth?

Austin Business Journal: JCPenney closing Highland Mall store - 2006-03-13

Katz's Never Kloses, But Marc Kashes Out

I remember way back when going to Katz's after a late night partying to get blintzs, reubens, or potato cakes and always lots of coffee. It was one of the few all night restaurants back then and a great place to get some real food at the end of a long night. After I got married, my husband and I would go to Katz's much earlier in the evening, to have the special and people watch out the windows on to 6th street. We got to see a lot of Leslie and some other colorful local Austin characters. My husband enjoyed talking to Marc Katz who was always very friendly and outgoing, not just with us but with everyone. He never met a stranger. Since we moved farther away from downtown a few years ago, we haven't been able to make our weekly trips to Katz's but it still holds a special place in our hearts.

Unfortunately, financial woes have taken their toll on Marc Katz. In order to get some of his bills payed, he's selling his property in downtown Austin, including the building where Katz's Deli is located. But do not fret, he is not quitting the deli business. He's planning on keeping the restaurant open. Only problem is he sold all of his reserved parking spaces so Katz's customers are now on their own to find decent parking. I would say it's worth the effort just to enjoy Katz's great food and unique atmosphere.

Katz to sell property
Austin Business Journal - 3:01 PM CST Monday

Katz's Deli owner Marc Katz is selling three downtown properties for $4.4 million, part of a reorganization that he says was prompted by his company's bankruptcy settlement.

The deal includes Katz's Deli at 618 W. Sixth St. and two other nearby properties. Local restaurateur Daryl Kunik is buying the lots.

Katz says that under the agreement, he will lease back the current space for Katz's Deli and nearby parking for the next 20 years. That will allow him to keep the 27-year-old Austin restaurant in business, he says.

"Katz's never closes," says Katz, reiterating the deli's tagline. "When I say that now, I hope everyone knows that I'm serious."

Katz's filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy restructuring in 2004 in Austin with as many as 99 creditors, including the IRS, lender Amresco Commercial Finance LLC, Dallas-based law firm Hughes and Luce LLP, and Katz's son, Barry Katz. Marc Katz's bankruptcy reorganization plan was approved in August.

Marc Katz stresses that the deli is performing better than ever, but says the bankruptcy settlement left him needing money to pay debtors.

Austin Business Journal: RadioShack to shut three Austin stores - 2006-03-24

Austin Business Journal: RadioShack to shut three Austin stores - 2006-03-24
I am old enough to remember Hancock Center when it was an outdoor shopping Mall with fountains in the courtyard. There was a Dillards, a cafeteria, a drug store, Sears, a small HEB and Radio Shack. This was back when I-35 still had a railroad crossing over it, stopping traffic on the highway whenever a train came through. It was the only Interstate in the US with a railroad crossing. Of course the highway has been changed and so has Hancock Center. The fountains are long gone. Dillards and all the other clothing stores, except Sears, closed up and left. The HEB renovated and expanded into the main commercial property at Hancock Center. Radio Shack remained there too. It's not as glamorous as it was in the old days when it first opened, but it's comforting to know that it has remained in the same location all these years.

Radio Shack recently announced that it was closing three of its Austin locations and I am glad to see that, according to this article, the Hancock Center Radio Shack has dodge the bullet on this round of closures. However, I imagine it won't be long before that store is on the chopping block too, with all the mega electronics stores like Best Buy and Frys taking all their business. And if the Best Buy does go into the new Mueller development across I-35 from Hancock Center as proposed, it seems like it would be almost impossible for that small store to compete.

Plans for Block 21 get bigger

I saw this on News 8 this morning, but I wonder about the accuracy of ACL being included in the plans yet. According to an article in the Statesman on Thursday, ACL had not yet decided to sign on with this venture.

News 8 Austin | 24 Hour Local News
Plans for Block 21 get bigger
3/24/2006 11:26 AM
By: News 8 Austin Staff

A downtown Austin project is taking shape at least on the small scale.
The plans for Block 21, just north of Austin's City Hall, have expanded to a 30-story high-rise. The building would contain shopping and office space plus be a new home for Austin City Limits and the Children's Museum.
The high-rise location in the central business district means the building doesn't have to follow any height restrictions.
'All of us are very excited about what's going on in downtown Austin right now. I think, in the next few years, you're going to see projects completed that will literally transform the face of downtown Austin,' Austin City Councilman Lee Leffingwell said.
On Thursday the council received a briefing about the project. It's being touted as downtown Austin's first town square. Construction is set to start next year and finish by 2008.

Austin Development: Bridges on the Park and IKEA

I drove by the corner of Lamar and Riverside Dr. Friday night and they have really broken ground on the condominiums. (see previous post: Life is a Bumpy Road: Austin)
Taco Cabana is still there as is Paggi House but the sign is up for the Bridges on the Park project so I guess it's really a go. Will look forward to seeing what the actually building looks like when it starts taking form.

And this article in the Statesman on Friday really thrilled me no end. I am very excited about Austin (well, ok Round Rock) having it's very own IKEA! I cannot wait.

Giant IKEA dwarfed by colossal growth

Swedish retailer breaks ground in region where many more acres are already sprouting stores.
By Shonda Novak
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Thursday, March 23, 2006

Swedish furniture retailer IKEA turned the first shovel of dirt Wednesday on its first Central Texas location, a 252,000-square-foot store in Round Rock that is expected to draw 1.5 million shoppers a year from across the region and beyond.

The groundbreaking for the mammoth store marks not only the official start of construction, but also the latest step in the region's biggest-ever retail surge.

Almost 7 million square feet of space, roughly equal to seven regional malls, will open by late 2007, creating several thousand jobs and a sales tax surge for cities stretching from Round Rock to Buda, Austin to the Village of Bee Cave.
The retail boom is being propelled by the region's growing population and healthy economy, which added nearly 27,000 jobs in 2005.
The boom is unprecedented, said Chris Ellis, a principal with Austin-based Endeavor Real Estate Group, developer of the biggest project, the 1.6 million-square-foot Southpark Meadows at Interstate 35 and Slaughter Lane.

"Even after this wave of retail comes on line, there will still be significant demand for retail in Austin," Ellis said. "But it's unlikely you'll see this much space coming on line within such a compact period of time in the future."
The retail wave will flood Central Texas with new department stores, specialty shops, multiplex movie houses and big-box stores.

While many will be familiar names, many more will be new to the area. They include the region's first Neiman Marcus and Macy's department stores, which will anchor the Domain, an upscale 700,000-square-foot outdoor center that Simon Property Group Inc. and Endeavor are developing in North Austin.

The Domain, plus Simon's Round Rock Premium Outlets, will bring many new high-end retailers to the area. Simon hopes to recruit retailers such as Tiffany & Co., Polo Ralph Lauren and Barney's Co-op to the Domain, for example.

Dillard's will add a fourth Austin store at the Hill Country Galleria, a regional mall under construction in the Village of Bee Cave.
The retail explosion is bringing thousands of jobs. And cities, some of which awarded generous incentives for the projects, are salivating over the sales tax dollars to come.

The Round Rock Premium Outlets mall alone is creating up to 1,500 construction jobs. Once the 120-store center opens in August, it will have 1,000 full- and part-time workers to serve up to 7 million shoppers a year, some of them coming from other states and Mexico.

A conservative estimate is that mall eventually will generate about $3 million in sales taxes a year for the city, said David Kautz, assistant city manager and chief financial officer.
Other jobs are coming as road improvements are made near some of the projects.

Kautz said the additional retail will help diversify an economy where Dell Inc. generates about half of the city's annual $58.6 million in sales taxes. In fiscal 2007, the city expects its sales tax revenue to be 8.25 percent higher than in fiscal 2006.

IKEA will also significantly bolster the sales tax base, Kautz said.
The Round Rock store will create 500 construction jobs and have 300 permanent employees, including part-time workers who will receive benefits. IKEA's policy of paying benefits to part-timers was a factor important to Round Rock city officials, Kautz said.

"We're not just a unique retailer, but a unique employer," said Joseph Roth, the company's director of public affairs.
In addition to IKEA's contemporary-design furniture and household items, from couches and desks to silverware and rugs, the store will have a supervised children's play area and a 250-seat cafeteria-style restaurant.
The chain has a base of nearly 30,000 Central Texas customers who have shopped online or at other IKEA stores.

At Wednesday's groundbreaking, Round Rock Mayor Nyle Maxwell surveyed the soon-to-be-retail-rich corner of Interstate 35 and University Boulevard (formerly Chandler Road). "This is the epicenter of retail growth in Central Texas . . . in jobs, sales tax collection and economic development," Maxwell said.

The IKEA store and Endeavor's adjacent University Oaks shopping center, plus surrounding retail, soon will be "importing sales tax dollars and importing capital from not only the primary market, but customers will be driving from 100 and 150 miles away," Maxwell said. "That's what's signifi- cant."

The biggest center by far is taking shape in South Austin. With Southpark Meadows, Endeavor has transformed a former outdoor concert venue into a retail juggernaut, where a growing list of stores are joining Wal-Mart, Petsmart and Circuit City, which opened in the center's first phase last year.

Southpark Meadows, which is expected to be finished next year, could generate $3.5 million a year in sales tax revenue for Austin, and the Domain, about $500,000 a year.

adopt your own virtual pet!

austin weather takes a chilling turn one last time this year.

the weather in austin took a turn back towards winter this week. it has been cool, cool, cool, and very breezy. this morning it's still coolish, but it seems sunnier and a little less windy. maybe it will warm up by afternoon. late winter weather always startles us in austin. Around mid-march we get our minds set that the weather will just keep continuing to get warmer. a sudden cool front like this so late in the month of march puts us all in a dither. at least it wasn't freezing weather with ice. that's happened here before, as late as the beginning of april. according to the predictions i have been seeing, it looks like we're gonna be in for a long hot summer. melting asphalt hot. it's not so bad if you can spend your days inside the air conditioning or draped by a pool. unfortunately for those of us out and about in the heat, it can be unbearable. so i'm enjoying our last bit of coolness before the sweltering heat takes over.

I am no writer

After this attempt at blogging I have come to the conclusion: I AM NO WRITER! It was a childhood dream of mine to be a writer for some magazine like (remember this is when I was a kid) Texas Monthly. But having read my blogs I came to the realization that that was a pipe dream. I am depressed.

Highland Mall JC Penney closing?

There is a rumor that the JC Penney at Highland Mall is closing. I wonder? I guess I will be checking into this.

See the USA....

These are the States I've Visited, How 'bout You?


create your own visited states map
or check out these Google Hacks.

Coffee Shops...they aren't for kids

It's another lazy Sunday. It's raining here and that makes the day seem even lazier since no one wants to hang outside in the rain. As usual we have headed to our favorite morning hang out, the local coffee shop where we read the paper and cruise the internet while people watching.
On Sundays at the coffee shop you get to see a mixture of people. Some are ready for church, all dressed up . Some are dressed for running (even on a rainy day). And some are like us, dressed in casual clothes, leisurely reading the paper while they sip on their coffee.
Then there are the families. Sometimes it's mom and dad and the kids, or mom alone with the kids or mom and her friends with all of their kids. However they arrive, one thing they have in common is that the kids are bored. I really wonder why parents want to bring their kids to a coffee shop. Coffee is generally an adult drink, ergo the shops themselves are designed for adults not children. There is nothing kid friendly in most coffee shops. They don't have toys or games for kids. There are no "happy meals" being served. In fact a coffee shop is one of the worst places to feed a kid. All they have for kids to eat and drink is stuff loaded with sugar like cinammon rolls, cookies, and hot chocolate....which the kids manage to spill or wipe all over the tables and floors. Then when the sugar kicks in, the kids get all fidgety. Might as well give the kids an espresso and let the fun begin. Allright, I admit not all children are ill mannered in coffee shops. The majority I have seen are well behaved. But still, I wonder, wouldn't they rather be at McDonalds?

Corpus Christi

This week I'm in Corpus Christi, Texas. It's a great place to visit, usually. Unfortunately, this is spring break time and it's a bit more crowded than usual. Still, it's not nearly as crowded as Austin has been with SXSW and the high school basket ball championship. So I am enjoying my stay here. I have a great view of the Lexington (old battleship, dry docked and used as a museum) and the bridge to Portland, Texas which is one of those high causeway bridges. It's very interesting for someone who doesn't normally spend time at the beach.

Yesterday morning I spent time bird watching. I saw big birds flying (pelicans?), smaller birds flying (seagulls?) and birds floating in the water (ducks??? I don't think so). I am not a bird watcher by nature so I have no idea what kind of birds I am seeing. I also saw shrimp boats heading out for the day and some big tanker looking thing coming into the harbor (port? I'm not nautical either). The water here has that greenish grey cast that the gulf is known for, but it's a lot cleaner than the waters around Houston and Galveston. If you look out really far towards the horizon, you can see the oil derricks (oil rigs??).

The beauty of Corpus is that it is a city, but it has this small town feel to it that makes it comfortable and charming. It's fairly easy to get around in and there's not a lot of traffic even at rush hour. The people who live here did say that on the weekends during spring break it gets pretty packed. One lady I met said her husband is always volunteering to go to the grocery store during spring break so he can ogle the girls in bikinis buying beer! They said it's hard to find toilet paper, beer, ice or ice chests during this time of year, but other than that it's not annoying to them because most of the crowds are over at Padre Island.

The news is reporting an increase in violent attacks out on the Island. That's kind of sad. It seems like you can't do anything anymore without worrying about being attacked or robbed. But I am sure there are plenty of kids out there having a great time without any problems. (except maybe sunburn and hang overs).

A couple of things to see in Corpus. The drive down Ocean Drive is interesting with all the big houses. It ends up at the causeway to South Padre and Texas A&M Corpus which has a nice campus. There's the Texas State Aquarium which is a lot of fun. The USS Lexington if you're into that kind of thing. Then of course there's South Padre Island which is a bit of a drive where the real beaches are. You can also take gambling boats at night out into the gulf if you enjoy that kind of thing. There's a greyhound race track nearby, the Whataburger stadium, the memorial to Selena (not much to see really) and tons of sea wall to walk along for exercise.

Restaurants are abundant. I liked Water Street Seafood Co. but it's kind of pricey. There's also the City Diner (less pricey, less seafood) but kitchy cute. Snoopys out under the causeway is a rustic dining on the water place. I hear Blackbeards just on the other side of the bridge to Portland has the best seafood in the area. I have also heard that the Yardarm is an interesting place to eat. You can dine along the water at Landry's (chain restaurant) and some other big restaurants out on People's T-head if you like that kind of thing.

Corpus is just a leisurely place. It has a small amount of cute shops and a bit of touristy stuff, but all in all it's a pretty "real" city with a laid back atmosphere. I know I will be back. It's the best place to come to if you have to travel for work.

Another Day in Paradise

It's warm and balmy here in Texas today. And I hear it's snowing in Colorado!! What a funny country we live in!

Theft in the Work Place: Is it becoming more common?

Lately I have been hearing more and more stories about theft in the work place. I don't mean theft by a stranger who happens to wander in to your work place, but theft by co-workers who often times have easy access to valuable personal information and possessions.
A co-worker of one of my friends was the victim of identity theft by his office mate, who casually stole his social security number and a credit card number then proceeded to open fraudulent accounts. The victim obviously thought he could trust his co-worker and left this valuable information laying around the office or open on his computer. How many times do we just step out for a minute from our offices or cubicles, leaving purses out, computers on and logged in, all sorts of valuable information in the open and easy access for someone to swipe? We generally don't think that someone we work with closely 5 days a week for 8 hours a day would steal from us. But they do!!
Another person I heard about recently, had their laptop stolen right out of their office at work. It belonged to the company they work for and was plugged in and being used at the time. The person just happened to step out of their office for a minute and when they came back, the lap top was gone! No one saw anything suspicious because people are always going in and out with laptop bags. It could have been anyone that took the laptop.
Unfortunately it is becoming more and more common for these types of thefts to occur in the work place. I started searching the web and found a few links that might be helpful in securing the workplace from theft. The first link is a quiz (very short) to find out how security savvy you really are. The second link is to a blog entry by Marc Orchant about identity theft and how to prevent it. And the third link is an article about how to secure your laptop while traveling. All of them seemed to have some very practical, good suggestions on how to keep you valuables safe.

Theft in the Work Place: What is your theft prevention IQ?
Identity Theft is No Joke
Security of Laptops

Austin

Austin is just booming with development plans right now. There is the Mueller redevelopment going on at the site of the old Robert Mueller Airport (see February Blog "Redevelopment of Robert Mueller Airport"). Other development around town includes the West Campus area of UT which is written up in the Wednesday March 8 edition of the Daily Texan. There's also a high rise condominium in the works on South Lamar adjacent to the old Paggi House Restaurant. Below is an article from the Austin American Statesman in October regarding the construction of this high rise. There's a website for "Bridges on the Park", (which is what they refer to in the article as Austin Park Village). This project is from the same developers behind Austin City Lofts. A site plan for the area is located at: http://alt.coxnewsweb.com/statesman/...paggihouse.pdf


Thursday, October 27, 2005

One of Austin's oldest buildings will become part of a $30 million condominium and retail project on South Lamar Boulevard, just south of Town Lake.

Austin Park Village will include more than 100 condominiums, an outdoor pool, courtyards and 9,000 square feet of street-level retail on a stretch of Lamar now lined mostly with fast-food restaurants.


The Paggi House restaurant, housed in a 160-year-old building, will be incorporated into the project. But a Wendy's and a small office building will be torn down.

Picture of Paggi House by Andrew Price/ Austin American Statesman

The project will be the first major urban residential development on the south side of the river, said Bobby Nail, Austin partner for the developer, Dallas-based CLB Partners LLC.

His company plans to start construction early next year on the project. The first residents could move in in mid-2007.

A six-story condominium building will occupy much of the 2.5-acre site currently owned by the Powell family estate.

A second phase, with more condos and shops, could begin in several years on land now home to Taco Cabana at the southeast corner of Riverside Drive and South Lamar. Taco Cabana has a lease through 2012, Nail said.

He said no zoning changes are required for the project.

The city's Historic Landmark Commission already has given its approval to raze the office building, which sits in a city-designated historic zone surrounding the Paggi House.

The office building was built by the late Jim Pfluger, the architect for whom the nearby Pfluger pedestrian bridge was named, and Pfluger's son, Brad, continues to use it as his office.

The Pflugers were instrumental in restoring the Paggi House in the 1970s.

Nail said the Paggi House and its history are "a huge part of this project."

The small house was built in the 1840s, and later served as an inn. Michael Paggi bought it in 1884. The Pflugers were instrumental in restoring the house in the 1970s. It's been a restaurant since 1980.

Nail said the Austin Park Village site is an ideal location, surrounded by the Town Lake hike-and-bike trail to the north and a city-owned nine-hole golf course to the east.

Austin Park Village will be among more than a dozen new downtown or near-downtown projects in the pipeline. Like many of those projects, condos at Austin Park Village will be at the high-cost end, from the upper $200,000s for an 850-square-foot unit to about $550,000 for 1,650 square feet.

CLB is the developer of the Austin City Lofts, the upscale condominium project on West Fifth Street. The 82 units, priced from the upper $200,000s to $1.5 million, were all sold within 18 months after it opened in April 2004. CLB also is developing five major mixed-use projects with more than 400 residential units in and around downtown San Diego.

snovak@statesman.com; 445-3856

The new face of West Campus - Top Stories

The new face of West Campus - Top Stories: "The new face of West Campus
High-end apartments could drive up prices, decrease parking availibility
By Neal Tesseyman"

My Friend Has Been Missing A Long Time Now

I knew her as Sarah when we worked together years ago. She was a very kind person and I liked her very much. I also knew her husband and they seemed to make a terrific couple. I remember that not long before she went missing I had the chance to go visit her, but I turned it down. I was too tired. I will always regret that decision. I never got to see her one last time. After she was reported missing, all our friends went out to scour the country side near where her car was seen on Bee Cave Road. But they found nothing. Eventually we had a memorial service on Mount Bonnell for her, but I didn't feel like there was any closure. We don't really know what happened to her. We all had our theories, but none of them panned out. I only hope that some day the mystery will be solved so that we can have some closure. All of us, especially her husband.

Her is the report on her:

The Doe Network:
Case File 1114DFTX


Sharon Zelinski McCully
Missing since December 11, 1984 from Austin, Travis County, Texas.
Classification: Involuntary


Vital Statistics

Date Of Birth: July 1, 1959
Age at Time of Disappearance: 25 years old
Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 5'6"; 130 lbs.
Distinguishing Characteristics: White female. Brown hair; brown eyes. She wears contact lenses.
Tattoos: Tattoo of a yellow and red rose on her abdomen.
Dentals: Available
Clothing: Dark blue slacks with white pin stripes, an unknown color of blouse, and white tennis shoes with red stripes.
AKA: Sarah

Circumstances of Disappearance
McCully was last seen at Howard Lane and Interstate 35. She was on a Christmas shopping trip, and had just left her husband after a lunch date. Her Volkswagen was seen on Bee Cave Road that day, and in the area where Barton Creek Square is now located. It was found at an apartment complex on Research Boulevard. She was a nurse with hopes of going to medical school.
A resident told police she saw a woman fitting McCully's description getting out of the car with a man, but the tip didn't develop. Fingerprints were found on her car but there hasn't been enough physical evidence to link anyone ot the crime.


Investigators
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:

Austin Police Department
Cold Case Unit
512-974-5281
Or
Texas Missing Persons Clearinghouse
512-424-5074

NCIC Number: M-141052381
Please refer to this number when contacting any agency with information regarding this case.

Source Information:
Texas Missing Persons Clearinghouse
KVUE


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Victory for the Dogs!

As you know if you have been reading my blog (which according to my stats on Austin Bloggers You HAVE NOT!!) I am very interested in the outcome of the initiative to change the current city health department rule that dogs are not allowed on the patios of restaurants or bars in Austin. Well the city council met yesterday and voted 6-1 to allow local restaurants in Austin to decide if they will allow dogs on their patios!!! HURRAH!!!
The only dissenting vote was council member Danny Thomas. He said he "can't support the dogs"??? I have a feeling I won't be voting for him next time around! Anyway, the new measure will take effect in 10 days. Of course there are some stipulations like: the dogs have to be on a leash (ok we can live with that). The dogs cannot sit in chairs (reasonable enough) or get on tables or on countertops (???). I am not sure what kind of owner will put their pooch on the table or countertops but I guess there are a few out there. Restaurants who allow dogs on their patios will not be able to cook or prepare food in their outdoor areas.
The restaurants will be posting a sign if they do or do not allow owners to bring their pets onto their patios. The City Health inspectors will no longer deduct a point from their health inspections of restaurants who allow dogs, as long as they follow the rules. Yes!!
Two people showed up to speak to the council in opposition of the proposal noting that it is unfair for restaurants to have to clean up after dogs on their patios (that is why it is up to the individual restaurants get to decide) and that they were leery of wait persons petting dogs then handling their utensils (better that than having them cough and sneeze all over their hands and then handle utensils!).
A BIG THANK YOU TO Council Members Jennifer Kim and Lee Leffingwell for initiating and supporting this measure! Austin can now redeem some of it's laid back, easy going status that it was always known for.

Walmart = Wasteful

This week I am in Alvin Texas, childhood home of Nolan Ryan. It's not that small anymore. I can remember driving through Alvin several years ago and there was hardly anything there, but now it has grown into quite a town. It was busy and full of life. Since it is not that far from Houston, I am sure it is full of people who work in the city and live in Alvin. But it still maintains a rural atmosphere with lots of farms and livestock along the way. We stayed in a hotel in Houston and drove to Alvin everyday so I got to see alot of the scenery in between. There are miniature horses in a field along the road to Alvin that are as cute as can be and a lot of small farms with cows and horses and sheep. Alvin is smaller by far than it's neighbor Pearland which is the home of the fighting oilers. Pearland has a huge new highschool with of course a football stadium. It appears that their mascot is an oil derrick. Hmmmmm?
Pearland seemed like a fairly nice town as well. Lots of new homes being built and a lot of businesses including a brand new Super Walmart. They built it right across the street from the old Walmart, which is now standing closed and abandoned. I don't really like Walmart. Their buildings are huge, ugly and surrounded by acres of asphalt parking lot. But mostly they are wasteful and inconsiderate!! Walmart insists on building brand new buildings to enlarge their stores and leaving a shell of a big box store standing empty nearby. Can't they just add on to the old one? They refuse to provide benefits for their employees, keeping them working just below full time status at minimum wage. As far as I can see Walmart is a good example of what is wrong with our economy and our country. They have no heart and soul.

Reliving and Relieving the Past...

Many Many Years ago, in a Small Town in Northeast Texas, my parents rented a duplex across the street from an Equally Small Presbyterian affiliated college. This was same year my older sister was born. And the same year my mother began to dream that maybe, just maybe, her daughter would attend that prestigious college across the street. Eighteen years later, it was me, not my older sister who left home in Austin to attend college at that Small College in the Small Town in Northeast Texas. For Four Years that College was my life. I Lived on campus like everyone else who went there at that time. I had an adoring, loving and considerate boyfriend and I made friends on my own for the first time since Junior High. I even joined a Sororiety...that is SO unlike me, but in those days it was THE thing to do. (NO this was NOT the 1950's by the way). The campus was quaint and charming. With magnificent shade trees and wonderul old buildings. The only draw back was the horrendous stench that sometimes wafted over the campus from the Purina Dog Food Factory just behind the college. At times the smell was so bad it would turn your stomach as you stolled across the grassy lawn to eat your meals in the Student Union. But I adored That Place. I loved the college life and was in mourning each summer while I waited to return to the campus and my dorm room. At the end of those 4 years, I graduated. I received a liberal arts degree with a major in History which was basically worthless despite the huge amount of money my parents had borrowed for me to go to this esteemed institution of higher learning. Also at the end of those wonderful golden 4 years, my adoring, loving and oh so considerate boyfriend dumped me. I was devistated. And after 4 years of college friends and fun, I was back in Austin. Alone, in debt, unable to find a decent job and massively depressed. I am not sure I ever fully recovered. Ok, Fast Forward to Present Day. I eventually lost contact with each and every dear friend I made during those four years. I finally paid off all the loans and got a half way decent job. And best of all I met and married a wonderful man whom I have been married to for almost 16 years. And Now. Now, I have been given the wonderful opportunity at work to return to this Small Northeast Texas Town for two days and one night. I tell my co-workers that this is Great. I tell my co-travelers We MUST go by my college and tour it. I tell myself, it will be a chance to walk down memory lane. Let me tell you about this Small Town. It is HUGE now!! They moved the main highway so that it bypasses the middle of town and as a result a whole New Middle of town has been created. With a Chilis, a Shlotzskeys, an Office Depot and a Starbucks!! During my work day, I quietly snuck away, alone in this Small Town, to drive by the old Small college of my youth. I am thinking "this will be great!!" Maybe the campus bookstore will be open and I can buy a souvenir. Maybe I will park and walk the tree lined campus like old times. I can Relive some good old memories. Even as I approach the school, I began to see the changes to my old stomping grounds. The old main road that crossed the railroad tracks and led to the college has now been elevated and turned into some sort of off ramp. The trees that lined that beautiful avenue are all but gone. So are many of the Beautiful old houses that once lined the street across from the campus. This isn't the "memory lane" I remember. I reach the college and see some familiar buildings...my old dorm and one of the neighboring dorms are still there. But the funny looking stucco monstrosity of a dorm that sat on the other side of my dorm is mysteriously missing. I round the campus on that same road my parents lived on many many years ago and realize the houses are no longer there. Not even the duplex they rented. All along the street are new college buildings. And a stadium. A REAL stadium with a brick facade and aluminum seats instead of wood. There is actually a separate soccor field!! They don't have to share the football field anymore. It's amazing. I keep driving. I round the corner with awe, seeing more and more new and big buildings. And Then Suddenly I see them. Those senior apartments my ex-boyfriend lived in the year he dumped me. Located at the back of campus...the apartments have been renovated and added on to, but some how they are still familiar. Why is that? I roll the window of my rented car down for closer inspection. These are not the ratty wooden buildings I remember. The design is similar, but other than that there is no resemblance. Yet they bring back such strong emotions. It's horrible. It's Horrible! It's a horrible smell coming through the window of my rental car. OMYGOD! The dog food factory is blowing it's stench my way. And suddenly I realize among alll the changes and improvements, one thing has remained the same. This Place Stinks!! And suddenly I feel a weight drop from me. What was I thinking? I can never go back. But do I need to? NO!! Do I want to? No, not really. Then as I drive by those stinkin' apartments I shoot the finger. At those apartments, at my ex-boyfriend, at my feelings of loss. These weren't exactly the memories I wanted to relive, but these are the memories I am finally and thankfully relieved from.

Depression

Chronic depression is an insidious thing that rears it's ugly head when you least expect it and saps all the joy out of living. It makes even the simplest daily activities like bathing, dressing, eating, etc., seem almost impossible to accomplish. Just making it through each day is a struggle. Often it is not a wish to die, just a wish to not exist for a while. some psychiatrists call this a "passive" suicide wish, but I think it is just a desire to hide a way from the pain of living until the black cloud passes. Like seeking shelter from a rain storm.