June 2009

Vol. 3, Issue 6

Social

URBAN CORE HAPPY HOUR: RSVP by June 9th
Thursday, June 11, 2009
6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
El Sol y La Luna @ 600 E. 6th St. (map) (transit)

DANA Members, please join us at El Sol y La Luna for this month’s Urban Core Happy Hour. El Sol y La Luna has relocated from its long time home on South Congress to Austin’s Historic Sixth Street. Please join us for some great food, drinks and live music provided by Timba Rain.

4TH OF JULY EVENT IN PALM PARK – SAVE THE DATE
DANA is joining the East César Chávez Neighborhood in an East-West combined event, Saturday, July 4th, from 4 PM to 8 PM in Palm Park (transit). Bring your picnic basket, lawn chairs, and bathing suits for the pool. Old-fashioned family games such as egg toss, wheelbarrow and sack races, 4 square, tetherball, dominoes and many more activities will be available. After the games and swimming, the party will move to the waterfront to view the City Fireworks display. Details are still being worked out. For more information, contact Michael McGill.

Knowledgeable

DANA WEBSITE GETS A FACE LIFT
The new and improved DANA website is now available for your use. Many further improvements and enhancements are coming in the near future, so check back frequently. Access the new site with our same address www.DowntownAustin.org.

DOWNTOWN LIVING TOUR UPDATE
The 2009 Downtown Living Tour (DLT) Planning Committee is pleased to announce Gables Residential as the Title Sponsor! We still need tour homes, sponsors and volunteers. Remember, if your business is a sponsor, your volunteers will be able to wear your company’s “logo gear” and expose participants from across the city to your “brand”. To participate in any of these areas, please contact Lindsay Wiebrand. And remember, the tour date is Sunday, October 11th.

The next meeting of the DLT Planning Committee will be held Monday, June 15 from 6 PM to 7 PM, at the offices of Independence Title, located at 300 W. 6th St., Ste. 120. (map)(transit)

WOOLDRIDGE SQUARE PARK BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION
We are proud to announce DANA’s sponsorship of the Austin Parks Foundation and the Centennial Celebration of Wooldridge Square Park (transit)- a year long celebration that will kick off with an event on Saturday, June 20th at 1 PM.  Come out for a very special event featuring giant chess, cupcakes, family-friendly live music, a dance performance, and the taking of a panoramic photo, similar to one taken at the park’s dedication in 1909.  The photo will be presented to the Austin History Center next door, which will be opening an exhibit that day chronicling the storied history of Downtown Austin’s first park and its longtime speaker’s corner. For more information on the park’s interesting past, download the Downtown Austin Alliance’s Historical Study. We hope to see DANA Members out in the park on June 20th! 

Influential

DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN REQUESTS PUBLIC INPUT

Board member Bill McCann has been actively keeping abreast of developments regarding the Downtown Austin Plan (DAP), and has provided to DANA Members the following brief summary regarding current progress with the plan:

Last month, Roma Design Group and its’ consultant team members presented their DAP preliminary recommendations regarding the Density Bonus Program and the Affordable Housing Strategy. Click on the linked topic names to download a copy of these reports. These and other important documents related to the DAP may be found on the City’s DAP webpage.

The next step in the process, prior to City Council briefing scheduled for July 23rd, is to solicit and incorporate public feedback. Feedback should be provided by e-mailing comments to Erica Leak in the Neighborhood Planning and Zoning Depart
ment.

I strongly encourage you to take the time to carefully read through these two documents. The Affordable Housing Strategy recommendation incorporates the recommendations presented in the Density Bonus Program. As such, you would be well served to read the Density Bonus Program document first. If you are not familiar with the basic concept of a development density bonus, I suggest you postpone reading the Executive Summary, at the beginning of this document until after you read the other sections so as not to be confused by terms and concepts which are fully developed in the body of the document.

Please note, the Density Bonus Program document contains 29 pages and the Affordable Housing Strategy document contains 59 pages. My reading and comprehension of these two documents took approximately 2 hours.

The DANA Board, through its’ Urban Living Team, is undertaking a careful review of these documents and will be meeting to develop a consensus response that will be forwarded to the Roma Design Team. We strongly encourage all interested DANA members to also speak out individually and identify yourself as a DANA Member in your correspondence with Ms. Leak.

CANNED FOOD DRIVE FOR CARITAS UNDERWAY
The Urban Core Friendly Neighborhood Can Food Competition is underway! Food collection bins are in place and ready to receive your generous contributions. On Tuesday, June 9th, the bins will be collected, items will be measured and a winner will be announced at the Urban Core Happy Hour at La Sol y La Luna. Don’t delay – make your contribution count.

If you are interested in making a cash donation, which Caritas can always use, please contact Lindsay Wiebrand for specific instructions.

Many thanks to the following buildings for their participation: 100 Congress, 1005 Congress, The 5 Fifty Five, AMLI Downtown, AMLI on 2nd, Brazos Place, Milago Condominiums (sponsored in part by The Boutique Real Estate), Plaza Lofts, Sabine on 5th and The Villas on Town Lake.

SPECIAL EVENT STREET CLOSURE IMPROVEMENTS DOWNTOWN

The Austin City Council recently approved a new ordinance governing permits for closing streets, after a Street Closures Task Force met for several months.  DANA President, Jamie Lagarde, played a pivotal role in ensuring that downtown residents will be able to move in, out, and around the neighborhood continuously even during special events. In general, the new ordinance and rules will allow DANA Members to better co-exist with events like races and festivals. Thanks to Jamie for his hard work on this important project.

If you would like to learn more about rules changes, access the interactive map of street closures or view the calendar of future street closures, visit the new City of Austin website dedicated to Special Event-Street Closures. For those interested, the next Urban Transportation Commission meeting is scheduled at City Hall on Tuesday, June 9th at 6 PM.

Why Downtown?

Why do you live, work, play or love downtown? Doug Laford answers our question this month. Doug grew up in San Diego, and was an expert boggie boarder in his early years. Doug currently works as a consultant for ADP. In his free time, Doug serves on the DANA Social Team. He was last seen at a DANA event serving DANA-tinis. Make a point of saying hello to Doug at our next event.

As a technical consultant working from home, I found myself faced with an opportunity to live anywhere in the United States. I chose Austin for its reputation as a great place to live and warm weather. I found myself downtown on my second day in Austin, and it was then I knew where I would stay.

It’s difficult to capture the last 9 months of living here into a few words. Live music and the downtown city lights provided the backdrop for my first walk home. Within the first week, before I even had furniture, I had new friends. My brand new car has gathered a light coat of dust in the garage, maybe seeing the road for 10 miles a week. EVERYTHING is within walking distance. My “back yard”, once a rural landscape in Oregon, is now alive with people of all kinds. It includes a wide variety of restaurants, shopping, live music and more bars and clubs than most cities have. The bright shiny center of Austin is where I live, work and play.

Special Thanks
This month’s contributors were Ruth Framel, Doug Laford, Jamie Lagarde, Bill McCann, Michael McGill, Larry Schooler, and Lindsay Wiebrand.

DANA’s mission is to improve the quality of life for those who live, work, and play downtown. DANA influences decisions that affect downtown, educates and listens to residents and stakeholders about downtown and issues that affect them, and fosters a downtown community through social events.

Downtown Austin Neighborhood Association, P.O. Box 997, Austin, TX 78767

www.DowntownAustin.org

You are receiving this email because you have subscribed to the Downtown Austin Neighborhood Association Newsletter If you do not wish to receive future mailings, you may unsubscribe from this list.

Copyright © 2009 Downtown Austin Neighborhood Association, All rights reserved.

APRIL 2009

Vol. 3, Issue 4

Knowledgeable

COORDINATED URBAN CANDIDATE FORUM
Saturday, April 4, 2009
10:30 am to Noon – City Council Candidate Q&A
Noon to 1:30 pm – Mayoral Candidate Q&A
St. David’s Episcopal Church, Sumner’s Hall, 304 E. 7th Street (map)

Please join us this Saturday, April 4th as we co-host a forum to learn where the city council and mayoral candidates stand on the issues that affect Austin and its urban core.  The candidates will discuss issues such as economic development, the livability of the downtown neighborhood, public spaces, urban rail and parking.  Complimentary coffee, water and light appetizers will be provided by El Sol y La Luna and the Texas Picnic Company.

DANA is co-hosting this forum with 6ixth Street Austin, Alliance for Public Transportation, Austin Metro Trails and Greenways, Austin Parks Foundation, Austinist.com, Congress for New Urbanism (CNU), Downtown Austin Alliance (DAA), Original Austin Neighborhood Association (OANA) and Rail4Real.

Please consider using Capital Metro’s trip planner to arrive at the forum, and all DANA events, without the use of your car. Paid parking will be available in the St. David’s garage. Enter the church at the intersection of 8th & San Jacinto.

DOWNTOWN LIVING TOUR DATE SET FOR OCTOBER 11TH
We have set the date! The 2009 Downtown Living Tour (DLT) will be held on Sunday, October 11th. The planning has begun and the DLT Planning Committee will be led by DANA Board Member, Lindsay Wiebrand. She is ready to start assembling her team, partnering with sponsors and to begin the process of selecting tour homes. If you have an interest in participating in the DLT in any capacity, including showing your home, please contact Lindsay!

Social

URBAN CORE HAPPY HOUR: RSVP by April 7th
Thursday, April 9, 2009
6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
SoCo Designs @ 450 W 2nd Street (map)

DANA Members, please join us at SoCo Designs for this month’s Urban Core Happy Hour. SoCo Designs is your source for hand crafted traditional and contemporary rugs from all over the world. They also feature a wide selection of custom textiles and flooring options.

Sponsoring this month’s event is Barton Place Condominiums, a new condominium community at the center of all that’s uniquely Austin. It’s more than an address; it’s a connection to the spirit of the Capital city.

ART+STYLE 09 LEADS TO ART CITY AUSTIN 09
2ND Street District Hearts DANA! Every Wednesday evening beginning April 8th through April 22nd, something special is planned in the 2nd Street District. Click here to learn what is happening each week.

These weekly events lead up to Art City Austin 09 to be held April 25-26. This annual art extravaganza, taking place on the banks of Lady Bird Lake, showcases the talents of 200+ juried artists, live music, local culinary treats, children’s activities and much more.

For DANA Members Only – Be on the lookout for a special e-Blast offering current DANA Members access to a DANA Members-only happy hour, special savings on Art Alliance Austin Collector’s Badge purchases, and a chance for those who purchase Art After Dark tickets to be upgraded to Collector’s Badges in a special drawing on April 8th. Remember, you must be a current DANA Member to receive this special e-Blast, so join now!

If you have been waiting to become a DANA Member, or if your membership has expired, now is the time to join and enjoy the benefits of membership.

Influential

DANA LEADS THE WAY TO A SAFER DOWNTOWN

A recent Downtown Austin study recommended the formation of a neighborhood watch or a more community-centric policing effort. Last year DANA strategically placed 22 new Neighborhood Watch signs around the Central Business District (CBD).  DANA’s intention has always been to follow up with a Neighborhood Watch Group.
 
On Tuesday, March 10, 2009 DANA arranged a meeting between the Austin Police Department (APD) and community stakeholders at the Hilton Austin.  Different types of crime were discussed as well as ways to best manage each type. All participants agreed that crime, real or perceived, is equally destructive to the community’s safety, value and reputation. 

Together we have identified five areas to focus on: drug abuse and trafficking, aggressive pan-handling, neighborhood watch, social norming and hosting a downtown-wide crime prevention forum.  A new website, DowntownAustinCrimePrevention.org, has been developed to help us communicate with residents interested in downtown crime prevention.  Link to the new website and read the ”
Crime is Like a Roach” article, which includes a KVUE video featuring Marshall Jones and DANA’s efforts to address crime downtown. If you or others want to be involved, contact Marshall Jones.
 
As always, APD stressed the importance of calling 911 when a crime is in progress, once it is safe to do so.  Not only is it the best way to resolve the issue immediately, it is the strongest measure the police department has to monitor where crime is occurring, which leads to better enforcement in the area.  Any person witnessing a property crime, assault, drug-related issue or illegal pan-handling should immediately call 911!

Why Downtown?

Why do you live, work, play or love downtown? Answering the question this month is Lindsay Wiebrand. Lindsay currently serves on the DANA Board of Directors in many capacities. She has participated as a sponsor of the DLT for several years, and last year hosted one of the most popular stops on the tour! Her condo was so much fun, that participants lingered. That is what we call Downtown Austin style hospitality!

Having attended Texas State University, I became very familiar with downtown Austin as I was immediately drawn to its nightlife. After graduation, I lived in the subtle suburbs of Round Rock. The picket fences and cookie cutter homes were nice and cozy, but my energetic self pined for a livelier lifestyle. So 10 months ago, I packed up my fat cat and brown dog and moved downtown.

In my short time here, I’ve become an active member of my new neighborhood. Many of my clients reside downtown, which makes working even easier. On Friday afternoons, I park my car at 5pm and I don’t have to drive a single mile until Monday morning. Living in downtown Austin is like having the world at my fingertips. Fresh veggies on Saturday mornings, cold beer on an outdoor patio, eclectic boutiques, fine food, friendly service and an inviting park on the lake – all just steps outside of my home.

Downtown Austin is a quaint neighborhood sprinkled with visitors from all around. It’s like we’re in our own little world being hugged by a big city. So I sit here relaxing and reflecting on Downtown and why I love it. My windows are open to let the brisk air in and I can smell Whole Foods cooking up some yummy goodness. I see people strolling along enjoying a latte and each other’s company. And I hear a band playing a mellow tune at the bar downstairs. This is exactly why I love Downtown Austin.

Special Thanks
This month’s contributors were Branden Allmon, Roger Cauvin, Ruth Framel, Jennifer Jones, Marshall Jones and Lindsay Wiebrand.

DANA’s mission is to improve the quality of life for those who live, work, and play downtown. DANA influences decisions that affect downtown, educates and listens to residents and stakeholders about downtown and issues that affect them, and fosters a downtown community through social events.

Downtown Austin Neighborhood Association, P.O. Box 997, Austin, TX 78767

www.DowntownAustin.org

You are receiving this email because you have subscribed to the Downtown Austin Neighborhood Association Newsletter If you do not wish to receive future mailings, you may unsubscribe from this list.

Copyright © 2009 Downtown Austin Neighborhood Association, All rights reserved.

February 2009

Vol. 3, Issue 2

Social

URBAN CORE HAPPY HOUR: Please RSVP by Feb. 9th
Thursday, February 12, 2009
6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
Blu @ 360 Nueces Street. (map)

Please join us at Blu Cafe, Bar and Lounge for this month’s Urban Core Happy Hour on Thursday, February 12th at 6:30 PM. Blu is located at the 360 Condominiums. Sponsoring this month’s event will be 360 Condominiums, where life surrounds you.

Avoid parking hassles and consider planning your trip using Cap Metro’s trip planner.

DANA PROVIDES WATER TO THIRSTY RUNNERS
Would you like to participate in The Austin Marathon & Half Marathon, taking place on February 15th, but you forgot to start training months ago? Our friends at Caritas have asked DANA members to help pass out water to runners at the event. Many shifts are available throughout the morning. Contact Lindsay Wiebrand to sign up. This is a great opportunity to participate and have a front row seat to the action.

Influential

DANA PARTICIPATES IN DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN
The City of Austin and ROMA Design Group, with the help of HR&A Advisors, has begun work on Phase Two of the Downtown Austin Plan (DAP). At the urging of DANA, the City has charged ROMA with developing distinct districts downtown and to develop design and form guidelines for each district. DANA has met with ROMA and HR&A Advisors to discuss our goals for the Core, Northwest and Uptown Districts. We are very excited about the direction the plan is taking and we look forward to more work on the DAP this year! For more information on the DAP, click here.

DANA VOLUNTEERS WITH CARITAS
Kudos to DANA members Monica Pizani, Walt Tashnick, Jennifer Wiebrand, Lindsay Wiebrand, and Ruth Framel, who helped In the Caritas Community Kitchen in January. Every weekday Caritas respectfully serves lunch to nearly 400 people.

DANA has committed to serving meals on the first Friday of every month. The shifts are from 9:30-11:30 and 11:30-1:30. Are you interested in making a difference downtown? Contact Lindsay Wiebrand to join your neighbors in this worthwhile and fun activity.

LOWER SHOAL CREEK CLEANUP DAY PLANNED
Mark your calendar for March 7, 2009! It’s My Park Day, organized by the Austin Parks Foundation, is an annual community service day focused on improvements to Austin’s park system. There are park clean-up events happening all over Austin. Our own board member, Greg Anderson, is hosting the Lower Shoal Creek Clean Up. There will be music, drinks, snacks, trash bags and fun provided for the whole family. For more information, or to sign up, click here.

Knowledgeable

CAPITAL METRORAIL OPEN HOUSES
Capital Metro invites the community to one of five open houses at neighborhood MetroRail stations in February. Check out the train, pick up a schedule, learn to use the new ticket vending machines and get all your questions answered. The Downtown Station open house is Feb. 27th, 2 PM- 7 PM. For more information, click here.

DOWNTOWN AUSTIN EMERGING PROJECTS – UPDATED POSTER
The City of Austin periodically publishes a poster of emerging projects. The latest version was just released. The latest version shows projects under construction or being planned in Downtown Austin.

DANA ELECTS NEW BOARD MEMBERS
In January we held our Annual Meeting at Ballet Austin and elected the following new Board members to serve for 2009 – 2011: Josh Allen, Greg Anderson, Randy Hammelman, Larry Schooler and Lindsay Wiebrand. We reelected the following Board members for a second term: Roger Cauvin, Jamie Lagarde, Will Steakley and David Weaver. Rounding out the board are current members: Jude Galligan, Shyama Golden, Marshall Jones and Bill McCann. Thanks go out to retiring Board members Jim Furrow, Rob McDaniel and Michael McGill. These dedicated men and women make DANA work for the benefit of all.

Why Downtown?

Why do you live, work, play or love downtown? Answering this question is newly elected DANA Board of Directors President, Jamie Lagarde.

I have lived in Austin for 12 years, but four years ago when I moved downtown, I found my home. Downtown Austin is a unique neighborhood quilted together of smaller neighborhoods, each possessing its own identity and distinction. We live in the heart of A
ustin’s culture and vibe, from where the best of our music, arts, food and wine flow. Downtown offers races for runners and bars for beer drinkers. Where else can you have all this, and still ride a bicycle to a UT game and enjoy Lady Bird Lake in your backyard? For me, it was an easy decision to move downtown, and I am honored to do my part to make downtown Austin a better place for everyone.

Special Thanks
This month’s contributors were Greg Anderson, Ruth Framel, Jude Galligan, Marshall Jones, Jamie Lagarde and Lindsay Wiebrand.

DANA’s mission is to improve the quality of life for those who live, work, and play downtown. DANA influences decisions that affect downtown, educates and listens to residents and stakeholders about downtown and issues that affect them, and fosters a downtown community through social events.

MARCH 2009

Vol. 3, Issue 3

Social

URBAN CORE HAPPY HOUR: Please RSVP by March 10th
Thursday, March 12, 2009
6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Shoreline Grill @ 98 San Jacinto Blvd. (map)

Please join us at Shoreline Grill for this month’s Urban Core Happy Hour. The Shoreline has a new chef eager to show off his talents. Our business sponsor this month is MileMeter Insurance, a company that believes if you drive less, you should pay less!

Don’t just read about DANA Happenings – Join DANA Now! – and participate in our Urban Core Events as well as our efforts to make Downtown the Best Neighborhood in Austin.

Knowledgeable

CAPITAL METRO NEWS OF NOTE
Are you thinking green and want to dump the pump? Do you want to plan your trip to the Urban Core Happy Hour using mass transit? Do you want to know more about the upcoming launch of the Capital MetroRail Red Line? Are you curious about the ‘Dillo Hop ‘n Shop program? Click here to learn about all the above and more.

DANA BOARD OF DIRECTORS KNOWS HOW TO WORK AS A TEAM
In an attempt to create better synergy and participation within the whole organization, the Board of Directors has combined all the former committees into 3 new teams to address the various areas of service within DANA. The teams are divided into the Executive Team, the Social Team and the Urban Living Team.

• The Executive Team is made up of the Board of Directors officers and will focus on oversight of the entire organization.
• The Social Team will focus on Urban Core Events, Membership, Community Outreach and The Downtown Living Tour.
• The Urban Living Team will focus on Urban Development, Parks and Open Spaces, Transportation, the Downtown Austin Plan, and other quality of life issues.

Members are invited to join these teams if they would like to take a more active role in DANA. To see which directors are serving in which areas, click here. To volunteer, contact one of the board members on the team you would like to join.

DANA SOCIAL TEAM WELCOMES NEW MEMBERS
The Social Team members, functioning as their social selves, have already added four new DANA members to their team. The Social Team welcomes Branden Allmon, Jennifer Jones, Doug Laford and Bonsack Phrasavath.

ONGOING CALENDAR ITEMS
DANA Board of Directors meet the first Tuesday of every month, 6:30 PM @ Urbanspace, 801 West 5th Street, #100. Members are always welcome.

DANA serves in the Caritas Community Kitchen the first Friday of every month. Volunteers are always needed and appreciated.

Influential

SUPPORT OUR DANA SPONSORS
Each of us has an opportunity to be influential downtown through our business and purchasing choices. DANA strongly encourages you to support those who support us. Please check frequently to see who supports DANA, and whenever possible, support them in return.

WHAT TO DO ABOUT CRIME?
Call 911 if you see any criminal activity in progress. Criminal activity includes graffiti in progress, fighting, aggressive pan-handling (including people verbally abusing those around them or shouting obscenities), drug dealing, noise disturbances and more.

Call 311 to report a non-emergency crime that has already occurred. This number may also be used to report unsafe road conditions.

DANA’s Urban Living Team is hosting a preliminary meeting with the Austin Police Department, HOA managers and condo board representatives this month in preparation for a Crime Watch Forum for all DANA members, downtown residents, property owners and stakeholders.  We plan to set goals and action items at this first meeting and look forward to working closely with all our neighbors to keep downtown one of the safest neighborhoods in the city.  Be on the lookout in future DANA communications for information about our upcoming Crime Watch Forum.

Why Downtown?

Why do you live, work, play or love downtown? Answering the question this month is Bonsack Phrasavath. Bonsack is a longtime DANA member and is currently serving on the Social Team. Those who know Bonsack can attest to his inate design and fashion sense, and his ability to make those around him feel comfortable. What is little known is that Bonsack recently designed an award winning garden plot on the new Pfluger Bridge!

They say, “It’s the little things in life that make it all worth while.” I’ve come to the realization that truer words have never been spoken. Living downtown, I’ve discovered that life’s little surprises have without a doubt enriched
my life. It’s the simple pleasure of having friends drop in for a quick drink, or hosting an impromptu dinner for six. Strike that – make it eight.

It’s the thrill of having a neighbor offer tickets to a sold out show I’ve been dying to see. It’s the joy of having a conversation with a complete stranger and making a new lifelong friend. It’s the gratitude received when I help a stranger or a friend. It’s being star struck when walking down the street and running into a celebrity. It’s having difficulty deciding on the numerous activities available when I flip open the Chronicle.

It’s the excitement of meeting the person I want to spend the rest of my life with. It’s the delight of seeing his face light up like a five year old on Christmas when we stumble across a hen on Town Lake. It’s these unassuming experiences that make living downtown vibrant, exciting, and new. Some say, “Why downtown?” I say, “Why not expect the unexpected.”

Special Thanks
This month’s contributors were Ruth Framel, Shyama Golden, Jennifer Jones, Marshall Jones, Jamie Lagarde, Bill McCann, Bonsack Phrasavath and David Weaver.

DANA’s mission is to improve the quality of life for those who live, work, and play downtown. DANA influences decisions that affect downtown, educates and listens to residents and stakeholders about downtown and issues that affect them, and fosters a downtown community through social events.

JANUARY 2009

Vol. 3, Issue 1 – Happy New Year!

Social

URBAN CORE HAPPY HOUR: Please RSVP by January 11th
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Ballet Austin Butler Dance Education Center @ 501 W. 3rd Street. (map)

Welcome to 2009, a time for new beginnings and fresh starts. Join us for our annual DANA membership meeting on Tuesday, January 13th at 6:30 PM. The meeting will take place at the beautiful Ballet Austin Butler Dance Education Center. In addition to our usual Urban Core Happy Hour mix and mingle, we will elect new members to the DANA Board of Directors. Come help us plan for another great year downtown.

Avoid parking hassles and plan your trip to the meeting using Cap Metro’s trip planner.

Influential

DANA SUPPORTS TASK FORCE RECOMMENDATIONS
Many thanks to Jamie Lagarde for serving on the Street Closure Task Force these past few months, and also thanks go out to DANA members who submitted their thoughts and recommendations. The DANA Board of Directors has issued a letter to Mayor Wynn and City Council approving the recommendations made by the Task Force.

Knowledgeable

DANA VOLUNTEERS WITH CARITAS
Are you aware that DANA members volunteer to serve meals at Caritas regularly? If you haven’t yet had the pleasure of serving in this capacity, please make it a priority in 2009. Jenny and Lindsay Wiebrand will soon be streamlining the DANA volunteer process to make it easier for you to become involved with this worthy organization. If you would like to volunteer or be involved with the planning process, contact Lindsay Wiebrand.

CORE DISTRICT ADVISORY GROUP FORMING
The City of Austin is calling for the formation of a District Advisory Group for the Core District of downtown Austin, as defined in the Downtown Austin Plan Phase One report. A major recommendation by ROMA, the City’s consultant for the Downtown Austin Plan, is to create distinct districts based on the form and character of each area of Downtown.  Each district will have its own set of goals and priorities, desired land uses, density bonus provisions, and design standards. DANA board members are planning to be involved in this group, as well as any other groups formed to represent downtown districts.

Why Downtown?

Thank you, gentle readers, for your positive feedback on the “Why Downtown?” segment. If you would like to tell your story, please contact Ruth Framel.

Telling their story about living and loving Downtown Austin this month are Natalie and Dale Glover. As longtime downtown residents, they have witnessed development and change. And more personally, they have experienced transformation and growth…

Downtown was a little different almost a decade ago when we jumped from the dorm room to loft life.

We understood that our environment helps shape who we are ::

Surrounded by fellow Downtown Austin pioneers, we proceeded to explore our surroundings. We absorbed the socio-economic diversity, amazing live music, healthy nightlife, wonderful restaurants, a lake and trail that could only come out of a dream, and a Capitol lawn perfect for summer picnics. We were students and Downtown Austin was our teacher. We became expert bus riders, nightlife royalty, passionate lakeside runners and advocates of the sustainable urban lifestyle.

Just as Downtown has gone through a continuous evolution, so have we.

We now recognize that we can truly help shape our environment ::

Natalie and I both juggle civic volunteering, full time jobs, and still have some time to relax with a glass of wine and a view of the sunset overlooking Lady Bird Lake, the Long Center and the Hill Country.

I spend a lot of time as a board member of the Austin Parks Foundation and active member of Downtown Austin Alliance. I also serve as the Vice President of Texas Crew Foundation and support various open space initiatives. Recently I joined a youthful and energized downtown commercial real estate firm, Tribeca Company, where I focus on pulling together deals for sustainable real estate developments.

Natalie leads the Austin branch of AMS, a creative multimedia firm.  Her team specializes in media that matters, providing communication tools that support education leaders statewide. Natalie spends her extra time fueling her passion for lighting.  Most recently, she has joined fellow urban dweller, Lindsay Burns, in developing threshold, a furniture and design studio, set to open in March of 2009.

Downtown Austin has been a wonderful teacher. We look forward to our continued urban education and are excited about new opportunities in 2009 to give back to the neighborhood we cherish.

Special Thanks
This month’s contributors were Ruth Framel, Natalie and Dale Glover, Lindsay Wiebrand and the ubiquitous Marshall Jones.

DANA’s mission is to improve the quality of life for those who live, work, and play downtown.
DANA influences decisions that affect downtown, educates and listens to residents and stakeholders about downtown and issues that affect them, and fosters a downtown community through social events.