Facebook Inc. plans to begin moving into its new Austin home at 300 West Sixth Street on Monday, May 3.  The company expects to employ 200 people in the downtown location within the next four years.

“We’re incredibly excited to be opening this office in the heart of the city on 6th Street,” said Sarah Smith, head of Austin online
operations for Facebook, Inc. “This vibrant downtown location will allow us to attract great talent, create an open and innovative work environment, and give us room to grow over the coming years.”

The California-based social media will initially occupy 21,000 square feet of the 23-story building, said Smith. The building, owned and managed by Thomas Properties Group, was completed in 2002.

TPG Managing Director Andy Smith said, “We are extremely excited to have a company like Facebook as a new tenant at 300 West 6th.  This is another example of the kind of progressive, fast-growing company that Thomas Properties and downtown is looking to attract.  We believe this is just the beginning for our portfolio and the CBD to meet the cultural needs of this generation.”

The move is Facebook’s first major U.S. expansion outside California and considered a boon to Austin’s reputation as a technology hotbed, especially in the social media sector, said the Austin Business Journal.

Facebook, which employs about 1,200 workers, expects to invest about $3.1 million to set up local operations, state officials have said. (more…)

April 29, 2010
Contact: Andy Moore, Office of Mayor Pro-Tem Mike Martinez, (512) 974-2264

Council approves funding for I-35 Makeover Project between E. 8th and E. 6th.

The IH-35 Makeover Project will reconstruct the parking areas under the highway to enhance the safety, comfort, and aesthetics of the area and create an attractive gateway reconnecting downtown to East Austin.

This project is a result of a grassroots effort which started in 2004 by The Makeover Coalition made up of a diverse group of citizens, businesses, and neighborhood leaders formed to help transform this area into a public asset.

City Council approved two funding sources for this project. They first approved a resolution in March, 2005 explicitly supporting the use of parking revenue from the City-managed IH-35 parking lots for the IH-35 Makeover Project. In March of 2007, City Council passed a resolution setting aside $1.5 million to be provided by the future issuance of non-tax supported certificates of obligation.

Mayor Pro Tem Mike Martinez said, “I am excited to see this project get underway. I can’t say enough about the efforts of The Makeover Coalition to drive this effort. It’s another example of the dedication of our citizens coming up with ways to improve our city.”

“The interstate has divided our city for too long. The work of the IH 35 Makeover is to start bridging east and west Austin and begin unifying our community,” said CM Cole. “I am proud to see this effort finally under construction.”

““A big thanks goes out to everyone involved in this process. Our community group, Council, Cotera+Reed Architects, TXDoT and City Staff all worked together to transform and activate this space” said Larry Warshaw, Chair of the I35 Makeover Coalition that has been advocating for the project.”

The Makeover Coalition provided the support necessary to improve this connection between downtown and the east of Austin. The coalition obtained a grant of $250,000 from Keep Austin Beautiful (KAB) to help fund the landscape portion.

The lighting project will be done through the City’s Art in Public Places Program and will be programmed LED lights in arches over the parking lots.  A computer-generated illumination will create a show as well as create safe lighting.

This area was a broad boulevard called Eastside Drive until postwar era, when IH-35 was built over it in a series of elevated and buried sections.

The project is expected to start in June and take approximately seven months, at which time TXDot will begin the landscape improvements funded through the KAB grant. (more…)

Take a look at the article on the luxury high rises in downtown Austin in the current issue of Texas A&M’s real estate magazine, Tierra Grande. Here’s the link:

http://recenter.tamu.edu/pdf/1934.pdf

(more…)

B-cycle, a bike-sharing program that just launched in Denver April 22, is hosting a friendly competition on its Web site entitled “Who Wants It More?”  Austin is in the lead!  

Some questions for consideration:
What demographic would sustain such a venture in Austin?  People who currently use their own bikes, or a potential new bike consumer base?  
Would you rather use car2go or a bike for your mid-day errands downtown?  
Would the launch of too many new transportation options all at once dilute the market for any single new venture?

Visit http://www.bcycle.com/whowantsitmore.aspx to participate!

(more…)

There are so many great places for music in the U.S. New York City, Memphis, Los Angeles, Seattle, Chicago, and New Orleans are well known for live music. However, the best city for live music has been recognized once again.

What city is it?

Of course it’s Austin the “Live Music Capital of the World” according to a recent poll by readers of “Budget Travel magazine”.

(more…)