New Signs, Same Ol' Downtown

Imitating Norm MacDonald impersonating Burt Reynolds on SNL's Celebrity Jeopardy: "It's funny because it, ah, you know, it says 'Historic District,' but it's in front of modern architecture. Funny."

Seriously, when did the city put these new signs up? And how did someone — an amateur photographer, no less, who should be a little more observant — not notice them until like last week?

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By Matt Wright in Arts & Entertainment on July 26, 2006 9:15 AM 0 Comments

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Thomas Butler

These signs were paid for by the Downtown Austin Alliance, the Pecan Street Owners Association, and several downtown property owners. The DAA and the PSOA are also funded by downtown property owners.

We feel it is important to identify the streets' designations as National Register historic districts.

Thomas Butler

DAA

anon

I'm going to leave the tax dollar comments at this. Does everyone remember the $40K spent on those annoying and stupid blue signs on Lamar under the train bridge. At least these signs serve a purpose.

adamr

Or installing a uniform path of sidewalks in the city? What's up with all the buckling and sidewalks becoming dirt or grass? It sucks.

austingal

Okay, I'm not trying to be a hater - but really, are these necessary? I spotted them a few weeks ago, they are cool but couldn't the city/ downtown austin alliance find a better way to use our tax dollars?

I mean really, there are HUGE signs on the street lights with ultra helpful block numbers -- these tiny little "historical district" signs look strangely out of place and like an after thought.

How about putting up some real street signs like down south in the twilight zone at southwest parkway/71/290/360/lamar/manchaca.

matt wright

I felt the same way back when I was an undergrad at UT and, one year, the student government's biggest achievement was getting all those orange street signs put in around campus.

M1EK

I noticed them a couple of weesk ago, and went "meh". Who cares?

ttrentham

Ok, something's screwed up with your commenting system. It's not including a href tags. This is the second comment in the last few days where I've had to post again and add the URL that I tried to use in the first comment. It shows up fine in the preview, btw.

http://austin.metblogs.com/archives/2006/07/new_downtown_st.phtml

ttrentham

I think they went up around the beginning of the month. It took me a couple of weeks to get some shots and post them. I like your picture better. That's what I get for using a cellphone camera.