I actually did read it back when you posted it and I think it is a reasonable proposal. I just got lazy with the links in this post. Fair point about the sidewalks - I didn't think that was included...

If there are any updates to the original 2006 rendering, I haven't seen them. Take a walk around the other downtown Marriott (by the same developer) for a preview: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl...

I don't think we can blame the Perez sisters for the crappy street front that will almost certainly put in place where Manitas is now. The developer hasn't shown any interest in urbanism and all indi...

Smack - I don't see why that would be the case, as long as the funds were used to pay for things that Austinites would otherwise be taxed for. Heyzeus - the sliding scale is only for single family re...

"Green Tree," eh? Oh, yeah - it's right there in his press release. I don't know how I missed that. ...

I don't see why people get so upset about bikers running lights. Do you get this upset about every lawbreaker out there? Is so, you must be a cranky mofo. Ever noticed all the speeding cars out the...

I mentioned to the fact that the Edwards Aquifer is in Alarm Stage Drought as an indication that our area is generally low on water. I was not trying to imply that enforcing this ordinance would do a...

LoudMouth, I think that is right. In order for developers to do that, the neighborhoods have to agree to having those old no-income strip malls rezoned to VMU. Many neighborhoods are doing that, but...

Also, given modern construction practices, plenty of the VMU apartments being built now will be affordable shitholes soon enough....

Figment, I agree that neither Wal-Mart plan is "urban" - if you click the "pretext of urbanity" link, you will see my earlier post on the fake urbanity of Wal-Mart's original plan. Wal-Mart was merel...

This isn't quite "raw land" Ducknutz - it is a decommissioned water treatment plant. Personally, I'd rather see 2 million square feet of space put on these six acres instead of putting it on 250 acre...

Elvislives, I appreciate your comment and I have a lot of respect for the LEED program. As you mention, the city has leverage in this case, so it is able to impose more stringent requirements on this...

I think making this decision based on innovation in sustainability would be a mistake. Innovative sustainable energy plans need to be put in place at a much higher level (national/international). A ...

I guess posting a link directly to the survey site didn't work. I changed it to a link to the main site, which has the survey link. I think if you click through there it will work....

Where you getting your info Kenneth? Bush signed the border fence bill and has people out there building the fence: http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/10/26/border.fence/index.html http://www.chron.c...

w7cook, pavement is just pavement. If it is only connected to one street, it is a driveway. Connected to two streets, it is a street. Connected to a grid of streets, can extend the grid. Driveways...

The development won't have "streets" - that was the point of my post. By failing to extend the street grid, we are failing to integrate this new development into the urban fabric of the neighborhood....

Thanks, Mike. ...

Also, what do you mean "I don't agree with the decision"? What do you think should have been done?...

w7cook, thank you for your comment. My understanding from the city council meeting transcript is that there was an agreement between the Hyde Park Neighborhood Association and the developer that the ...