The Arts and Austin's Second Street District

Smart cities recognize that creating a distinctive downtown can provide both quality of life opportunities for its citizens and a competitive position in the global, national, and regional marketplace. The arts and culture of a community are main ingredients in creating such a distinctive place, whether expressed through the numerous activities that create scenes of cultural vitality and creativity that draw residents, visitors, and businesses to that place, or whether expressed through the physical urban stage—the cultural facilities, public spaces, and architectural and streetscape details—that support and encourage these dynamic activities to happen.

Second Street—and the southwest quadrant of downtown Austin, Texas, that surrounds this burgeoning retail district—possess all the urban ingredients and will continue to thrive as the projects discussed in this article are completed over the next several years.