Andrés Duany On Austin

With the annual Congress for New Urbanism coming to town in 2008, Duany offers his thoughts on the Texas Capital on a recent visit.

1 minute read

April 12, 2007, 11:00 AM PDT

By Christian Madera @http://www.twitter.com/cpmadera


"I'm disappointed in what I see here. This city is acting like a beggar, with a beggar mentality...Austin is hot! You don't have to go out on every date! But there's something left over here about an inferiority complex. You should see how New York acts, how L.A. acts – you should see how Paris acts. Austin accepts too many things that others would not."

"Austin should have high self-esteem as a city, but from what I'm seeing, it hasn't yet become ingrained. It's like, 'We're country folk, really; we don't trust that we've arrived.' You need to say instead, 'We're a very desirable city. We no longer will put up with B-grade service from developers. We demand and deserve A-service. Superb service!"

"Austin should stop acting like a cheap date – and ask its suitors to dress properly and take her out to a good restaurant."

Friday, April 13, 2007 in The Austin Chronicle

Young Professional

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban and Environmental Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban and Environmental Planner

Get top-rated, practical training for planners

"Planetizen federal action tracker" logo superimposed over black and white image of US Capitol dome.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

October 28, 2026 - Zachary Whalen

A car drives through a puddle, making a large splash. Rain pours down.

California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour

If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.

October 28, 2026 - Grist

Lake Powell with much of the water evaporated.

Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River

Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.

October 30, 2026 - Yale Environment 360

A group of officials stand in a patch of dirt holding golden shovels and white hardhats.

California city breaks ground on transit connector

The project includes three mobility hubs and a pedestrian bridge.

30 minutes ago - Mass Transit

People walking by a brick school in Cambridge.

After public outcry, Massachusetts city releases housing development tracker

Cambridge’s tracker currently shows 250 housing projects in various stages of development.

1 hour ago - Smart Cities Dive

A rendering of the park, with green grass and a bass sculpture that looks like several tall arches in a row.

40 years after approval, Chicago breaks ground on new park

The park honors Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, the city’s first permanent non-native settler.

2 hours ago - Block Club Chicago