The Evolution of Austin—Found on Sixth Street

Marissa Barnett traces the evolution of Austin along the length of Sixth Street, "from the eastern edge of Sixth Street — where old neglect is being painted and polished into slick restaurants and coffeehouses — through downtown and onto the glass high-rise and corporate domain of its western edge."

Barnett notices the kinds of changes visible in the different neighborhoods found along the street: First, "to the east, past I-35, Mexican restaurants and auto repair shops are mixing with highbrow restaurants, art galleries and hipster bars. Ramshackle cottages are disappearing, and the displacement of working-class families is causing tension in a city that had always prided itself on inclusion."

And "to the west is where the city has grown up. It’s where the corporate headquarters of Whole Foods shares the stretch with upscale eateries, such as actress Sandra Bullock’s Bess Bistro and Cafe Josie, and high-end retail stores including Lululemon and Anthropologie. The sidewalks are dwarfed by a surge of new high-rise condos."

The article goes on to detail what are described as three distinct neighborhoods along Sixth Street: the aforementioned eastern and western neighborhoods in addition to the "Dirty Sixth" party neighborhood.