The city of Austin is hoping to avoid a "piecemeal, haphazard" approach to redevelopment in the South Central waterfront district.
Shonda Novak reports on the ongoing planning process for an area of waterfront properties just south of Downtown Austin.
City planner Alan Holt recently presented on the status of the South Central Waterfront Initiative to the Austin City Council. "The idea behind the plan, Holt told the City Council, is to create a lively, pedestrian-friendly area out of a patchwork of 33 properties along the waterfront just south of downtown, including the American-Statesman newspaper site," reports Novak. Holt is expected to deliver a draft master plan in June—the process thus far has included three years and "numerous meetings with property owners, architects, consultants and public meetings with citizens, neighbors and other interested people."
So far the plan would transform South Central into a "transition district," according to Novak, "with height stepping down from the proposed district to the nearby neighborhoods, including Travis Heights and Bouldin." At the same time, the plan would endeavor to keep the district distinct from Downtown.
Adding pressure to the plan's redevelopment ambitions is an expected wave of investment to the area. According to Novak, "Holt said the plan offers a cohesive, proactive approach to help the city get ahead of the tidal wave of new private investment — an estimated $1.2 billion to $1.8 billion worth — that is headed to the south waterfront in the next 15 years or so."
FULL STORY: City vision for lakefront: More parkland, more tall buildings

Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

Montreal Mall to Become 6,000 Housing Units
Place Versailles will be transformed into a mixed-use complex over the next 25 years.

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

Santa Clara County Dedicates Over $28M to Affordable Housing
The county is funding over 600 new affordable housing units via revenue from a 2016 bond measure.

Why a Failed ‘Smart City’ Is Still Relevant
A Google-backed proposal to turn an underused section of Toronto waterfront into a tech hub holds relevant lessons about privacy and data.

When Sears Pioneered Modular Housing
Kit homes sold in catalogs like Sears and Montgomery Ward made homeownership affordable for midcentury Americans.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions