6ixth Street Austin

Ferris Bueller's Day Off Showing on 6th Street Sept. 11

noreply@blogger.com (6ixth Street Austin) — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 20:15:00 +0000

Borrow your father’s Ferrari (or a Cap Metro bus route) and join Ferris for his Day Off on 6th Street Sunday, Sept. 11. Alamo Drafthouse Cinema and Parkside restaurant present a free Rolling Roadshow screening of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.

Prior to the show is a street party complete with street food, rum and beer tents in the 500 block of San Jacinto, between Fifth and Sixth Streets. With a $5 suggested donation, the street party and Rolling Roadshow will benefit the 6ixth Street Austin Association, a non-profit dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of the Historic Sixth Street Entertainment District.

Sponsors: Don Q Rum, Dos Equis Cerveza, Yelp, the Austin Chronicle, Alamo Drafthouse and Parkside.

Gates open at 7:30 p.m. and the movie begins at 9 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 11. Bring your own lawn chair for maximum slacking comfort!

Historic Sixth District Clean Up Day Sept. 11

noreply@blogger.com (6ixth Street Austin) — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 20:06:00 +0000

On Sunday, Sept. 11 starting at 9 a.m., join your fellow business and property owners in power washing, painting, sanding, sealing, repairing and cleaning the most historic district in Austin. Just in time for ACL Music Festival, Old Pecan Street Festival and back to school, 6ixth Street Austin is hosting an old fashioned community clean up.

You don’t have to wait until Sept. 11 to get started. Pick a project on your building and get it done! Here some easy stuff that you can do to make a difference:

Wash your windows.

Paint your trim & doors.

Clean your sign/awning.

Remove flyers, banners.

Replace light bulbs.

Paint your facade.

As you may have noticed, E. 6th Street sidewalks are looking cleaner these days thanks to City of Austin crews scrubbing sidewalks with a new Cyclone machine and Downtown Austin Alliance maintenance following up with gum removal. 6ixth Street Austin has been working with both organizations to coordinate efforts. Also, lamppost banners, celebrating the historic district, are up.

Now, downtown residents, business and property owners have a chance to refresh the district. Drop us an e-mail at to let us know what you will be doing to improve your building. Then, join us that night at 6th and San Jacinto for a free screening of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (see Ferris Bueller story).

6ixth Street Austin Endorses Downtown Plan, Opposes Conditional Use

noreply@blogger.com (6ixth Street Austin) — Thu, 05 May 2011 18:36:00 +0000

In a letter to the Austin Mayor and City Council, 6ixth Street Austin endorsed the Downtown Plan, but oppossed conditional use permits. Here is the letter's text:

6ixth Street Austin, an association of property and business owners in the Historic Sixth Street Entertainment District, supports adoption of the Downtown Austin Plan (DAP), but encourages amendments regarding conditional use permits and permanent supportive housing location.

The DAP is a visionary document that includes Historic Sixth Street as a priority. We wish to thank the planners, city staff, and appointed and elected officials for recognizing the importance of our historic district and the vision for it as an 18-hour-a-day, mixed-use destination.

6ixth Street Austin strongly opposes changing cocktail lounges to a conditional use. While we share the goals of diverse uses, requiring conditional use permits for cocktail lounges in CBD zoning is the wrong tool. It is ripe for significant unintended consequences, including inhibiting a property owner’s ability to lease property, which could lead to vacant properties and economic instability. Because we share the goals of diverse and day-round uses, we have taken and are increasing voluntary efforts to coordinate with individual property owners, 6ixth Street Austin, Downtown Austin Alliance and others to market our vision and recruit tenants toward those opportunities. We believe that together we can improve the vitality of our district and make it a source of cultural and economic pride for all Austinites.

The DAP makes important recommendations on housing the chronically homeless. A comprehensive plan for social service delivery and housing to guide decision-making and investment is an absolute must. However, permanent supportive housing and single room occupancy units must be scatted city-wide and should not be added downtown, which already contains a disproportionately large concentration of social services immediately adjacent to our centers of nightlife, entertainment and tourism. That co-location has produced significant public order issues and disinvestment, which could be mitigated with longer-term housing opportunities. Those opportunities should not be near existing social services and entertainment areas, not only for the neighborhood but also for the need of supportive housing residents to overcome the cycles and obstacles to more stable and independent lives.

We hope the Downtown Austin Plan will serve as a road map for downtown’s future. We are encouraged that it prioritizes Historic Sixth Street’s needs including parking solutions, public restrooms in downtown, and robust way-finding system with real-time transit and parking information. With adoption of the DAP, the aforementioned requested amendments and an associated 10-year action plan, we are optimistic that the DAP will indeed build on Historic Sixth Street’s global brand and help us to improve it as a high-quality daytime and nighttime destination.

Community Forum April 19: How the Downtown Austin Plan Affects Sixth Street

noreply@blogger.com (6ixth Street Austin) — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 03:15:00 +0000

You’re invited to a 6ixth Street Austin Community Forum:

How the Downtown Austin Plan affects Sixth Street.

Tuesday, April 19 @ 3:30-5 p.m.

Alamo Drafthouse at the Ritz (320 E. 6th Street)

Before the Downtown Austin Plan is adopted by the Austin City Council, this is your chance to hear and discuss the recommendations that directly affect your interest on Sixth Street. Join us for an enlightening conversation with the folks who produced the plan, City Staff experts and your neighbors’ comments and questions.

Panelist include:

Jana McCann & Jim Adams, Architects and Principals, McCann Adams Studio

Primary authors of the Downtown Austin Plan, McCann Adams Studio is an Austin-based urban design firm focusing on designs for new communities, revitalization strategies for existing districts, transit-oriented development planning, and public space design.

Michael Knox, Downtown Officer for City of Austin

Co-project manager for Downtown Austin Plan

Jim Robertson, Urban Design Manger for City of Austin

Co-project manager for Downtown Austin Plan

For more information or to read the full Downtown Austin Plan, click here.

Finding Your Way on E. 6th Street

noreply@blogger.com (6ixth Street Austin) — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 17:07:00 +0000

An updated map of the Historic Sixth Street Entertainment District just became available in time for SXSW 2011 Music Festival. From your friends at 6ixth Street Austin and the Economic Growth and Redevelopment Services Office at the City of Austin.

Historic Sixth District Clean Up March 6

noreply@blogger.com (6ixth Street Austin) — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 18:32:00 +0000

On Sunday March 6 starting at 9 a.m., join your fellow business and property owners in power washing, painting, sanding, sealing, repairing and cleaning the most historic district in Austin. Just in time for SXSW, 6ixth Street Austin is hosting an old fashioned community clean up.

Pick a project on your building and get it done! Here some easy stuff that you can do to make a difference:
• Wash your windows
• Paint your trim & doors
• Clean your sign / awning
• Remove flyers, banners
• Replace light bulbs
• Paint your facade

City of Austin crews will be on hand scrubbing sidewalks and Downtown Austin Alliance maintenance crews will be there too. Lamppost banners, celebrating the historic district, will be up by Sunday in time for the Cleanup, SXSW and the busy spring season.

Now, downtown residents, business and property owners have a chance to refresh the district. Drop an e-mail at info@6thstreetaustin.com to weigh in on what you will be doing to improve your building, even if it is a little after Sunday, March 6.

Sixth Street Is Looking a Little Cleaner

noreply@blogger.com (6ixth Street Austin) — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 22:11:00 +0000

Businesses and property owners power washed, painted, sanded, sealed and repaired the most historic district in Austin on and leading up to Sunday, Sept. 19. The City of Austin came out with their new Cyclone sidewalk cleaning machine to show off how sidewalks will now be cleaned quicker and more frequently. The Downtown Austin Alliance demonstrated its new gum removal steam machine. The north side of the 200 block is already looking cleaner.

Fred Schmidt, owner of Wild About Music, washed his windows and then started down the street cleaning windows as he went. Friends bar was out on Sunday cleaning and making repairs to their doors and windows. Prior to the clean up day, many storefronts had made improvements, including Buffalo Billiards, Austin Visitors Center, Spill, Carl Daywood Realty, The Driskill Hotel, Parkside, Chugin Monkey, Iron Cactus, Roppolo’s Pizza, Alamo Drafthouse, Paradise Café, The Library, 505 Neches, Casino El Camino, Chupacabra Cantina, Lucky Lizard, Hoek’s Pizza, Dandyland Tatoo, Custom Tatoos from the Soul and Sole Fresco.

We have heard from several businesses and properties that have improvements scheduled soon. We want to hear from you too. Contact us and let us know your clean up and improvement plans. We have much more to do and routine maintenance to make and keep our most historic street in town looking sharp. In addition to ongoing efforts, our next big clean up day should come just before SXSW 2011. Thanks for making the first step with us. Fox 7 News and KEYE 42 News covered the clean up day on their newscasts.

Aug. 8 Movie Night: Rolling Roadshow of ‘Ghostbusters’

noreply@blogger.com (6ixth Street Austin) — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 13:34:00 +0000

Parkside and Alamo Drafthouse present

Rolling Roadshow of ‘Ghostbusters’
Benefitting 6ixth Street Austin Association

Sunday August 8th, 2010
7:30pm gates open
Street food and beer tents
Movie begins @ 9:00pm
500 block of San Jacinto (between 5th & 6th St)
Free Admission (with $5 suggested donation)
*We recommend bringing your own lawn chair for maximum ghostbusting comfort.
*The street has sprouted turf, AstroTurf, for a Movie on the Green*

Sponsors: Three Olives Vodka, Dos Equis Beer
Greystar Properties, Austin Chronicle

Join us as we enjoy one of our favorite movies of all time, on San Jacinto Street between 5th and 6th Street. We don't need much of an excuse to watch GHOSTBUSTERS and enjoy a street-fair atmosphere with food vendors and beer tents. But we have a pretty good reason. It's a benefit for 6ixth Street Austin, a non-profit organization that strives to make the E. Sixth Street Historic District a source of pride to the Austin community by advocating for the preservation and enhancement of the district’s unique historic character, creating a vibrant mixed-use district, which locals and visitors alike will use its diverse offerings and making E. Sixth Street an important economic and cultural asset to the community. In addition to Parkside and the Alamo Drafthouse this Rolling Roadshow is sponsored by Greystar Properties, 3 Olives Vodka, Dos Equis Beer, and The Austin Chronicle.

Police Decrease E. 6th Street Closures for Mardi Gras

noreply@blogger.com (6ixth Street Austin) — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 02:32:00 +0000

The Austin Police Department has agreed to modify its planned closure of E. 6th Street for Mardi Gras after working with the 6ixth Street Austin Association to minimize the impact on area businesses and properties. 6ixth Street Austin thanks APD for working with us to foster a more business- and customer-friendly district.

On Saturday, Feb. 13 and Tuesday, Feb. 16, from 10 p. m. to 6 a. m. (or when safe to open), the following streets will be closed in the E. 6th Historic and Entertainment District:
-- E. 6th St between IH35 and Brazos (Brazos will remain open)
-- Sabine, Red River, Neches, Trinity and San Jacinto between 5th and 7th streets
-- Streets could remain open later than 10 p. m. if crowd size allows

"No parking from 10pm to 6am" signs will be posted within the closure area, and cars are subject to towing beginning at 10 p.m.

For Friday, Feb. 12, APD plans no special street closures beyond any normal Friday night closures. This is a change from the last several years, when closures were intensified on the Friday before Mardi Gras and began at 6 p.m. on all days during Mardi Gras weekend.

Date Change for next Sixth Street Community Forum

noreply@blogger.com (Tim League) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:13:00 +0000

The next meeting of the Sixth Street Community forum has been changed to Wednesday, November 18 at the Alamo Drafthouse at the Ritz, 320 East Sixth Street. We will be posting the full agenda to this blog soon.

6ixth Street Austin Community Forum meets quarterly

noreply@blogger.com (6ixth Street Austin) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 03:39:00 +0000

We are looking to get as many stakeholders - business owners, property owners, workers from the street, residents and anyone who cares about the future of Sixth Street - to join us once a quarter for the Sixth Street Community Forum meetings.

Dates for the next year are:
Aug. 19, 3:00 PM
Nov. 4, 3:00 PM

Feb 3, 3:00 PM

May 5, 3:00 PM

6ixth Street Austin Community Forum

noreply@blogger.com (6ixth Street Austin) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 03:29:00 +0000

August 19, 3:00 PM

Alamo Drafthouse at the Ritz (320 E. 6th Street)

You are invited to attend the 6ixth Street Austin Community Forum where 6th Street area business owners, property owners and residents will meet once a quarter to discuss and face the issues facing our district. Complimentary sodas, water, coffee, snacks and beer courtesy of 6ixth Street Austin

Neighborhood Watch

First on the agenda for this first quarterly 6ixth Street Austin Community Forum is an outreach to the community to start a neighborhood watch program. According to the stats, violent crime is declining in the downtown sector, the crime rate is much higher than we would like, and there is a growing perception of increased crime in the Sixth Street area. 6ixth Street Austin wants to spearhead and organize a formal neighborhood watch program for the district. Let's discuss the basics of forming such a program and would like to sign up volunteers from the residential and business community to start scheduled walks of the district to assist APD in reporting crime and following up in court on citations. Assistant APD Chief Patti Robinson and APD Commanders Noble and Romoser will be in attendance.

Responsible Hospitality
For the past 8 months a large and diverse group of stakeholders have been meeting to develop specific strategies for improving the 6th district. These meetings were coordinated using the Responsible Hospitality Institute, a consulting group that specializes in developing strategies for improving nighttime economy districts.

We have formalized our goals in three categories: Cleanliness, Safety and Systems of Order, and are now ready to present our recommendations for action to City Council. Recommendations a district-wide facade cleanup, tightening of enforcement of panhandling, long-term solutions to the chronic homeless population, adoption of a great-streets model with pedestrian-friendly and cleanable sidewalks and many more.

At this first 6th Street Community Forum, RHI coordinator Allison Harnden will present the recommendations of the RHI and discuss the plan for improvement to 6th Street in the near and long-term future. The RHI process was sponsored in part by the 6ixth Street Austin Association and supported by City Staff with leadership from Council Member Sheryl Cole.

We hope that you can all join us at 3:00 PM on August 19 to meet up with the 6th Street community, get involved in the 6ixth Street Austin Association committees (RHI Task Forces) and Neighborhood Watch.

Taste of Sixth Street at El Sol on Monday, May 4

noreply@blogger.com (6ixth Street Austin) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 00:06:00 +0000

6ixth Street Austin invites you to a very special evening of food, live music and fun at the district's newest culinary hot spot: El Sol y La Luna.

The Taste of Sixth Street
7:30 p.m., Monday, May 4
El Sol y La Luna (6th and Red River)
Purchase tickets online (through Alamo's ticketing system).

Enjoy passed appetizers and a five-course meal from the following 6th Street restaurants:

* Parkside * Alamo Drafthouse * Iron Cactus * BD Riley’s * El Sol y La Luna *

Cocktail reception with tastings of Forty Creek Whisky and appetizers begin at 7:30 p.m. Dinner begins with paired wines from the Mosaic Wine Group at 8:15 p.m. Plus, sample the live music of Austin’s own Gina Chavez.

Sixth Street is the most iconic district of Austin. Known as the nightlife center of the city and the hotbed of the Austin's live music scene, Sixth Street is also home to some of the city's best restaurants.

Purchase tickets online (through Alamo's ticketing system). For more information, contact info@6thstreetaustin.com or 512-203-7280.

Advocating for the preservation and enhancement of the district’s unique historic character.
Creating a vibrant mixed-use district, which locals and visitors alike will use its diverse offerings.
Making E. Sixth Street an important economic and cultural asset to the community for today and future generations.

Sponsors:

BD Riley’s
Parkside
El Sol y La Luna
Iron Cactus
Alamo Drafthouse
Parkside

Menu:

Passed appetizers and cocktail reception.
-Beef skewers with sofrito, from parkside
-Salmon and goat cheese pate on crostini, from Alamo

Course I: Shepherd's Pie from B.D. Riley’s
Sometimes referred to as "Cottage Pie", a traditional Irish dish created from a recipe borrowed from the Guinness Brewery. Fresh Ground beef in rich brown gravy with onions, carrots and peas. Topped off with lightly browned mashed potatoes.

Course II: Posole from El Sol y la Luna
Award winning soup of made from chicken and white hominy. Served with oregano, chile de arbol, onion and lime on the side.

Course III: Grilled Salmon Belly from parkside
Grilled Salmon Belly with fennel almond soup, artichokes, olives, and ramp puree

Course IV: 40 Creek Sirloin Medallions from Iron Cactus
Tender sirloin grilled medium served with our exclusive 40 Creek buttered pecan sauce

Course V: Dueling Cannoli from Alamo Drafthouse Ritz
Sicilian style pastries filled with Mascarpone, orange, bittersweet chocolate with pecans vs. strawberry, ricotta, white chocolate and hazelnut

Taste of Sixth at El Sol y La Luna May 4

noreply@blogger.com (6ixth Street Austin) — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 18:09:00 +0000

6ixth Street Austin invites you to a very special evening of food, live music and fun at the district's newest culinary hot spot: El Sol y La Luna at the corner of Sixth and Red River. Plus, sample the live music of Austin’s own Gina Chavez.

Taste of 6ixth @ 7:30 p.m., Monday, May 4
El Sol y La Luna (6th and Red River)
Cocktail reception and appetizers at 7:30 PM, dinner at 8:15 PM.
Purchase $75 tickets online (through Alamo's ticketing system).

Sixth Street is the most iconic district of Austin. Known as the nightlife center of the city as well as the hotbed of the Austin's live music scene, Sixth Street is also home to some of the city's best restaurants. Enjoy passed appetizers, a five-course meal and matching wine flights from the following 6th Street restaurants:

Parkside

BD Riley's
Alamo Drafthouse
Iron Cactus

El Sol y La Luna

Menu updates and additional restaurant partners will be posted to this site. Check back for details.

All proceeds benefit 6ixth Street Austin's clean and safe initiatives. A non-profit association, 6ixth Street Austin’s mission is to make the E. Sixth Street National Register Historic District a source of pride to the Austin community by:
- Advocating for the preservation and enhancement of the district’s unique historic character.
- Creating a vibrant mixed-use district, which locals and visitors alike will use its diverse offerings.
- Making E. Sixth Street an important economic and cultural asset to the community for today and future generations.

Purchase $75 tickets online (through Alamo's ticketing system). For more information, contact info@6thstreetaustin.com .

El Sol y La Luna Relocating to Sixth Street

noreply@blogger.com (6ixth Street Austin) — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 20:02:00 +0000

AUSTIN, Texas – October 9, 2008 – El Sol y La Luna is relocating to the northeast corner of Sixth and Red River streets, enhancing the stature of the East Sixth Street Historic Entertainment District as a world-class destination for music, fun and food.

The Interior Mexican restaurant, an Austin favorite since 1995, is set to debut its new Sixth Street home in spring 2009.

Owners Nilda de la Llata, Anna Salinas and Lynn Tiemann decided to move their restaurant from South Congress Avenue to capitalize on the growth opportunity and business diversity provided on Sixth Street.

El Sol y La Luna, which currently employs 25 people, has signed a long-term lease for 5,000 square feet at 600 E. Sixth St. This iconic business will join successful neighbors such as Alamo Drafthouse, B.D. Riley’s Irish Pub, Emo’s, Esther’s Follies, Maggie Mae’s, parkside restaurant and The Driskill Hotel.

“The relocation of El Sol y La Luna to Sixth and Red River represents another significant step forward in our efforts to build on and improve the Sixth Street brand, arguably Austin’s best-known brand,” Austin Mayor Will Wynn said. “With its unique food and Latin-flavored music, El Sol y La Luna will be a dynamic addition to an area known around the world for its bustling nightlife, live music and historic structures.”

El Sol y La Luna boasts a full menu of Interior Mexican cuisine; folk art by local and international artists; and live Latin American music. It received a 2008 Zagat Survey award and consistently has been named one of Hispanic Magazine’s Top 50 restaurants in the United States.

“Moving to this vibrant location in the Sixth Street district gives us more seating, a bigger kitchen, a big bar, and plenty of room for live music, dancing and artwork,” de la Llata said. “This space fits perfectly with our growth plan for El Sol y La Luna and the collective vision for Sixth Street.”

In 1995, de la Llata, Salinas and Tiemann invested their savings to convert a motel coffee shop on South Congress into what has become an Austin culinary and cultural staple. El Sol y La Luna played a key role in jump-starting redevelopment of Austin’s SoCo district.

Austin City Council Member Sheryl Cole said: “El Sol y La Luna will be an incredible draw for the thousands of conventioneers and visitors who come to Austin every year, particularly given the fact that it’s a short walk from the Austin Convention Center, the Hilton Austin and other Downtown Austin hotels. Furthermore, the arrival of El Sol y La Luna will add tremendously to the planned revitalization of the Waller Creek area. For Waller Creek to succeed, Sixth Street must succeed.”

Dick Clark Architecture, a downtown Austin firm that specializes in restaurants, will create the interior and exterior design—described as “cultural urban funky”—for the new location of El Sol y La Luna.

Nancy Burns, chair of the Downtown Austin Alliance, said: “El Sol y La Luna’s commitment to the Sixth Street district is a strong endorsement of the growing vitality of this area. El Sol y La Luna’s move demonstrates Sixth Street is a great place for everyone—and gives momentum to our efforts to make it an even better place. Thanks to the leadership of property owners Gary Wilson, Frank Hendrix, Jeff Brown and Vance Holmes, we are making our vision for Sixth Street a reality.”

Larry Craddock, chair of 6ixth Street Austin, said: “The addition of El Sol y La Luna further diversifies the Sixth Street district. Now, grandchildren and grandparents alike can enjoy El Sol y La Luna’s distinctive community-oriented blend of food, music and art. With El Sol y La Luna serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, the restaurant also helps accomplish one of the key goals of 6ixth Street Austin—to bolster daytime activity, making Sixth Street a true 18-hour destination.”

About El Sol y La Luna
El Sol y La Luna, the originator of “Sol Food,” is Austin’s laid-back home for Interior Mexican cuisine as well as live music, dancing and international folk art. El Sol y La Luna consistently has been named by Hispanic Magazine as one of the Top 50 restaurants in the United States. The business started in 1995 in the converted coffee shop of an Austin motel. For more information, visit www.elsolylalunaaustin.com.

Acevedo wants to put police cameras in key areas

noreply@blogger.com (Tim League) — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 17:10:00 +0000

Critics say such systems are too intrusive to public activity.

By Tony Plohetski
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF

Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo wants to install security cameras in pedestrian-heavy and crime-ridden areas of the city that would allow officers to monitor activity from afar and conduct what some call "virtual patrols."

Acevedo said in an interview this week that he wants to start the project in the Sixth Street entertainment district in coming months and expand it to areas that include 12th and Chicon Streets in East Austin, Rundberg Lane and Lamar Boulevard in North Austin and along Montopolis Boulevard in Southeast Austin before the end of 2008.

He said he plans to soon begin exploring ways to pay for the project — possibly through federal grants — and working out logistics such as who would monitor the camera footage. Acevedo said one possibility includes hiring retired officers who would watch the videos 24 hours a day, seven days a week and who could call officers on the street when they see a crime in progress.

Other details, such as where the cameras would be positioned and how long the footage would be preserved, still need to be worked out, Acevedo said.

"I've been here about six months, and as I travel around the city, I have been approached by residents in high-crime areas who are not only asking, but who are really starting to demand, the use of technology," Acevedo said.

Such police cameras have swept the nation in recent years, especially in medium to large cities, where officials continue looking for new ways to cut crime. The trend began nationally in Acevedo's hometown of Los Angeles in 2004 but has since been introduced in other cities, including Dallas, which has a 40-camera system downtown. Police say the cameras reduce crime, bolster criminal cases with video evidence and serving as a "police force multiplier" by allowing one officer to be several places at once.

However, opponents have said the cameras constitute an unnecessary government surveillance and raise concerns of privacy rights. "You have to have some limits on government," said Jim Harrington, director of the Texas Civil Rights Project. "They have to respect people's right to privacy. I think there is too much potential that makes this dangerous and gives too much power to government."

Courts have upheld the legality of the police cameras. Critics nationwide also have argued that police have no conclusive evidence to show that video surveillance contributed to a crime decrease and that the cameras only pushed criminal activity a couple of blocks away, out of the camera's sight. Austin police and representatives from downtown business associations last year began discussing the possibility of adding cameras along Sixth Street and traveled to Dallas to study its system, which officials added in January 2007. Bill Brice, program director for security and maintenance for the Downtown Austin Alliance, said the visit intensified interest by his association in supporting the cameras. The organization also is considering helping to pay for the Sixth Street camera system, he said.

Dallas police received a grant to pay for its $850,000 system of 40 cameras, which are placed on utility poles or stoplights throughout downtown, including areas around the Dallas Convention Center and in the West End historical district. Deputy Police Chief Vincent Golbeck said crime dropped 12 percent from 2006 to 2007 in downtown. More striking, said Paul Lindenberger, director of the Downtown Dallas, an association of businesses, is that crime dropped 28 percent during the first two months of 2007, compared with the same period in 2006. However, Golbeck said that burglary of vehicles in parking garages appears to have increased.

The Downtown Dallas association is now working with private business owners to seek their help in paying for 40 more cameras throughout downtown.

Original story

Bob Wade Saxophone Sculpture approved by City Council

noreply@blogger.com (Tim League) — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 18:36:00 +0000

The Arts Commission unanimously voted to recommend to the City Council accepting the Saxophone as a gift through the Art in Public Places Program. The motion was pending fundraising by PSOA and specific site location through city staff. The City Council vote was 7-0.

The 60-foot sculpture, simply called “Giant Saxaphone”, was created by Austin artist Bob Wade, who has been creating Texas-themed artwork for years.

The sculpture is being donated by Houston resident Stuart Kensinger.