DOWNTOWN AUSTIN

 

Where Austin’s dynamic past and sky’s-the-limit future converge. It’s no wonder that an increasing number of residents are so drawn to the city’s energetic hub. Downtown is dotted with historic reminders of the enterprising frontier town Austin once was (see the built-for-a-cattle-baron Driskill Hotel) and is abuzz with the creative energy of the start-ups and tech companies that have been relocating here. When Austin's first mayor, Edwin Waller, drew up the town's blueprints in 1839, he wanted Congress Avenue, which begins in front of the pink-granite State Capitol building, to be at the center of what could be the city's vibrant nucleus. A lively downtown has indeed blossomed on all sides of the broad main street, and much of the current building boom has added even more residential options.