December 13, 2010
Regarding Austin
Scenes from downtown Austin. The Frost Bank tower is in the middle of the top photo.
My Metropolis column about my recent visit to Austin is now online.
I’d just like to say, for the record, that I like Austin a lot. I had a great time there. And was impressed by, among other things, architect/builder Chris Krager’s new subdivision (more on this in the future) and the scene that’s sprung up east of I-35.
And it’s great that the economy there is reasonably healthy. But much of the growth that has occurred since my previous visit is strikingly generic. Which makes me wonder if Austin is going to grow up to be Houston or Atlanta. Like, how can the distinctive culture of a city like Austin make it’s way into built form?