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October 2, 2007 Old West Austin Selected as One of 10 Great Neighborhoods in America Resident Participation Keeps Character Intact AUSTIN, TX — The American Planning Association (APA) announced today that Old West Austin, located in Austin, Texas, has been designated as one of 10 Great Neighborhoods for 2007 through APA's Great Places in America program. APA Great Places exemplify exceptional character and highlight the role planners and planning play in creating communities of lasting value.
"This honor is great news and places Old West Austin in some very prestigious national company," said Austin Mayor Will Wynn. "This neighborhood is a 'Great Neighborhood' and typifies the efforts everyone in this community has made to create one of the safest, healthiest, greenest and most vibrant cities in the nation." APA selected Old West Austin as one of 10 Great Neighborhoods in America for several reasons, including the preservation of the neighborhood's character and diversity, commitment to sustainability, and involvement in shaping new development. APA Great Places offer better choices for where and how people work and live. They are enjoyable, safe, and desirable. They are places where people want to be — not only to visit, but to live and work everyday. America's truly great neighborhoods are defined by many criteria, including architectural features, accessibility, functionality, and community involvement. Through Great Places in America APA recognizes the unique and authentic attributes of essential building blocks of great communities — streets, neighborhoods, and public spaces. "Old West Austin sets an example for communities across the country, of how to protect neighborhood character while managing growth and change," said APA Executive Director Paul Farmer, FAICP. "This shows us what's possible when diverse and engaged stakeholders join together to hold onto and improve upon what makes where they live special." Located between west of downtown Austin and north of Lady Bird Lake, Old West Austin is comprised of a number of different plats that were purchased and subdivided starting in 1841, two years after the City of Austin itself was incorporated. Included in the neighborhood are the Clarksville Historic District, a former African American freedmen's community settled by Charles Clark in 1871, and the Enfield subdivision, which was part of a 320-acre land grant the Republic of Texas assigned to D.S. Parrish in 1841. The housing stock is includes mostly single-family residences and some apartments, duplexes, and student housing for University of Texas graduate students. Large shade trees and front porches lure people outside, inviting leisurely strolls and casual chats with neighbors. One of the city's oldest trees — the 600-year-old Treaty Oak — is found in Old West Austin. The neighborhood's compact commercial center consists of mostly homegrown businesses. National chain stores are virtually nonexistent. Shops, restaurants, schools, and community centers serve as destinations for pedestrians. New sidewalks and improved street lighting have been secured through the state's Safe Route to School program. Not surprisingly, many local business owners also live in Old West Austin. Sustainability is enchanced by several of Old West Austin's characteristics: small lots on narrow streets that encourage walking; front porches that take advantage of the breeze; canopies formed by oak, elm, and pecan trees that provide shade; and access to public transportation. A strong desire to preserve the neighborhood's roots — both physical and cultural — has led residents to participate in planning and development of their community, via the formation of the Old West Austin Neighborhood Association. The group has been instrumental in promoting mixed-use development within the area and discouraging overbuilding on residential lots. Developers meet with neighborhood representatives in the early stages of a proposed project that, for example, enables residents to negotiate the inclusion of affordable housing into mixed-use projects. The nine other APA Great Neighborhoods for 2007 are Chatham Village, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Eastern Market Neighborhood, Washington, D.C.; Elmwood Village, Buffalo, New York; The First Addition Neighborhood, Lake Oswego, Oregon; Hillcrest, San Diego, California; North Beach, San Francisco, California; Park Slope, Brooklyn, New York; Pike Place Market Neighborhood, Seattle, Washington; and West Urbana, Urbana, Illinois. For more information about these neighborhoods, and the list of APA's 10 Great Streets for 2007, visit www.planning.org/greatplaces. This year's 10 Great Streets and 10 Great Neighborhoods will be celebrated as part of APA's National Community Planning Month in October 2007, designed to recognize and celebrate the many residents, leaders, officials, and professionals who contribute to making great communities. For more about National Community Planning Month, visit www.planning.org/ncpm. Contacts |
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