Austin360 blogs > Out & About > Archives > 2009 > December > 03
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Neighorhood Walks: East Cesar Chavez
Geographically speaking, Austin’s East Cesar Chavez neighborhood is virtually indistinguishable from the contiguous Holly Street district to its east.
To the north, the shared terrain slopes upward before spreading into industrial and commercial zones on either side of a railroad right-of-way. East Fifth and East Sixth streets provide the northern regions with cherished, old businesses, newer lofts, hipster hangouts and artist studios.
The primary physical and social difference between the two: The decommissioned Holly Street Power Plant, which has dominated political life in the easterly of these twinned neighborhoods.
Nora the Lab Explorer and I walked seven miles in the Cesar Chavez side on a recent, gorgeous Saturday morning. It’s a pedestrian-pleasing area, given the absence of steep hills and the miles-long rows of mature shade trees, often semi-tropical fan palms and mimosas next to vine-tangled alleys. Refreshments are available at taco stands, coffee shops and tiny grocery stores. Making this hike a special pleasure: Kip and I lived on Garden Street in Cesar Chavez for six years during the 1990s.
Nevertheless, Nora and I stumbled on some surprises among my old haunts. Almost empty this day were landscaped parks with their picnic tables, playgrounds, trails, sports facilities and waterfront access curving around the Rebekah Baines Johnson Health Center.
Also, the residential urban infill is surprisingly modest along streets such as Haskell, Canterbury, San Marcos and Willow, all west of Chicon Street, which separates Cesar Chavez from Holly. This sort of gentrification is more common above East Cesar Chavez Street, perhaps because so many of the historical structures to the south are in good shape. (Thus, the national accreditation for the dense Willow-Spence Streets Historic District.)
Various well-maintained institutions, besides the health center, define interior quadrants — Martin Middle School to the south; Chalmers Court public housing and nearly silent Plaza Saltillo to the north; Sanchez Elementary and Terrazas Library to the west. Crucial to the renaissance along East Cesar Chavez is the Big Red Sun landscaping headquarters, while two blocks north is one of Cesar Chavez’s most recognizable landmarks, the exuberantly eclectic La Luz del Mundo church.
Like all urban areas, Cesar Chavez is in constant flux. It was a predominately German and Scottish community within the memory of Austin’s older citizens. Latinos made their mark here in the years following World War II. Yuppies — I don’t use that word disparagingly — and artists are now sprinkled throughout.
Not everyone is happy with those changes. And the impact of the promised commuter rail is uncertain. But if you can find more fecund land in Austin, plant there.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment Categories: City
Cedar Door Relaunch Party
The Cedar Door is Austin’s lucky charm …
Chris Apollo Lynn and Ari Guerrero
The bar and restaurant is snug at its fourth location in 26 years of business …
Jeramy Neugent and Andrea Cowan
No, the owners did move from building to building …
Maggie Lea and Dan Gentile
They moved the whole building, now resting at Brazos and East Second streets …
Jason Zepeda and Brandon Jacobs
Current owners Heather Hart Potts and Steve Potts didn’t want to rub that lucky charm the wrong way in a recent expansion and renovation …
Ken Burger and Trisha Atwater
So they asked designer Michael Hsu to keep the original main room intact, then added spacious new rooms where a back patio and kitchen sat, the better to service the convention trade that dominates that district …
Heather Hart Potts, Anne Dilworth and Pamela Miller
Hsu also added signature slatting of recycled wood and ziz-zag vaulting inside and out — a seamless blend of Austin, Old and New …
Steve Potts, Stephanie Hughes and Michael Hsu
A buoyant crowd of in-the-know Austinites wandered through the space, snacking on tacos and brownies, while drinking the institution’s emblematic Mexican martinis …
Elizabeth Wiewall and Matt Hall
It was a warm crowd, conversationally, and various media fields were heavily represented …
Leila Rahimi, Elizabeth Hufnagel
I had the pleasure of escorting my sister, Kathleen Klingshirn, to the party, and she was immediately drawn into a dozen different discussions …
Courtney Irving, Ben Brown and Courtney Spence
Kathleen has lived in the Woodlands, lo these many years, but is scouting land out in the Hill Country to take advantage of its raw natural beauty, as well as its proximity to Austin’s allurements.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment Categories: Nightlife
Open Source Bar Guide: Middle Fifth Street
Austin’s nightlife changes from night to night. It’s tough keeping track of all those bars, clubs and restaurants where we all socialize. Help us update our annual bar guide through this series of open-sources lists by micro-district. Send updates to mbarnes@statesman.com. The guide will be published alongside interviews with bar regulars on Dec. 10. (Thanks to readers who have already helped!)
Apple Bar. 120 W. Fifth St. 322-9291
Canvas Bar & Gallery. 105 E. Fifth St. 391-9181
Grüv Nightclub. 101 W. Fifth St. 467-4556
Lanai Rooftop Lounge. 422 Congress Ave. 479-6600
Light Bar. 408 Congress Ave. 473-8544
The Marq. 422 Congress Ave. 322-5180
One 2 One. 121 E. Fifth St. 473-0121
Prague. 422 Congress Ave. 477-2483
Shiner’s Saloon. 422 Congress Ave. 448-4600
Sky Lounge. 416 Congress Ave. 542-0029
Speakeasy. 412 Congress Ave. 476-8017
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment Categories: Nightlife
