Breaking down the Downtown Austin Alliance’s State of Downtown
The Downtown Austin Alliance releases the State of Downtown report annually to track growth. | Photo via Getty Images
Get in y’all, we’re going downtown.
Did you know 5.54 million sqft of new construction was completed Downtown in 2022? And with 95% of pre-pandemic visitor activity recovered, it seems like Downtown’s growth won’t be slowing down anytime soon.
We read through the Downtown Austin Alliance’s 2023 State of Downtown report. Here are some of the highlights.
Development
The red buildings are under construction, the blue buildings are in the planning stage, and the grey buildings were delivered in 2022-2023.
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Graphic via the Downtown Austin Alliance
Roughly 8.2 million sqft of Downtown space is currently under construction, including eight office projects, 19 mixed-use projects, and 11,200 residential units.
The Austin metro area is expected to grow by 57%, bringing an estimated 3.6 million new residents. To help address growth, developers are planning to open ~3,000 hotel rooms and ~10 proposed office buildings by 2040. In total, 21 new projects are in the proposal and planning stages Downtown.
Housing
Downtown affordability continues to be a concern for the city.
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Graphic via Downtown Austin Alliance
The average Downtown resident is age 25-34, with a household income of $145,000 per year. About 60% of these residents are male and 78.4% have a college degree.
The good news for Downtown residents: rent prices have taken a slight dip, though affordability is still a concern. Downtown currently has 3,657 housing units under construction and 7,546 in the proposal phase.
Tourism
Last year was a record-breaking year for the Austin Bergstrom-International Airport, and Downtown saw the impacts.
Downtown hotel occupancy averaged 67%, just 5% lower than in 2019. A room for the night in Downtown will currently run you ~$270 per night, compared to $174 on average elsewhere in the city.
Across the board, tourism in Austin brought in $2.6 billion in earnings, and generated 63,840 jobs last year. In 2022, an average of 2.59 million people visited per month.
Billy Strings | Friday, June 2 | 8-11 p.m. | The Moody Center | $50-$70 | The Grammy Award-winning artist’s latest record is called “Me/And/Dad.”
Saturday, June 3
The Selena Sing Along Show | Saturday, June 3 | 7 p.m. | Hideout Theatre, 617 Congress Ave., Austin | $12-$18 | Join in on an improvised jukebox musical for all to sing along to.
“The Importance of Being Earnest” | Saturday, June 3-Sunday, June 18 | Times vary | Genesis Creative Collective, 1507 Wilshire Blvd., Austin | $15-$25 | Strap in for this Oscar Wilde classic, which follows a pair of Englishmen leading a double life in order to impress the women whose hearts they hope to win.
Sunday, June 4
Bee Cave Farmers Market Debut | Sunday, June 4 | 10 a.m.-2 p.m. | Hill Country Galleria, 12700 Hill Country Blvd., Bee Cave | Free | Catch the inaugural Bee Cave Farmers Market, complete with live music and tranquil vibes.
Big Dumb Fest At Mohawk | Sunday, June 4 | 4-11:59 p.m. | Mohawk Austin, 912 Red River St., Austin | $20 | All ages are welcome at this mini-fest.
Monday, June 5
Lazy Bird | Monday, June 5 | 7:30 p.m. | Meanwhile Brewing Co., 3901 Promontory Point Dr., Austin | Free | Tune in for a free show from this jazz combo band.
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Looking to tie the knot? In honor of Pride Month and the eighth anniversary of the Marriage Equality Act, the Travis County Clerk will perform free marriage ceremonies from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Monday, June 26. Reserve an appointment online.
Travel
Austin City Council greenlit an $88 million settlement that will allow Austin-Bergstrom International Airport to take over the South Terminal, which is owned by LoneStar Holdings, and move forward with its airport expansion project. (KXAN)
Development
The proposed pick for the first Project Connect light rail was approved by Austin City Council yesterday. The next step is a review by CapMetro’s board of directors, followed by formally adopting the plan on Tuesday, June 6. (KXAN)
Open
Food truck Vegan Nom and Barrett’s Coffee joined forces to create Double Trouble, a coffee shop, restaurant, and bar located at 111 N. Loop Blvd. The spot will offer limited service through the weekend and classic dishes from both parent restaurants. (Eater Austin)
Announced
Uchi’s long-awaited sister restaurant Uchibā Austin is slated to open its doors at 601 W. 2nd St. this summer. The restaurant, which was originally supposed to open last fall, will serve bao, makimono, shared plates, and curated Japanese whiskey. (Austin Chronicle)
Sports
All-star Sebastián Driussi scored the winning goal in Austin FC’s home match against Minnesota United on the evening of Wednesday, May 31. The captain secured a 2-1 victory after entering the game as a substitute.
Edu
Tarini Nandakumar, a 12-year-old local Challenger School student, competed against 10 students in the Scripps National Spelling Bee Finals last night. Tarini made it to the top four in the finals after surpassing 231 contestants from around the globe to get to the last round. (KXAN)
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The buzziest deodorant in the beauty scene right now: Lume whole body deodorant. Yup, whole body. It’s aluminum and baking soda-free and offers odor protection for any and everywhere. Try it in Toasted Coconut or Fresh Alpine.*
Sports
⚽️ Hey now, they’re the All-Stars
15 Austin FC players are on the ballot for the 2023 MLS All-Star game
Put your hands together for Sebastian Driussi, who was the first Austin FC pick for the All-Star game in 2022, and 14 other local players on the roster. | Photos courtesy Austin FC, graphic by ATXtoday
You can now vote for your favorite Austin FC player to participate in the in the 2023 MLS All-Star game.
The game, which consists of 26 players from clubs across the country matched up head-to-head, will take place at DC United’s home base, Audi Field, on Wednesday, July 19.
How the players are picked:
12 players will be determined by votes from MLS players, fans, and select media members.
12 players will be selected by MLS All-Star head coach Wayne Rooney of the host team DC United.
MLS Commissioner Don Garber will select two players
Fan voting ends at 9:59 p.m. CSTC on Wednesday, June 14. Cast your vote online or through the MLS app.
My Austin FC All-Star vote? Thank you for asking. I’m a Diego Fagúndez head, and I’ve been a fan of his since the beginning. Besides his skills on the field, Diego has some serious drip, and I respect that.
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