The Allandale Reporter

First things first - code enforcement

submitted by Tom Linehan

Below is an email sent by Geoff  Mueller to the neighborhood leadership, the Austin Chronicle, the City's permit department, and anyone else who might listen on Thursday, July 26. Geoff is an Allandale resident who lives in Allandale on Strass Drive just south of Hancock on the west side of Shoal Creek. He is having to suffer the consequences of a speculator who has raised the house next door to him and is building a much larger home in its place.

This is an example of the code enforcement concerns Allandale and other central city neighborhoods are having.  This was on the top of Allandale Neighborhood Association's  list of issues that I took to the July 19  Townhall neighborhood association meeting at Palmer Auditorium conducted by city manager, Toby Futrell. 

Geoff's email was sent on Thursday. On Friday,  a "stop work" notice was posted on the building.

Geoff's email follows:

I decided to give this a couple of days before responding to see what, if anything, was being done about the monstrosity going up next door to my house.  It seems the answer is nothing - at least as far as the city is concerned.

It used to be that the City function acted in a utilitarian way in regards to its citizens: the greatest good for the greatest number.  In this case, I have no idea what is motivating the city to overlook the concerns of the citizens of the neighborhood in the interest of one person.  So, I ask, what is the motivation?  What unknowns are at play here?  These are not rhetorical questions.  I fully expect a response.

Tribute to Austin's Beloved Local Historian and Allandale Neighbor: Ed Van De Vort 1938-2007

submitted by C Yang

Ed Van De Vort’s passion for Austin was greater than his 6+ foot frame, and evident whether he was giving a tour of Austin dressed in his classic black hat, bolo tie, denim shirt, belt buckle and boots, as Sam Houston during the Austin History Center Association’s annual Angelina Eberly luncheon, or as Colonel Jesse Lincoln Driskill for special events at the hotel of the same name.

Jan Triplett considered Van De Vorther mentor and knew him well through her mother, Jane Dinsmoor, who was his business partner and moved to Austin with him in 1977 from Evansville, Illinois.

Gaston/Bull Creek/W. 25th St Wastewater Improvement Project

The City of Austin’s Austin Clean Water Program is going to go to construction this fall on a wastewater improvement project called the Gaston/Bull Creek/W. 25th St. Project. Most of the project is in the Pemberton Heights neighborhood, but as you can tell from the title, some of it is in the Allandale area. As you may know, the Environmental Protection Agency has mandated that Austin repair and replace all its aging wastewater lines in priority areas by 2009 or face fines of $27,500 per sewer overflow per day.

I have included a description of the project below and attached a map map. I wondered if you had time at your next meeting, which I believe is on August 22, for us to give a 10 to 15 minute briefing? We also plan to hold our own meeting for the neighborhood residents most impacted by the project as well.

Thanks very much!

Sincerely,
Crispin Ruiz
Austin Clean Water Program
448-4459

Northcross Update

This week the Austin Chronicle covered RG4N's community meeting to discuss it's lawsuit against Lincoln Property. In the article, "It's not a done deal," by Lee Nichols, the Chronicle reported the turnout to the meeting at First Unitarian Universalist Church on Grover St, was approximately 200. At the meeting, RG4N pointed out that the work currently underway on the east side of the mall is phase one of the redevelopment and should not be confused with construction of the Supercenter set for the west side of the mall which has not started.

Property Crimes in Allandale

It seems that property crimes,  in Allandale are  up based on the number of recent posts to the newsgroup. Property crimes are incidents like burglary of vehicle, burglary of residence, theft, etc. I just updated the crime incident report: 2006 vs 2007 for Allandale and based on that, the number of incidents reported is about the same. Even in the past 3 months, there really has not been a  big increase property crimes. If you don't report it, it doesn't get recorded.

That is what the numbers tell us. It doesn't offer much consolation to residents who are victims of the crime. 

ANA Supports Campaign to resist moving animal shelter

At last week's ANA Executive Committee meetings, Lisa McClain, with FixAustin gave a short presentation on the city's plans to move the animal shelter from its current Town Lake location to East Austin. Here are some of the reasons why they are against it:

1. An animal shelter in East Austin prevents affordable housing and multi-use developments preferred by East Austin neighborhoods.
2. The current Town Lake location is equally accessible from all parts of the County.

Minutes from ANA Executive Board Meeting 7/5/07

Minutes from ANA Executive Board Meeting 7/5/07, 7:00 p.m., North Village Library

ANA Executive Board Members present: Joe Reynolds, Brent Sjolseth, Dan Jones, Michael Bomba, Laura Slaughter, Donna Beth McCormick, Cathy Yang, Paulette Kern, Tom Linehan.

Tom called meeting to order. Agenda revised. Dan Jones moved acceptance of revised agenda, second by Brent. Motion passed.

Tom noted two corrections to the Exec. Board Minutes of June 27 meeting: 1) Date on meeting should be June 27, not July 27, 2) motion to approve agenda looks like it is recorded twice. Approval of minutes waived till next meeting.

Summerfield Suites condominiums, The Allandale, near first stage of completion

submitted by Robin Senor

Three of the 18 buildings formerly known as Summerfield Suites Hotels  on Northcross Road are nearing their first phase of conversion into condos, and began selling last week. "The Allandale" condominiums will include 576 square foot one bedroom units, and 864 square foot 2 bedroom units, with prices ranging from under $100,00 for a basic one-bedroom unit to around $150,00 for a 2 bedroom unit with a full upgrade package.

Friscos

submitted by Tom Linehan

I met with Julia Akin, co-owner of Friscos, to get an update on when and where Frisco's is moving. She said they have until May of 2008 to move out. Friscos and the adjoining car lot will be replaced with a Walgreens. They are in search for a new location. They certainly want to stay in the neighborhood preferably on Burnet Rd but they have not found the right site yet. I suggested the recently vacated restaurant across the street where Dry Dock was. She said she has  already been approached by the Knights about it, owners of Allandale Village, but she's not interested; not enough parking and its  location back in the corner doesn't provide the street visibility they're looking for. She promised to keep us posted. Wherever they move they'd like to bring their customers with them.

Allandale Lawsuit in today's Austin Chronicle

Today's Austin Chronicle includes an article by Katherine Gregor relating to ANA's lawsuit filed against the City over the Northcross development. The article, Developing Stories, Another Northcross Lawsuit: Allandale Neighborhood Association, includes remarks from Bruce Bigelow, ANA's attorney as well as a quote from Brewster McCracken and Assistant City Manager, Laura Huffman.  In the article, Laura Huffman says Wal-mart has yet to submit the voluntary upgrades to the project brokered by the City that will treated as an amendment to the site plan.