SIXTH STREET A city e ort to improve safety along East Sixth Street and a real estate rm’s plans to revitalize the area are underway.
REIMAGINED
1 500 block
parcels of land on East Sixth Street, the majority of which are now vacant, acquired by Stream Realty Partners 41 city historic landmarks within the National Register Historic District 35 bars are in the 400 block alone, while two restaurants are now operating; the hope is to lower the ratio of bars in the district 19
KEY
No proposed change
Stream hopes to bring a hotel to the 500 block and is awaiting a city process that could grant height up to 140 feet on the block.
Stream-owned property
Historic property
SOURCES: CITY OF AUSTIN, STREAM REALTY PARTNERS, TRAVIS CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
The Driskill
WIDENED SIDEWALK
MORE CAFE PATIO SEATING
REDUCED LANE COUNT
WIDENED SIDEWALK
Both the city and Stream are considering streetscape adjustments such as reduced vehicle tra c and improved sidewalk usage.
Friends Bar
gun re rang out on the 400 block of East Sixth and sent late-night visitors scrambling for safety. More than a dozen people were hurt and one man, 25-year-old Douglas Kantor, died from his injuries June 13. The shooting helped prompt Aus- tin’s Safer Sixth Street initiative, a collaboration between the city departments and businesses aimed at improving the safety and usage of the district. Since then, violent incidents have continued to contribute to the dis- trict’s reputation. The Austin Police Department most recently reported a homicide there Aug. 16, which followed other killings in April and January. During safety discussions, city o cials labeled the area as “unsafe and volatile” and home to “ ghting and alcohol-fueled violence.” Since launching last July, the Safer Sixth initiative has focused several city
departments, including the Aus- tin Police Department, on bringing change to East Sixth. APD Public Information Manager Brandon Jones said challenges along Sixth range from large-scale crowd management to addressing inter-per- sonal con icts as an estimated 20,000-30,000 people ow through the area on typical weekend nights. “We do our best to sta this area with the appropriate number of o - cers to respond to issues safely and e ectively,” Jones said. While public safety operations may be most visible for visitors, Safer Sixth is also tied to the corridor’s lay- out. Entertainment Services Manager Brian Block has said an improved streetscape for pedestrians and a more diverse mix of businesses lining the street could help encourage night- life activities beyond “just drinking.” The city also plans to launch a pilot program allowing businesses to set up
sidewalk seating on weekends and is considering a support program for bar operators with a record of addressing emergency situations. “Bar/venue operators have been supportive of maximizing the vitality and safety of Sixth Street and are col- laborating with city sta to determine the best ways to accomplish that,” said Tara Long, public information specialist with Austin’s Development Services Department, in an email. Revitalization plans Over the past several years, Stream acquired dozens of mostly vacant storefronts and pieces of land along East Sixth with a goal of transforming the “stagnant” district, Ryan said. Stream’s vision is evolving, but Ryan said she hopes to see the area become an “18-hour street” fre- quented by diners, shoppers, families and workers—all while maintaining existing establishments.
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occupied by bars, tattoo parlors and vacant storefronts. The rm plans to repurpose several of the district’s historic structures to pave the way for restaurants, o ces, music venues and a hotel. “The best course forward is just being a place that is really rooted in Austin, and that anybody who comes in town or anybody who lives here, when they think of Austin, they think of Sixth Street,” said Caitlyn Ryan, Stream’s vice president of develop- ment and investment and lead on the project. “It used to be that way, and now not so much. But we’re just try- ing to bring that back.” Stream is awaiting key decisions at City Hall that would clear the way for its yearslong redevelopment plans. A safer Sixth Around 1:24 a.m. on June 12, 2021,
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