News

How to use this page: The first time an issue or item makes an appearance, it shows up with a date. Updates to that item are added below the first time the item shows up here. So if you are looking for an update, please check for your pet issue in orange. Note that information on neighborhood issues can also be gained from the minutes of membership and steering committee meetings located here.

September 2006: Wheatsville plans expansion. Wheatsville, the little organic food coop across the street on Guadalupe, plans a remodel and expansion at its current location. According to the Wheatsville Breeze, the coop's newsletter, the store will expand from its current 5,100 square feet of retail space to 8,500 square feet of retail space. The expansion includes 500 square feet of meeting/community space in the space currently holding InStep (which will move to Lamar Village at 35th and Lamar). The new construction will include adding 6,000 square feet to the existing building, which includes storage space and offices. Plans call for construction to be completed by October 2008. Visit http://wheatsville.coop/ for more information.

 
August 2006: Buckingham Square squared. The neighborhood continues its objection against the denser redevelopment of what was a non-comforming structure to begin with. Go here for an explanation of the neighborhood's position and to see documents associated with the case. The neighborhood is grateful for the considerable assistance provided by Mark Perlmutter on this issue.

August 2006: "Washington Court" units for sale. The Manleys are trying to pre-sell units for what they hope will eventually replace cottages at the corner of 31st and Washington Square. The units are offered at prices from about $500,000 to $750,000. Says the flyers for the development: "Washington Court has six units of luxury condos. Unit #1 is perfect for a home office or game room. Developer will allow change orders on project to fit buyer's tastes. All 3 story units have ELEVATORS."

February 2005: Plans for the new Buckingham Square revealed. On April 1, 2004, a fire caused by an overloaded electrical socket damaged much of the Buckingham Square Apartments, a 76-unit collection of buildings on West Avenue. Scraped to the pad last year, work has yet to begin on reconstruction. However, the owner has submitted site plans to the city showing what the reconstructed apartments will look like. Because of hardship (the fire), the city is allowing the owner to rebuild on the same footprint, a style of parking and offsets that do not conform to present-day requirements. Surprisingly, the proposed structure has three stories instead of the original two. The steering committee is investigating whether or not this is allowed under the city building code. A site plan of the proposed building is here and an elevation (side view) is here.  

February 2005: The Heritage Society of Austin to showcase neighborhood. The Heritage Society of Austin plans to hold its annual tour of historic properties in our neighborhood this year. The Heritage Homes Tour is planned for Saturday, May 13th, 2006, 10:00am to 6:00pm and will open a number of our homes for public viewing. For more information, go here. 

February 2005: Major sewer line work to happen in 2007. The city plans to replace sewer lines through the middle of the neighborhood. The effected streets include most of King Street; part of Kings Lane; parts of 30th, 31st, 32nd, and 35th streets; and the alley on the south side of 35th Street. A map of the proposed work is here.

September 2004: Tish Williams. The neighborhood association is sad to learn that Tish Williams, a long-time resident and activist in the neighborhood, passed away recently. From the Austin-American Statesman:

Patricia Huffman Williams passed away Thursday, September 16, 2004, at her home in Austin, with her husband and children by her side. Patricia, also known as ``Tish', was born in Eagle Pass, Texas, on June 20, 1938, to Calvin Combest Huffman and Olive Weaver Huffman. She grew up in Austin and graduated from Austin High School and the University of Texas, where she was a member of Delta Delta Delta. She also attended the Sorbonne in Paris for a year where she received a certificat. Tish loved her city, Austin, and was active as a citizen in its affairs. She saw the world with wonderment and joy through the eyes of an accomplished artist and writer. She also expressed her creativity in memorable art in the form of necklaces and bracelets which were featured in premier department stores and in Vogue magazine. As a citizen she worked to protect the environment so that others in the future would be able to see the beauty of the city and countryside as she saw them. Tish immensely enjoyed being with people of all walks of life and had a deep and enduring love of family and friends. Tish was preceded in death by her father, Calvin C. Huffman. She is survived by her husband, Darrell Williams; her son, Kirk Williams of Burlington, Vermont; her daughter, Trish Williams Huddleston and husband, Ron Huddleston and grandson, Ben Huddleston of Austin; her mother, Olive Huffman of Austin; and her brothers, Wayne Huffman and Richard Huffman of Austin, and Gregory Huffman of Dallas, and their families. Friends (and their children) are invited to gather with family in Tish's memory at the beautiful home which she created and which reflects her wonderful spirit, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., Monday, September 20, at 3200 West Avenue in Austin.

March 2004: Neighborhood Crime Stats: According to the Austin Police Department (APD) Web site (http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/police/crimeinformation.htm), the Heritage Neighborhood Association has had 293 crimes reported in the last 18 months. APD reports crimes in 39 categories in the neighborhood. The categories with the highest occurrences are burglary of vehicles (60), theft (44, [69 for all theft categories]), and criminal mischief (43). There were 17 burglaries of residences and 17 burglaries of non-residences over the last 18 months. There were 3 aggravated assaults, 1 assault with a deadly weapon, and 17 assaults. There was one aggravated sexual assault, one attempted aggravated sexual assault, and one peeping tom. Eight cars were stolen from the neighborhood. Of the 293 reported crimes, 55 percent were committed in our business corridors (38^th, 29^th, 34^th, Lamar, Guadalupe, and San Gabriel). About 36 percent of crimes were committed at businesses, 34 percent were committed in parking lots or on the street, and 21 percent were committed at residences.

During the first three months of 2003, there were 63 crimes reported. So far in 2004, we have had 34 crimes reported. However, home burglaries are on track to be considerably higher in 2004 than in 2003. There were 10 home burglaries in 2003. We have already had five and are not quite three months into 2004. There were 12 non-residence burglaries in 2003 and 4 so far in 2004. There were 14 burglaries of residences in 2002, 12 in 2001, 13 in 2000, and 10 in 1999. -rem

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last updated: 02.18.2006 by robert.e.mace
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