Areas // Central Austin // Downtown
DT
Downtown Neighborhood Overview
Basic Info
| Area: | Central Austin |
| Zip Code: | 78701 |
| County | Travis |
| School District: | Austin ISD |
| Country Club | N/A |
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Downtown Neighborhood Description
Downtown Austin is the central business district of Austin, Texas. Downtown is located on the north bank of the Colorado River. The approximate borders of Downtown include Lamar Boulevard to the west, Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and the University of Texas at Austin to the north, Interstate 35 to the east, and Lady Bird Lake to the south.
It is where the city’s highrise buildings are located, as well as being the center of government and business for the region. Downtown Austin is currently experiencing a building boom, with many condos and high rise towers being built. The top three tallest condo buildings west of the Mississippi River are all located in downtown Austin: The Independent, The Austonian, and the 360 Condominiums.
Downtown Districts
Congress Avenue
Stretching from First Street north to Eleventh Street, the Congress Avenue Historic District was created on August 11, 1978. Stylistically, the dominating structures of significance reflected general Victorian form and detailing, tempered by local materials and building techniques. Notable structures along Congress Avenue north of the Colorado River include the Texas State Capitol, Paramount Theatre, the Southwestern Telegraph and Telephone Building, Gethsemane Lutheran Church, and the Old Bakery.
Sixth Street
The area around nearby 4th Street and 6th Street has been a major entertainment district since the 1970s. Many bars, clubs, music venues, and shopping destinations are located on E. 6th Street between Congress Avenue and Interstate 35. Traffic is generally blocked on E. 6th Street and most crossroads from I-35 to Brazos Street on weekend evenings, and football home games (depending on pedestrian traffic), as well as holidays and special events, to allow the crowds to freely walk the street.
Rainey Street
The Rainey Street Historic District is a community positioned near Lady Bird Lake and Interstate 35 in a southeastern pocket of downtown. The situation at Rainey Street is unique in that the area was once a sleepy residential street, albeit nestled right next to downtown, was rezoned as part of Austin’s central business district in 2004. The hope at the time was to incentivize development near the Austin Convention Center and the since-built Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center.
Seaholm District
The Seaholm District is a formerly industrial section of southwest downtown Austin that the city has transformed into a vibrant urban neighborhood from Lady Bird Lake to 5th Street and from Lamar Boulevard to San Antonio Street. The decommissioned Seaholm Power Plant has been redeveloped into a landmark residential and retail destination. The mixed-use development houses many distinct retail businesses including ToothBar, Trader Joe’s, and vegetarian restaurant True Food Kitchen.