Austin Gets Compared to a Lot of Cities. But Is Life Better There?

Shopping for home

"...a look at a number of Austin’s unofficial sister cities across the country to see how they’re dealing with..."

Feb. 21, 2025 News Feature by Abe Asher

Cool Cities: Dispatches From Copenhagen

Climate change, clean energy ... and bicycles

"...Mortensen, executive director of Climate Consortium Denmark, told us how and why the public-private "cleantech" consortium was organized. ......"

Oct. 16, 2009 News Feature by Katherine Gregor

What’s Happening, What’s Being Done, and How We Got Into This Cold Weather Catastrophe

More chaos with continued power outages, calls for water conservation

"...still operating, said AW Director Greg Meszaros. Some Austin suburbs, such as Leander, have lost power to their water..."

Feb. 17, 2021 News Post by Lina Fisher

How Cities Work: Suburbs, Sprawl, and the Roads Not Taken

"...How Cities WorkSuburbs, Sprawl, and the Roads Not Taken..."

May 4, 2001 Books Review by Tim Walker

Big City Blues

Although it has three of the 10 largest cities in the United States, Texas is still largely a state of home-rule cities. A brief look at the prospects for a real urban policy in Texas.

"...of Texas had a very straightforward relationship with its cities: You leave us alone, we'll leave you alone. Compared..."

Jan. 12, 2001 News Feature by Mike Clark-Madison

Miles to Go

A transportation bond package combining roads and light rail is planned for November.

"...to come to the aid of our community. But how are we going to pay for them? For more..."

March 10, 2000 News Feature by Mike Clark-Madison

The Road to Rail

Can light rail in Austin work well with Smart Growth?

"...outside of southeastern Williamson County.) Even the most transit-friendly cities are still crowded and soiled. Metro areas of 2.5..."

July 21, 2000 News Feature by Mike Clark-Madison

Postmarks

I never thought the letters in "Postmarks Forum" were real until this happened to me ...

"...That way you can impress your friends with just how glamorous big-cat ownership really is...."

Aug. 11, 2000 Column

New Districts Set the Stage for the Politics of the 2020s

The city and state begin to show their work

"...extraordinary citizens in charge of redistricting have begun to show their work. The city Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission has..."

Sept. 24, 2021 News Feature by Mike Clark-Madison

Reinventing Airport Boulevard

Can 'form-based zoning' transform a suburban drag into walkable neighborhoods?

"...zoning regulations specify the form for new development – how buildings, streetscapes, and the public realm should be scaled..."

Jan. 8, 2010 News Feature by Katherine Gregor

Missoula, Montana and Boulder, Colorado

Tale of Two Cities

"...that lasts all day. In response, some of these cities have turned to concrete urban planning strategies to preserve..."

Dec. 15, 1995 News Feature

Gross In

Is any writer in Austin as revolting and entertaining as Andrew Hilbert?

"...he was a boy, Andrew Hilbert asked his grandmother how to write a poem. She said: "Write whatever's inside..."

April 22, 2016 Arts Feature by François Pointeau

Everyone Here Cycles!

Learning from Copenhagen, Post #6

"...rush hour is graced with such poetic motion,” is how a deliciously literate city brochure puts it ......"

Oct. 7, 2009 News Post by Katherine Gregor

Postmarks

Raves for Marc Savlov's recent article on Ecstasy.

"...never forget what I learned during those few "trips." However, the X of today pales in comparison to the..."

June 23, 2000 Column

Austin @ Large: Austin at Large

What can Austin do to combat the powercenter plague? More than you might think.

"...be, in the tourist business, along with historic garden suburbs and carefully planned new towns. Were Austin actually to..."

Nov. 7, 2003 News Column by Mike Clark-Madison

Microtransit Takes Off in Central Texas

Uber wins over the suburbs

"...little transit, or "microtransit," is quietly sprouting up in cities throughout the region. Microtransit takes many forms, ranging from..."

Dec. 30, 2022 News Feature by Benton Graham

Developing Stories: Compact & Connected

All aboard for Transit-Oriented Development

"...idea since railroad tracks. "Why is TOD good for cities and suburbs?" asked Reconnecting America staff rhetorically. The answer:..."

June 22, 2007 News Column by Katherine Gregor

To Marfa, on a Tuesday in December

When high art and hipness move in, what happens to a tiny Texas town?

"...artist who'd been in Marfa this fall for a show at the Ballroom. The show opened during Chinati weekend,..."

Dec. 23, 2005 Arts Feature by Dan Keane

Letters @ 3AM

The United States failed because its people overvalued their ideals and undervalued their resources

"...crumbled in varying ways – literally crumbling rurally, while cities and suburbs suffered a crumbling of cohesiveness, civic pride,..."

Oct. 26, 2007 Column by Michael Ventura

Election Notes: New Names for AISD, Council

News from the campaign trails

"...issue, and he's committed to reaching out to nearby cities and suburbs like Round Rock and Leander to further..."

Aug. 3, 2018 News Feature by Sarah Marloff

Suburban Blight

Austinites' Escape to the 'Burbs Backfires

"...as "suburban blight." That is, the term is repetitive; suburbs are by definition blighted; there is no charm or..."

March 27, 1998 News Feature by Mike Clark-Madison

Why Portland Doesn't Look Like Austin

Rose (City)-Colored Glasses

"...citizen tells the story of their Parcel X, and how they'd like it upzoned one tick or downzoned two..."

Dec. 15, 1995 News Feature by Mike Clark-Madison

What I Want to do With My Life

Mike Krusee on New Urbanism, Smart Growth, toll roads, and why Bobby Kennedy is his hero

"...think I recognized its importance, and certainly didn't understand how it worked. I've come not only to recognize its..."

Dec. 7, 2007 News Column by Michael King

Neighborhood Watch

Sustainable Neighborhoods group advocates 'family-friendly' north side development

"...Highland – have plenty of kids now, census data show an overall decline in the percentage of the Central..."

March 22, 2013 News Feature by Robyn Ross

Weird by Design

City's proposed design standards emphasize livability, walkability, and flexibility

"...Equally few, however, would suggest it's the prettiest...."

April 1, 2005 News Feature by Rachel Proctor May

Bigger, Better, Smarter

San Diego is everything Austin wants to be: livable, transit-oriented, pedestrian-friendly, and downtown-centric. But will tools that worked in the nation's largest border and military base town translate to Central Texas?

"...However, though Austin and San Diego, formerly quite different, are..."

Jan. 14, 2000 News Feature by Mike Clark-Madison

Preaching to the Converted

"Troubling Era"

"...the conference: "We talk about what happened to the cities, about their wholesale abandonment, as if the citizens' reasons..."

Dec. 25, 1998 News Feature by Mike Clark-Madison

Central Texas Lawmakers Speak Out About the 86th Legislative Session

Interviews with the team representing 2.1 million Austin metro residents

"...AC: How do they think they'll be able to cut property..."

Jan. 4, 2019 News Feature by the News Staff

Pondering Downtown Condos

Frequently Asked Questions

"...so. Burns said his market stats for Downtown Austin show that 776 new condominiums were completed and available in..."

March 13, 2009 News Feature by Katherine Gregor

Take the A-Train

Mike Clark-Madison discusses 10 years covering light rail, and urges voters to support it.

"...Austin for 15 years or more, and which in cities across the globe has been a political deal of..."

Oct. 13, 2000 News Feature by Mike Clark-Madison

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