The new plaza, part of the Capitol Complex Project, offers a glimpse of the potential of pedestrianized space in the Texas capital.
The Texas Mall, part of Austin’s Capitol Complex Project, is finally open to the public. Writing in Towers, James Rambin calls it “the crown jewel of this sprawling multi-phase state redevelopment plan, creating a pedestrian-friendly outdoor green space spanning six acres across several blocks on the north side of the Capitol grounds.”
The mall is fully pedestrianized for now, but will be opened to car traffic in January. However, Rambin ventures that “we can probably cajole the state into closing the stupid street for good in the near future.”
According to Rambin, “Other steps still left to complete are the reopening and repaving of the stretch of MLK Jr. Boulevard north of the site, which is currently full of construction barriers and pretty much torn to pieces by the years of work taking place here.”
Ultimately, the Texas Mall is one small but important step for pedestrian spaces in a famously car-oriented state. See the source article for photos of the Texas Mall and more details.
FULL STORY: Downtown Austin’s Capitol Complex Project Finally Unveils Its Texas Mall
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UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
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Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research