Austin
Urban Land Institute Chicago (ULI Chicago), with support from Austin Coming Together and the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP), conducted a Technical Assistance Panel (TAP) to help develop recommendations to revitalize Central Avenue and establish it as a strong north-south connector for the Austin community. Central Avenue was a focal project originally identified in Austin’s Quality-of-Life plan called ‘Austin Forward Together’ (AFT).
The two-day TAP met April 18-19, 2023, and was comprised of a 12-member Panel of diverse and experienced industry professionals, that volunteered their time to address a set Scope of Work. The Panel focused on fact-finding and information gathering by reviewing background briefing materials, touring the study area, and interviewing neighborhood stakeholders including business owners, residents, community leaders, and City officials, and ultimately prepared implementable recommendations including near-term and longer-term strategies for reimagining Central Avenue as Austin’s “Main Street”.
The Panel presented their recommendations at a public meeting in summer 2023 and have just released their final recommendations report.