The Clarksville Neighborhood of Austin Texas

It’s been over three years since we took a look at the Clarksville neighborhood of Austin, Texas.  As with so much of the city, a lot has changed in that area since then, so we thought it would be a great time to revisit this Central Austin neighborhood.

Clarksville is bordered by West Lynn to the east, Loop One/Mopac to the west, 10th Street to the south, and Waterston to the north and is west of downtown.  Clarksville is a historic district that was first founded as a freedomtown, an area settled by emancipated African-American slaves after the Civil War.

Children who reside in Clarksville go to Austin ISD schools.  For Kindergarten through fifth grade, children go to Mathews Elementary.  For sixth through eighth, they go to O’Henry Middle School and for grades nine through twelve, they attend Austin High School.

Clarksville’s location just a mile west of downtown makes it an ideal place to call home and commute quickly to many Austin employers.  EverlyWell is located in the Seaholm Power Plant redevelopment on Cesar Chavez and is looking to revolutionize the health industry by creating at-home testing kits for ailments such as food allergies, thyroid function, and more.  

Effective Spend offers a complete portfolio of digital marketing services including paid search, search engine optimization, analytics and more from their offices on South Congress about 3 miles from Clarksville.

When you live in Clarksville, restaurants and entertainment are close as well.  Nightcap is on West 6th and specializes in dessert and cocktails with fun names so you can finish your night off on a high note. They also have a killer brunch and dinner dishes like salmon, grilled hanger steak, and even braised octopus.  

Lucky’s Puccias and Pizzeria serves pizza and italian wood-fired sandwiches (puccias) on homemade bread, from its digs on West 5th.  They also have great meat, cheese, bread, and olive plates for appetizers and Tiramisu for dessert!  

When it's time to shop, there are several boutiques in the area to be sure you and your home are outfitted in style.  Found is located in an adorable converted house with a pink door just off West 5th.  They have high end designer labels like DVF, Nicole Miller, and Paige, plus Champagne call buttons in the dressing room!  A great place to go shopping with friends for clothes and accessories.  

Billy Reid has luxurious high-end men and women’s clothing and accessories with staff that gives you a personal shopping experience.  Tailoring is available as well so you will feel like a million bucks when you leave with your purchases.

Ready to make the move to Clarksville?  Give Austin Apartment Specialists a call today at 512-241-1111 to find your dream apartment today!  

Featured photo courtesy of @beatsdelicious on Instagram

New Food and Music Festival Coming to Austin

An exciting new food and music festival will happen in May, the Austin American Statesman reports.  Started by Aaron Franklin of Franklin Barbecue, Fun Fun Fun Fest co-founder James Moody, and Mike Thelin, co-founder of Feast Portland, a food festival, the event hopes to capture the laid back nature of Austin.

The name of the event is meant to conjure up thoughts of a potluck dinner coupled with the fire that Franklin cooks his barbecue over and will have lots of food and music events all weekend with around 35 chefs at eight to ten different places around Austin.

The festival creators want attendees to be able to attend all the events or to attend just one or two events a day if that’s their preference, so they will be offering a comprehensive and an a la carte option.  Then attendees could spend the rest of their time exploring the city and restaurants not included in Hot Luck if they choose the a la carte option.

The goal is laid back meals and events that feel like an evening hanging out with friends, not a tasting dinner at a fancy restaurant.  The food will be eclectic and not barbecue focused, even though it is curated by Austin’s smoked meats guru.

The music will be similarly diverse, including something for everyone.  Although prices and other details haven’t been announced yet, tickets are set to go on sale at the end of next month and will include weekend packages and a la carte options.  The festival is scheduled for May 18th through 21st.  

Are you a foodie or a music fan?  We can find you apartments that are near the hottest restaurants and coolest music venues.  Just give Apartment Specialists South Austin a call today at 512-912-8000 to find your perfect new home!  

New Crestview Apartments Break Ground

A new apartment building is breaking grown near the Crestview MetroRail Station, according to a press release from the developer, Trammel Crow.

The community will be called Crestview Commons and have four stories containing 353 units with 1, 2, or 3 bedrooms ranging from 642 to 1,405 square feet.  Apartments will be available for pre-leasing in January 2018.

Amenities for residents include a conference room, resident lounge, entertaining kitchen, a clubroom on the top floor with downtown views, and a fitness center.  Outdoors, there will be a resort style pool with sunbathing shelves, water features, fire pits, and grills, and a 7,000 square foot dog park.  The project will also be a green one and is trying to get LEED certification.

Crestview Commons will enjoy all the amenities of the Crestview neighborhood, which includes the mixed use development adjacent to Crestview Station. That development has restaurants like Black Star Co-op, a pub with delicious food and craft beers that pays its workers a living wage, Fuzzy’s Taco Shop, which serves baja style tacos, and Fat Cats, an all-organic vegan coffee shop and bakery.  For shopping, there’s Midtown Grocery and Cafe, an upscale local grocery and cafe with local, natural, and organic products.

Crestview Commons will be located convenient to Mopac, I-35, North Lamar, and 183 so it will be easy to get around, and stressful commutes will be a thing of the past when you take the MetroRail to get to work or play.

Ready to find a better place to live in Austin?  Whether it’s Crestview or anywhere else in town, Austin Apartment Specialists has the lowdown on all the apartments in the ATX!  Give us a call today at 512-241-1111 to find your dream apartment!   

Is Austin's Boom Time Over?

Are the boom times over for Austin?  According to a new article from the Austin Business Journal, they may be.  

Despite many articles written recently that Austin was still seeing an influx of new visitors, the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas’s Austin Economic Indicators report, which was released on January 3rd, found that the city’s economic growth rate has been decelerating for two years.  The metrics they studied are exports from the Austin region and job growth, both of which are down.  

The business-cycle index for Austin, which looks at the expansion and contraction of the local economy, has been been getting weaker for the last two years.  Another key metric that on the surface looks great, an unbelievably low unemployment rate, actually means that it’s more difficult for businesses to find new skilled workers and keep them, which might be leading to slower economic growth.  

Much of the disconnect between reporting and the facts stems from the fact that many outlets are reporting on data from the past.  That data was collected when Austin was going through an unprecedented period of growth and doesn’t realistically reflect how the economy will act on a regular basis.

Other troubling metrics include the fact that Austin’s 44 months in a row of 4.0% or more job growth every year came to an end last April.  Unfortunately, many Austinites take this insane amount of growth as a given.

Another area of concern:  45 percent of Austinites of working age don’t have postsecondary degrees, and most of those workers are African-American or Hispanic.  Also, IRS data says that 3.9 percent fewer people moved to Travis County in 2014-2015.  

It’s not all bad news though.  Austin’s economy continues to grow, even if it is at a slower pace.  Also, a recession is not forecast for 2017, but employment in Texas is only projected to grow at 2 percent.  Texas is also still at the mercy of risks that are inherent in oil prices and trade.  

Looking to take advantage of the slight slowdown in the Austin economy to get a great deal on an apartment?  Give Austin Apartment Specialists South a call today at 512-912-8000 to find the perfect new home in no time!  

Austin Neighborhoods: Crestview

Crestview is a charming neighborhood located in North Central Austin.  It’s been almost four years since we took a look at this area full of cute vintage single-family bungalows, mid-century ranch homes, and new and old apartment complexes, so we thought it might be a good time to take another look.

Bordered by Anderson Lane to the north, Burnet Road to the west, Justin Lane to the south, and North Lamar Boulevard to the east, Crestview is popular with those looking to be close to employers both in Austin and the suburbs.  The neighborhood is close to Mopac, 183, and I-35 as well as the Crestview Metro Rail station, so you can choose to drive or sit back and relax on the train for your commute.

There are a lot of dining and entertainment options the Crestview area as well.  Twisted Root Burger Company has great gourmet burgers, a pickle bar, and even free mini-golf.  Their shakes are also delicious and they have a full bar and great beer selection.

Royal Jelly is a neighborhood bar and restaurant with a full bar, including specialty cocktails, and craft beer.  They serve unique pub food like goat meatballs and braised beef cheeks.  Definitely not your run-of-the-mill hole in the wall!

Chago’s Carribbean Cuisine specializes in Puerto Rican cuisine.  Customer favorites include mofongo and arroz con gandules as well as the friendly service that makes you feel like you are part of Chago’s family!

If you want to be entertained, Alamo Drafthouse Village is the place to watch a movie.  They have a full kitchen and bar, AND they throw out talkers, so you can enjoy your movie in peace.  From the latest blockbusters to special events like classics paired with a specially conceived menu, you’re sure to find your happy place at Alamo.

Dart Bowl is an Austin institution that features 32 lanes and a cafe with great food, especially the enchiladas and burgers.  Unleash your competitive side with friends and family and come hungry!   

For schools, Crestview kids in grades Pre-Kindergarten through 5th attend the popular Brentwood Elementary.  For grades six through eight, children go to Lamar Middle School, which is a Fine Arts Academy featuring training in visual arts, dance, music, and digital arts and media for those students interested.  For ninth through twelfth grade, students attend McCallum High School, which is also the Fine Arts Magnet for Austin Independent School District.

There are many employers located a convenient distance from Crestview, including one of the largest employers in the Austin area, Dell Computer.  Dell is located thirteen miles from Crestview and sells personal computers, servers, data storage devices and more.

IBM has their Austin headquarters just six miles from Crestview and is an international technology and consulting firm.  IBM has approximately 6,000 employees in Austin, but employs more than 400,000 people around the globe.

There are many great apartment communities in the Crestview neighborhood as well.  Argosy at Crestview features one and two bedroom apartments with nine-foot ceilings, private patios and balconies with storage, washer/dryer connections in all homes, and wood burning fireplaces available in some units.  The community is near public transportation, is pet friendly with a dog park and dog washing station, a 24-hour fitness center, and a resort style pool with sundeck.

Midtown Commons at Crestview Station has studio, one, and two bedroom units with a variety of floor plans.  Amenities include two inch faux wood blinds, faux hardwood or polished concrete floors, full-sized washer and dryer connections, granite counters, kitchen islands with storage, and oversized soaking tubs.  Located on the MetroRail’s Red Line, there’s also a community vegetable and herb garden, elevator access, outdoor lounge with fireplace, fitness center with cardio theater and free weights, a bark park, and shopping and dining on the premises.

The one and two bedroom units at Midtown Flats feature newly redesigned floor plans, upgraded stainless steel appliances, on site laundry facilities, and a cozy courtyard.  Pets are welcome and the community is walking distance from the MetroRail and some of Austin’s most popular restaurants.

Ready to make the move to Crestview?  Give Austin Apartment Specialists a call today at 512-241-1111 and we’ll help you find the perfect apartment in no time!

Unique Workouts in Austin

Was one of your New Year’s Resolutions to exercise more?  Or maybe you’re looking to get out of a workout rut.  No matter what your motivation is, check out these unique ways to work up a sweat in Austin.

The Austin Bouldering Project offers rock climbing in a climate-controlled gym in East Austin on Springdale Road near Airport Boulevard.  If you’re never done bouldering before, there are classes that can help you get oriented to the gym.  There are a variety of levels of membership, including day use, monthly, annual and family passes, and you can even rent shoes for just $4.  Kids and adults can participate, so Bouldering is definitely an activity the whole family can enjoy.

Are you a daredevil who wants to swing through the air with the greatest of ease?  Sky Candy has classes where you can work your core while climbing silks, hammocks, or even trapeze at their studio in far East Austin.  Take an Introduction to Aerials class and figure out which apparatus is calling your name to safely soar high above the ground.

The Butler Center for Dance and Fitness at Ballet Austin has a wide variety of classes in everything from Ballet to Barre to Pilates to Cardio Kickboxing at their 2nd Street location.  Get in shape while you let your inner Ballerina out to play, or release your dance diva side by learning how to do a routine from one of Beyoncé’s videos.  With over 80 classes a week, there’s bound to be something that will get your blood pumping!

Love team sports?  The Austin Sports and Social Club has a variety of leagues to unleash your inner jock.  There’s bowling, softball, kickball, sand volleyball, Ultimate Frisbee, and Flag Football to name just a few.  Sports happen all over town and at all experience levels, so get out there and have fun and challenge yourself!

Do you enjoy performing?  Are you motivated by the thrill of the crowd?  Check out Dance Austin Studio’s Performance Opportunities!  You can take a dance class and then show off for an audience at this studio located on Burnet Road at 183.  They’ve got Hip Hop, Jazz, Belly Dance, Funk Fusion, something called Sexy Stiletto Fit, and more, so you’re sure to find something that gets your toes tapping.

It can be hard to get motivated to run, especially when the Texas weather is less than stellar.  A reward at the end of a tough jog can make it easier to get through, and what better motivation is there than beer?  The Austin Beer Run Club meets every Wednesday at at Uncle Billy’s on Barton Springs Road at 6:30pm and hits the Lady Bird Lake Trail for a 5k, followed by a return to Uncle Billy’s for beer and barbecue.  Make friends, drink beer, and exercise!

Were you the Hula Hooping champion on your block when you were a kid?  Turns out keeping that circle of plastic in motion is a fantastic workout for your core and takes inches off your waist!  The Inner Diva Studios in Northwest Austin on Anderson Mill near 183 offers hula hooping class so you can rediscover the magic of the original spinning activity.

If you prefer to get your workout on without leaving your apartment complex, we have tons of apartments across Austin with walking/jogging trails, fully equipped fitness studios, yoga rooms, and even free classes and personal trainers!  Give Austin Apartment Specialists South Austin a call today at 512-912-8000 to find the apartment with your dream combination of fitness opportunities!

Where Are All Those New Texans Coming From?

The Austin Business Journal reports on new data from the Texas Association of Realtors showing that Texas had the 2nd highest amount of people relocating in 2015.

553,032 new residents came to the Lone Star state in 2015 with Californians leading the charge.  65,546 of the newbies were from the West Coast state.  Florida was number two in sending new Texans, but was far behind with just 33,670 sunshine state residents switching allegiance.

However Texas also had the third highest number of residents leaving the state with 445,343 people heading out.  41,713 of those people moved to California and 29,706 moved to Florida.

When the outbound and inbound migration is considered, Texas saw 107,689 new residents, an increase of 4 percent over 2014 when the number was 103,465.

As far as moving within Texas, Houston and Dallas each sent about 13,300 people to Austin and Los Angeles and New York City each are responsible for about 2,550 new Austinites.  Austin is still one of the fastest growing cities in the country.

Are you one of the new Austinites?  Welcome! No matter where you’re moving from, we’re here to help you find the perfect apartment in the area of Austin that works for you!  Our experienced locators know everything about the city and can help you find your new home easily and painlessly.  Give Austin Apartment Specialists a call today at 512-241-1111 and end the stress!

Austin’s skilled worker population tends to congregate in certain areas, especially in West Austin and not in East Austin, according to a new analysis by the Austin Business Journal.

Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the Austin Business Journal found how many professional, scientific, and/or technical workers lived in each square kilometer of the Austin area.  There are roughly 100,000 such workers in the Austin metro and they are 10 percent of the Austin workforce.  The only group of workers larger than this are retail employees.  

The areas that had the most professional, scientific, and or technical workers living in them were in downtown, but they also follow the area’s highway systems into the suburbs.  

The analysis also draws attention to the area’s strong income inequality.  Austin is the most economically segregated major metro area in the country, something that tends to happen in cities that have a lot of tech and so use employees from the professional, scientific, and/or technical category.  East Austin has almost none of these workers.

Are you a professional looking to find a new apartment in Austin?  Give Austin Apartment Specialists South Austin a call today at 512-416-8100 and start the new year off in a new place!