Downtown Austin Alliance 2011 Annual Report

Message from Board Chair, Joel Sher

This year we saw a visible, increased connection of places. The Waller Creek Tunnel Project broke ground in April, and construction wrapped on both the I-35 makeover at Eighth Street and the Brazos Street Improvement Project. We championed all these projects because they help ensure every block of downtown is thriving and safely accessible to residents, employers, workers and visitors. Similarly, the DAA connected people. We worked to form public-private partnerships to protect our parks, brought disparate groups together for educational opportunities and introduced national retailers like Brooks Brothers and Apple to some of the country's smartest, savviest urban shoppers. We also continue to tackle one of the biggest challenges in our rapidly growing city - connecting people throughout Central Texas to downtown places. We've been working with the City of Austin and local transportation authorities to study our regional transportation systems and ensure that stakeholders like you stay involved and informed throughout the process. We are also tremendously excited about two recent developments in the Public Improvement District - the landmark announcement of a potential new medical school and the beginning of a master planning process for the North Capitol Complex. On behalf of the DAA and its board of directors, I thank you for your interest in and passion for our downtown. We welcome your feedback on the issues you see presented in this annual report and invite you to connect with us over the coming year.

Sincerely,
Joel Sher
2010-2011 Board Chair, Downtown Austin Alliance

Past Annual Reports:

Downtown Austin Alliance 2010 Annual Report

Downtown Austin Alliance 2009 Annual Report

Downtown Austin Alliance 2008 Annual Report