![]() Outside of a few neighborhoods, Austin lacks this critical mass-and growth restraints are to blame. And these greater populations-full of suburbanites who often work and shop in the city-create the critical mass needed for intense urban agglomerations. While such developments may not be attractive, they are crucial-along with dense infill-at increasing the populations of metro areas. Austin isn't dominated by highways and sprawl, like Houston and Dallas, and many locals would suggest that this gives it better "character."īut I don't automatically equate sprawl with bad urbanism. The Austin area has more preservation reserves, meaning one can drive several miles east or west and quickly enter beautiful rural Texas. Of course, this slower-growth mentality has advantages. According to Houston-based urban analyst Tory Gattis, this is one reason why Austin is by far the whitest big Texas city, having become "a great monoculture if you’re a white college-educated 20 or 30-something hipster."Īustin has also proven less willing than the others to increase highway capacity, causing the worst traffic in Texas, according to Forbes. This inflates prices, meaning richer demographics move in while poorer ones get priced out. The housing stock has been limited by regulations that, thanks to NIMBYism, are stronger than in the other three cities. This attitude has shaped the city, as a fast-growing population must compete for scarce resources. As local conservative activist Jim Skaggs noted during an interview, the Austin establishment reflects “a tale of two cities”-one side is all in on attracting jobs and outside companies the progressive wing, meanwhile, likes these notions in theory, but won't accommodate it by increasing the built imprint. ![]() Austin's political DNA reflects less the pro-growth mentality found throughout the rest of Texas, than the slow-growth agenda of coastal cities. Make no mistake: other Texas cities are not becoming the “ new Austin.” The state capital's atmosphere downtown and in surrounding neighborhoods on a Saturday night is unrivaled anywhere in Texas, and perhaps America, save maybe New Orleans.īut as I also discovered in the Big Easy, throwing a good weekend party doesn’t equate to clear-headed leadership on Monday morning. It maintains a small-town feel, as evident when Travel + Leisure readers named it "America's Friendliest City” yet offers big city prospects.Īustin's greatest strength lies as a nightlife center. San Antonio could thus be described as a city that successfully combines two worlds. This is apparent in the built fabric, with its mix of new downtown condos and large master-planned communities and in the demographics, which is increasingly rich and international, thanks to an inward flood of professional-class Mexicans fleeing violence in their homeland. On many metrics-job growth, wage growth, population growth, and overall economic performance-it is catching up with, and in some cases surpassing, the other cities. This isn't to say the Mexican-American Capital is a backwater. It also has less traffic, fewer skyscrapers, a greater family orientation, a more stable population, and less glitz and glam than the other Texas cities. The city mixes historic Spanish, German, Mexican and southwestern architectural motifs amid charming public spaces like the River Walk. A slower pace of economic development has helped it maintain this old-world charm. San Antonio is the oldest of the four cities, and home to many landmark events in Texas history, including the fight for independence from Mexico. ![]() "Many Texans view San Antonio as their second home," said former San Antonio Spurs owner and Texas-bred billionaire Red McCombs.
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