Austin, Texas plans to revitalize historic Sixth Street through the amendment of building codes. The area will also become more family-friendly.

The Historic Landmark Commission held a meeting with representatives of Stream Realty Partners this month. This group is planning to redevelop 2 blocks of Sixth Street.

Richard Suttle, an attorney speaking for Stream Realty Partners said that the group plans to revitalize and encourage new business in the area. He gave a harsh appraisal of Sixth Street during the meeting.

According to The Austin Monitor, Suttle stated that “Sixth Street is a serious problem. It’s in a death spiral” because it’s impossible to get anyone in. It has turned into a shooting range.

Suttle outlined Stream Realty Partners’ vision for revitalizing the area.

Suttle told Community Impact that “our idea was to widen the sidewalks and create sidewalk cafes to get traffic flowing through there, as well as open it 24/7 so it is not only Thursday through Sunday evenings.” The only way to figure it out is to be able add a bit more density to these older fabrics in the two blocks.

Sixth Street has long been the center of Austin’s musical scene, and one of its most popular tourist attractions. It is also known for its rowdy, raucous crowds who engage in degenerate behaviour.

The meeting of the commission comes two years after an incident in which one person was killed and 14 injured. Jeremiah Tabb was released from jail this year without any bail while he awaited trial.

Austin is experiencing a crime epidemic since August 2020, when the City Council and former Mayor Steve Adler cut the budget of the Police Department by about a third. Texas’ legislature forced Austin to restore funding but the police department was already understaffed and had suffered a massive exodus by that time. The department’s most recent class of police officers graduated only 14 new officers. This is far below the number required to replace those who have already left.