AUSTIN, Texas – Every day hundreds of people move to Austin, and with the housing market and everything else constantly changing, we want to keep Austinites old and new informed.

Each week Spectrum News will bring you information on real estate, restaurants, events and more. This week we are focusing on the downtown area.

Real Estate:

The downtown Austin skyline continues to evolve with more than 1,200 hotel rooms, 150 condominiums and 480,000 sqaure feet of office space added to the central business district last year. On the residential front, 5th and West opened its doors, and later this year, the anticipated Independent, 70 Rainey and The Proper will welcome new owners.

These three buildings will add 626 luxury homes to downtown this year, and even more residential projects are being planned. Among those are 6 and Guadalupe, a mixed-use building and office space and Waller Park Place, which is the largest development ever contemplated in downtown Austin. Waller Park Place is planned to have a combination of 200 condos, 200 hotel rooms, retail space and over 300,000 sqaure feet of office space.

Overall, more than 800 new residences, including units both for sale and lease, will be released this year alone.

New Restaurants:

In Austin we're known for our tacos, barbecue and craft beer and new restaurants are popping up daily. Here are a few of the downtown's hottest new spots according to Eater Austin:

TLV is in the new Fareground in the heart of downtown on Congress Avenue. Its Israeli-inspired dishes have an American twist, featuring hummus platters, falafel sandwiches and doughnuts.

If you head on over to 4th Street, you can grab a taco and more at Chispas. According to Eater, the pork belly Abobado or the duck confit carnitas are a must-try.

Cuba 512 opened its second location on Congress Avenue. The restaurant is best known for its Caribbean Country dishes which include, ropa vieja, cuban sandwiches and more.

Fun For The Kids :

Downtown isn't just for adults, there is also fun for the children. If you're new to town and have kids in tow, you'll want to check out the  bats on the Congress Avenue Bridge.

The Mexican free-tailed bats make Austin home from late March through early fall, and at night, they take flight.

The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum is another family favorite and they have a free day on the first Sunday of the month from Noon until 3 p.m. While Mount Bonnell isn't downtown, it's just a quick hike up with a breathtaking view of downtown and Lake Austin.


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