My project is centered around the houses and businesses of Burnet Rd. This section of North Austin has been home to many local businesses and restaurants for decades. Recently though, incoming residents, often non-native Texans, have been steadily developing new houses and businesses in the area. The unforeseen side effect has been rising rent costs and reduction of business for some of the more eclectic shops that were once iconic. This has forced many closures.
With this in mind our project aims to document stores, houses, and attractions that might be under threat in the area. We believe this will serve to preserve the Austin that has been so widely known, but is slowly fading.
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8302 Bowling Green Dr 03-10-2019
The first thing one notices as they approach this property is the baby doll perched on a post. This home has fallen into disrepair, but maintains an interesting aesthetic. Is this homes look beneficial to surrounding neighbors? That is unclear.
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5706 Fairlane Dr 04-09-2019
This home sits just on pillars at the moment. This is an incredibly relevant site because it shows the process of what is occurring in the area. We can see from the ruble that the home is essentially being gutted. Concrete, dirt, and trash litter the site.
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5701 Adams Ave 02-17-2019
Presumably a semi-luxury home in its heyday this building has been vacated and is slowly becoming more like the homes around it. In poor condition. This home sits just one block from Burnet Rd.
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5213 Jim Hogg Ave 02-17-2019
This house maintains an overgrown exterior that is quite foreboding to any pedestrian. It sits in a hidden cul de sac near an autobody shop. An oil and gas company line marker sits next to the makeshift address sign.
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5209 Burnet Rd 03-17-2019
Century motor cars has been operating since 1992 and provides used cars to the surrounding area. The business sits in disorder, but the owners promotes their new online management package that provides fellow car dealerships with the ultimate in sales management.
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Burnet Rd 02-17-2019
This vacant property used to house a car leasing companty. It sits unoccupied on Burnet Rd.
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8313 Reeda Ln 03-10-2019
This property is in the older part of the neighborhood and many of the properties are in similar shape. The water damage on the door shows its poor construction. How much longer this home will be occupied by the current owner is anyone’s guess.
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8315 Hathaway Dr 03-10-2019
This property just a year ago had many potted flowers, as well as flags signifying the homeowners service in the military. Now the home is surrounded by dead grass. It most likely has a new owner.
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8310 Hathaway Dr 03-10-2019
Two figures swing gleefully from a tree in their front lawn. This fun addition to the front yard can tell us about the attitude of the homeowners. A cluttered garage stores an antique car and is illuminated by a single green lightbulb.
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Founded by two sisters in 2014 Austin Play Garden is an early childhood care center. Their goal is, “create a school that combines high quality educators with an environment that offers development equal to the standards met for any other time in a student’s life.”
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Decorating one’s lawn is common all over Austin. Here the homeowner chooses flowers, gourds, and pots as her method of expression. An old refrigerator waits to be moved while a large piece of driftwood sits motionless on the exterior wall.
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Ivy engulfs the side of the home.
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The façade of this home is instantly recognizable for any American. It has only been altered by the creeping ivy that encompasses the side of the home. Located across the street from Lamar middle school it is hard to image that the family that lives here does not have some stake in the community.
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Framed by large trees that create a wonderful play of light, this house sits neatly down the street from Burnet. Unfortunately, it is outdated and small compared to the new homes being constructed in the area.
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Located down an offshoot of Burnet Rd. This dated structure appears to have been a business at one time. It is still currently under lease though.
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The shadows are what make this home so alluring. One has to wonder how long those trees have been growing. In a way they are the greatest indicators of change. This lot must have been developed quite a long time ago, and luckily there is no for sale sign posted.
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The exterior color is completely black. This is quite unique especially considering the rose garden that lines the right side of the lot. Will this aesthetic choice match the newly developing neighborhood? Only time will tell.
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This is an example of the average size of many of the homes around Burnet. While small in stature, many have a soft-beautiful quality. This home is one block from Burnet, and is adjacent to local daycare. gg
