Could the ambitious vision to “cut and cap” Interstate 35 through Austin be the key to transforming downtown and reclaiming up to 30 acres of land at the heart of the region for people, rather than solely for cars?
CNU-CTX Director Emeritus and longtime Austin urban champion Sinclair Black and a growing group of community allies, believes this is so. This effort to “Reconnect Austin” has been gaining momentum as efforts to rework this section of I-35 are currently being explored.
This month, we have an incredible opportunity to hear from a diverse and insightful panel at our CNU-CTX Cafe Urban on this hot topic. Our speakers will look at the potential of I-35 through downtown from an urban design perspective and explore just how this transformational project can impact Austin’s built environment for generations. Speakers include:
- Peter Park, City Planner, Teacher and former Planning Director of Denver, Colorado and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he helped implement the removal of the elevated Park East freeway.
- Patrick Kennedy, Partner in Space Between Design Studio and Founder of A New Dallas, which is working toward the removal of IH345, an elevated highway in downtown Dallas.
- Alan Holt, Principal Planner, Urban Design Division, City of Austin, who has focused his career as an architect on creating healthy, vibrant communities through participatory planning and urban design.
- Sinclair Black, architect, author, educator and urban designer, who has received widespread recognition for his efforts on behalf of Austin’s natural and man-made environments.