Proposals for Waller Creek Get Displayed

October 3, 2012 4:52 pm by: Matt Largey

The proposals for Waller Creek presented today incorporate various combinations of bridges and walkways. Image courtesy Waller Creek Conservancy

Four teams with competing visions for remaking a swath of downtown Austin made their pitch to a packed crowd at City Hall today.

The Waller Creek Conservancy has overseen a design competition that will determine the future of the creek.

Twenty-eight acres of prime downtown real estate are being removed from the floodplain by the construction of the underground Waller Creek Tunnel.

“It’s a transformational project,” said Ken Smith, a landscape architect on one of the final four teams. “It’s going to change downtown Austin, and it’s going to tie the East Side much closer to the downtown community. So as a social agent, it’s going to make a profound impact.”

The Waller Creek Conservancy will announce the winner of the design competition later this month. You can see photos of the final design proposals here.