This four-night, five-day tour was designed to explore three main topics identified by our Co-Hosts Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss and Grand Rapids City Manager Mark Washington:
Affordable Housing
Arts-Related Economic Development
Mobility
We explored these topics through different frames, including an array of speakers and curated site-visits. We planned diverse experiences and, in Tiny World Tours fashion, also allowed for unexpected, serendipitous surprises.
A broad underlying theme was the continuously unfolding story of Austin's development as one of the decade's most unique and celebrated cities. We tried to shine a light on Austin’s past, present, and future, especially the notable similarities and differences between AUS and GRR, asking:
"What might Grand Rapids have to learn from Austin?"
"What growing pains are we both facing as we turn another decade corner to enter 2020?"
"How might Austin and Grand Rapids benefit from continued exchanges?"
One of the most important parts of Tiny World Tours delegation exchanges are the rich conversations participants! We ask all our participants to come prepared to be observant and curious, and to mutually connect as a participant in lively dialogues. No one has a monopoly on meaning, and we all benefit from full participant participation both as listeners and contributors.
The information that follows includes our daily itinerary as well as important and helpful details that we hope helped our participants prepare.
TRAVELER DETAILS
Our Philosophy: Through unique experiences around the world, Tiny World Tours brings people together in meaningful ways... We open doors to an inside track of special people, places, opportunities and transformative ideas. See the following web page for more about how we shape every Tiny World Tour.
A few key points to make everyone's experience better:
We've found that the people matter even more than the place, and that bringing together curious travelers with locals and specialists produces the most memorable travel. When we curate a special event, we encourage participants to mix and mingle with people they don't know, try new things, and be eager to learn. That said, everything is optional. If participants want to opt out of or spin off from participating in any meal, site visit, event, or walk, we only ask that they let us know ahead of time so that we don't hold up the group. If participants have special requests, we try to accommodate them.
Clothing: Although October Texas weather is expected to be pleasant, it can be unpredictable. The average October Austin weather usually calls for dry highs in the mid 80s°F and lows in the 60s°F, but hotter or colder or wetter is possible. None of the places on our tour required formal attire, so we encourage participants to feel free to dress up for our evening parties or accessorize as they wished. During the day dress was informal and we strongly urged comfortable walking shoes.
Group Communications: Mark set up and invited participants to join a WhatsApp group that allowed us to be in easy communication with each other collectively and individually. After the tour ended, Mark set up and invited participants to join a group photo sharing drive (google drive) for those who wished to share photos or videos with the other members of the group.
ITINERARY
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16:
Participants arrived at the Carpenter Hotel on Wednesday afternoon for check-in. Many made use of the property including the coffee shop called “Hot L Coffee,” the restaurant “Carpenters Hall," and relaxed by the pool. There was a poolside red phone from which guests could place food and drink orders. One of this hotel’s co-owners is Andrew Knowlton, Editor-at-large of Bon Appetit magazine, so this hotel restaurant invites culinary attention. Tiny World Tours also selected it because of its ideal location and pulse-on-Austin cultural vibe.
4:30 PM – 6:00 PM: Carpenters Hall “Austin Exchange” Group Happy Hour. During this time, some participants explored nearby neighborhood destinations such as The Long Center for the Performing Arts, Zilker Park, Barton Springs Pool, the Butler Hike and Bike Trail at Lady Bird Lake, the South Congress (SoCo)district, the Umlauf Sculpture Garden, the Zach Theatre (almost next door to the hotel), and the James Pfluger Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge.
6:00 PM – We gathered in front of The Carpenter to go to our evening event. Some chose a ~30-minute stroll while others boarded a van to ride to the event.
6:30 PM – 9:30 PM: Welcome Party and Introductory Program, "AUS/GRR Compare/Contrast"
@ The Austonian Club Room (55th Floor)
6:30 PM – 7:30 PM: The Austonian 55th floor Club Room We started our visit atop one of the city’s tallest buildings, home to lux condos. (Note: The accurate name for an Austin resident is “Austinite,” so this prominent building’s name is NOT Austin’s demonym as one might expect – rather it is a sly geographic misdirection). For the first hour, we mingled with local leaders, enjoyed the views while sipping beverages. We dined from a buffet table catered by one of Austin's noted Food Truck cuisine choices, Chi'lantro, which is transforming how people think about Korean BBQ. Participants got their bearings and enjoyed the city views from all four points of the compass. We toasted the start of our Austin exchange, satisfied our appetites with tasty Austin local cuisine, and introduced ourselves to those we didn’t already know…especially the Austinites in attendance, many of whom our group met again over the next several days.
Brian Kelsey of Civic Analytics
7:30 PM – 8:30 PM: 55th floor Club Room: Introductory Program,"AUS/GRR Compare/Contrast"
Brian Kelsey, Inaugural Research Director of the Capital of Texas Media Foundation, and Owner of economic research and consulting firm Civic Analytics, kicked-off conversation with an introductory presentation.
Please click here to view Brian’s Presentation as a PDF file
Taking turns at podium, GR Co-Hosts Rosalynn Bliss, Mark Washington, Dana Friis-Hansen, Mark Holzbach, and Austin City Manager Spencer Cronk shared insights about our shared urban opportunities and challenges in 2020 and beyond…
8:30 PM – 9:30 PM: 55th floor Club Room: mingling continued
9:30 PM: This event concluded, and the rest of this evening was free…
For those with energy to explore, Dana and Mark recommended the Rainey Street, East Austin, South Congress, or South Austin entertainment districts that are home to live music, unique bars, and wonderful restaurants. The South Congress and South Austin districts were the ones nearest to our hotel.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17: Focus: Austin Arts + Economic Development and Mobility Austin City Hall & Austin Central Library
9:15 AM – 11:30 AM – Austin City Hall, We spent the morning at City Hall, engaging with Austin city officials. Our speaker program involved team members of the City of Austin’s Cultural Arts Department.
The City Hall building was designed by Antoine Predock and its form reflects an innovative approach to government architecture. The open floor plan promotes transparency and the building features limestone, copper, glass, water sculptures and terraces. City Hall overlooks Lady Bird Lake and acts as Austin’s living room.
9:15 – 10 AM: Group splits into two subgroups (Group A; Group B)
Group A: City Hall art tour (led by Suzanne Burton w/ Economic Development Dept)
Group B: Meet in City Manager’s Conference Room (City Hall, 3rd floor) for Economic Development & Cultural Arts presentation
Veronica Briseno, Director of the Economic Development Department/Sylnovia Holt-Rabb, Assistant Director of the Economic Development Department – Opens (5 minute, possible video from City Works)
Frank Wick, Collections Manager, Art In Public Places (15 minutes)
Alberto Mejia, Program Manager, Cultural Funding & Investments, Cultural Arts Division
(10 minutes)Melissa Alvarado – Heritage Tourism Manager (10 minutes)
Q&A – (5 Minutes)
Austin City Council was in session and Austin Mayor Steve Adler and Austin City Council recognized and welcomed our delegation.
10:15 – 11 AM: Our groups met up and switched their A & B programs.
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Our A & B groups rejoined and Frank Wick provided a guided Art in Public Places walking tour along 2nd Street to Austin Central Library, designed by noted Texas architects Lake|Flato, with a brief stop along the way at the newly developed multi-use Seaholm Power Plant campus developed on the site of a landmark 1950’s era power plant with numerous examples of public art.
12:00 PM – 1 PM: Cookbook Café lunch (inside the Austin Central Library)
1 PM – 2 PM: Docent-led tour of the Austin Central Library (opened in 2018)
2 PM – 4 PM: Our group enjoyed presentations about “Austin's Mobility Future” by staff from the City of Austin’s Transportation Department and CapMetro. The presenters described the many challenges and proposed multi-modal solutions in Austin’s Strategic Mobility Plan (ASMP) and how it relates to CapMetro's “Project Connect”.
2 PM – 3 PM: Presentation from Karla Taylor, Chief of Staff, Austin Transportation Department
3 – 4 PM: Presentation from Jackie Nirenberg, Community Engagement Manager at Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority / CapMetro
Former Austin City Council Member (2009-2015), BikeAustin’s Current President, and good friend of both Mark W and Mark H, Chris Riley, was an unexpected speaker addition.
4:00 PM: We walked back to our nearby for a break and some continued exploring the city… Dinner was on-your-own.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18: Affordable Housing Bus Tour and a visit to the Canopy Arts Complex
Our group enjoyed a bus tour of East Austin organized by HousingWorks Austin, a nonprofit organization that aims to increase the supply of affordable housing in Austin, providing research, education, advocacy and thoughtful, workable affordable housing policy recommendations. HousingWorks’ Executive Director Nora Linares-Moeller accompanied us and Francie Ferguson, founding Executive Director of Foundation Communities and NeighborWorks’ National Real Estate Program Acting Vice President, will be our tour leader.
10:00AM – Mandy de Mayo, City of Austin, Neighborhood Housing and Community Development Department, Community Development Administrator - spoke to our group at the Carpenter Hotel
10:30AM - Plaza Saltillo – Capital Metro/Austin Habitat for Humanity/Endeavor - 412 Comal Street, Austin, TX 78702 (6min, 1.5mi)
● Greg Anderson, Director of Operations, Habitat for Humanity– mixed use development with 18% affordable units
10:48AM - LifeWorks –835 N Pleasant Valley Drive, Austin, TX 78702 (3min, .9mi)
● Susan McDowell, Executive Director - serving young adults, single parents
11:03AM - Guadalupe Neighborhood Development Corporation – 1200 Paul Teresa Saldana Street, Austin, TX 78702 (2min, .5mi)
● Mark Rogers, Executive Director - 100% affordable homeownership and rental units
11:17AM - The Terrace at Oak Springs by Integral Care –3001 Oak Springs Dr., Austin, TX 78702 (6min, 1.8mi)
● Darilynn Cardona-Beiler –Director of Adult Behavioral Health Services - permanent supportive housing(PSH)
11:35AM - Wildflower Terrace - 3801 Berkman, Austin, TX 78723 (4min, 1mi)
11:40PM - The Jordan - Foundation Communities at Mueller - 2724 Philomena St, Austin, TX 78723 (3min, 1mi)
● Walter Moreau, Executive Director, low income families with support services;10% PSH
11:55PM - Aldrich 51 - 2604 Aldrich St., Austin, TX 78723 (3min, .6mi)
● Blake Mauldin, Marketing Manager, Diana McIver & Associates (DMA) - workforce housing includes affordable units
12:10PM - Mueller Airport Redevelopment – Catellus/City of Austin/Mueller Foundation - 4500 Mueller Blvd, Austin, TX 78723 (18min, 6.6mi)
● Brian Dolezal, Vice President, Marketing, Catellus- multifamily development – 25% + affordability in a shared equity program
LUNCH AND TOUR - 12:45-2:45PM - Community First! Village – Mobile Loaves and Fishes
● Marla Johnson, Events Coordinator– homeless shelter
Note: Community First! was mentioned in this Oct 1st, 2019: New York Times article (click here)
3:05-4:05PM - Big Medium/Canopy - 916 Springdale Rd., Bldg 2, # 101, Austin, TX
● Shea Little, Executive Director (17min, 4.6mi)
We enjoyed a walking tour of the Canopy art complex in East Austin, a creative community set within a redeveloped East Austin warehouse, with Big Medium founders Shea Little and Jana Swec. Artist studios, creative office spaces, art galleries and a café are linked together with communal courtyards and covered breezeways, emphasizing the connectedness between art, culture, and the public.
Those with energy continued to explore the East Austin neighborhood. Mark & Dana suggested the distinctive new ARRIVE hotel features the Gin Bar and at Lefty’s Brick Bar connected next door in a garden-like setting.
Others boarded the bus and returned to the hotel … The rest of this evening was on-your-own
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19: Austin's Urban Fabric
9 – 11:30 AM: We first enjoyed a private tour of the Umlauf Sculpture Garden followed by a visit to Zilker Park and Barton Springs Pool. We then rode to Republic Square Park, where the weekly Austin Farmers Market was in full swing. We were greeted there by noted Austin architect Larry Speck and Mandi Thomas, Director of Strategic Partnerships at the Downtown Austin Alliance.
Mandi spoke to us about how Republic Square park is the site of Austin’s first Public-Private Partnership (2015) between the Downtown Austin Alliance, the Austin Parks Foundation, and the City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department. The award of a Central Parks Conservancy Partnerships Lab grant for Republic Square Park was recently announced in September.
Larry led us to various notable downtown locations, and we ended at his beautiful downtown condo home in a downtown residential development that preceded much of Austin’s recent building boom. Larry is the architect of many noted Austin urban projects such as the Austin Convention Center (and expansion), the Austin Airport (and expansion), and the first phase of the Dell Medical School at the University of Texas, and the Texas State Capitol Campus Master Plan.
Watch Interview with Professor Larry Speck and student D’Jon Green, an Air Force veteran and first-generation college student who receives a life-changing opportunity when he’s admitted to The University of Texas at Austin.
Group lunch nearby, followed by free afternoon until 5:30 PM
Afternoon Suggestions (near The Carpenter hotel):
● Explore the Umlauf Sculpture Garden
● Walk or run along the Butler Hike and Bike Trail at Lady Bird Lake
● Swim at Barton Springs Pool, a three-acre pool fed from underground springs
● check out Austin’s unique shopping along South Congress (SoCo) Avenue
● ride a CapMetro bus and/or rent a bike or scooter and ride around town
At 5:30 PM, we headed out to the edge of the Hill Country for a final evening together. We enjoyed drinks and conversation with fellow travelers, program participants, and other notable Austinites, and we paused to reflect upon and share our impressions and ideas worth exploring in Grand Rapids. A Texas-styled feast was provided by Austin Pig Roast
The special site for all this fun was The Plant at Kyle, an AIA-award-winning complex designed by Lake|Flato Architects. The 1989 home is noted for its adaptive re-use of a 1920s warehouse from the de-commissioned Alamo Cement Plant, turned inside-out and re-assembled for contemporary life, featuring a monumental screened-in courtyard, a sleeping porch, and unique living spaces.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20
End of tour – no planned activities.
Hotel check out, onward departures.
