Downtown is Austin's heartbeat, with a vibrant entertainment scene and a strong sense of heritage. Modern museums coexist with iconic buildings from the late 19th century, such as the Texas State Capitol (1888) and the Driskill Hotel (1886). Music fans frequent renowned locations like Stubbs BBQ and Austin City Limits Live at The Moody Theater, and party goers frequent the lively bars on East 6th Street.

It serves as the regional administrative and commercial hub, as well as the location of the city's high-rise structures. There are numerous condos and high-rise structures being built in Downtown Austin at the moment. The Independent, The Austonian, and 360 Condominiums are the top three highest condominium structures west of the Mississippi River, and they are all situated in downtown Austin.

The main thoroughfare through downtown Austin, TX is Congress Avenue, which runs from south to north from the Capitol Building. This area of downtown is crowded with shops, eateries, lodging facilities, supermarkets, and music venues.

In the 1830s, the Republic of Texas under President Mirabeau B. Lamar is where the history of Downtown Austin first began. Edwin Waller was chosen by Lamar to oversee the design and building of the new town. Waller chose a location between Shoal Creek to the west and Waller Creek to the east, perched on a bluff above the Colorado River. The Waller Design, usually referred to as Austin's initial city plan, was created by Waller and a team of surveyors. They divided the land into a straightforward grid on a 640-acre (or one square mile) area with 14 blocks running in both directions. Today's downtown Austin still bears a significant portion of this initial architecture.

This is a bustling district of business, cuisine, and cocktails that is just as lively throughout the week as it is on the weekends. The Capitol is a mingling place of finance and fun as well as charitable conservation. Downtown Austin offers possibilities for retail therapy as well as a vibrant arts scene with galleries and museums on almost every corner. Between Congress Avenue and San Antonio Streets, which is officially the length of 2nd Street, is where the majority of downtown shopping, including stores for beauty, clothing, and home goods, is located. Additionally, the 2ND Street District is home to renowned dining establishments and nightlife spots that offer a true Austin experience. Numerous nightclubs are packed with concert goers who crowd the streets of Austin's Red River Cultural District as they wait for the lights to go down and the concerts to start.

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