“HISTORY DRIVEN DESIGN” TBG PARTNERS
LEADING AUSTIN’S HISTORIC REPUBLIC SQUARE REDEVELOPMENT
Republic Square
revitalization will transform park into the city plaza and gathering
place for downtown Austin
AUSTIN, November 26, 2007
– TBG Partners, Texas’ largest landscape architecture and planning
firm, is providing character development and landscape architectural
services for Austin’s historic Republic Square, located in the
southwest quadrant of downtown Austin. TBG’s master plan first and
foremost addresses Republic Square’s original intent – to be a
gathering place and urban park for all Austin residents and
visitors.
TBG’s
vision for Republic Square includes preserving, enhancing and
activating the vibrant green space, protecting the Auction Oaks and
making the space more functional for daily use as well as
event-based usage. TBG is working closely with a number of civic and
private organizations, including Republic Square Partners group,
which includes representatives of the Downtown Austin Alliance,
DANA, the GSA and Federal Court, Ballet Austin, the Austin Museum of
Art, the City of Austin, the Austin Parks Foundation and others, as
well as project stakeholders, in a collaborative effort to develop a
site design that incorporates the park into existing, renovated and
the developing urban fabric.
Scheduled to break ground in 2008, phase one of the Republic Square
revitalization will function as a catalyst for future growth and
planned improvements. TBG’s vision resets the park, allowing for
more flexible utility of the space, creating a hub of activity and
preserving and enhancing the site’s history.
TBG
designed phase one around preservation, enhancement and historic
interpretation of the site’s famous Auction Oaks, creating a “sense
of place.” The goal is to resolve the park’s untapped potential,
lack of cohesion and context, yet at the same time preserving its
historic integrity. Grading will allow for a natural sloped lawn
amphitheatre and stage that will set off the space and encourage its
use for events. TBG is also enhancing the landscape with a variety
of native and adaptive plants and local materials to promote the
local distinctiveness and timeless design. Once renovations are
complete, the park will link to nearby new and established
developments, including condominium high rises, the Austin Museum of
Art, the U.S. Postal Service mixed-use redevelopment, a new federal
courthouse and the Austin Ballet.
“Republic Square is uniquely situated in urban open space, and it is
our mission to utilize this space as much as possible,” said Daniel
Woodroffe, principal at TBG. “Currently, the park is underutilized
and does not appropriately tell the ‘story’ of the place. When
complete, it will be a place where downtown employees, residents and
visitors will gather to meet, eat, relax and enjoy Austin’s downtown
culture. It is our vision that Republic Square, while retaining its
historical value, will be the city square of downtown Austin once
again.”
The City
of Austin was “born” under the oak trees of Republic Square on
August 1, 1839, when 306 lots of the newly-surveyed, square-mile
town were sold at auction. Excluded from the auction were four
unnamed public squares preserved as gathering places for Austin
residents. Republic Square, the most prominent of the four original
city squares, has endured many reincarnations over the years,
including being paved over as a parking lot in the 1950s.
About TBG Partners
As Texas’ largest landscape architecture
and planning firm, TBG designs mixed-use and residential
communities, corporate campuses, civic buildings, hotels, resorts,
healthcare and educational facilities, city parks and historic
sites. With 22 LEED Accredited Professionals on staff, TBG works to
incorporate sustainable design principles into each project.
Established in 1987, TBG is now staffed by over 130 professionals in
Austin, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio. For more information,
please visit
www.tbg-inc.com.
About Austin Parks Foundation.
Since 1992, Austin Parks Foundation has
initiated, promoted, and facilitated physical improvements, new
programming, and greater community involvement for Austin's parks.
Each year, Austin Parks Foundation generates hundreds of thousands
of dollars in volunteer time, in-kind donations, and financial
support for city parks. For more information, please visit
www.austinparks.org.
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