| The North Loop neighborhood in Austin, Texas is a | | | | have passed, and as the new George H.W. Bush |
| vibrant, yet quaint place to call home. Over the past | | | | Intercontinental airport opened, the property values |
| few years, and throughout the Austin real estate | | | | soared. Yet many residents who have been in the |
| boom, it has managed its increasingly high profile | | | | neighborhood for decades stayed, and with them the |
| while generally preserving its qualities that make it so | | | | charm of North Loop has been mostly preserved, |
| unique and desirable. | | | | along with its attraction for the kitschy and |
| Situated about 25 blocks north of UT campus, North | | | | unorthodox. When I lived on 51st and Avenue F, our |
| Loop has always been a safe haven for students and | | | | house was purple and yellow with too many trees |
| other left-of-center folks, who have contributed | | | | for our medium-sized yard, and we didn't stick out. |
| greatly to the neighborhood personality and activism | | | | North Loop has also fostered a variety of small local |
| since it was built (mostly in the Fifties). The most | | | | businesses, from guitar repairman extraordinaire |
| defining aspect of this area are the small, attractive | | | | Walter Hutchison's Musical Exchange to the aptly |
| houses with well-proportioned yards and lots of tree | | | | named Flightpath Coffehouse. While these two |
| cover. Most houses fall into the one-to-two bedroom | | | | specific examples have resided in the North Loop |
| with one bathroom size, although, like many older | | | | area for decades, the area has expanded to include |
| Austin neighborhoods, many have converted garage | | | | many interesting stores such as Monkeywrench |
| apartments and other nifty conversions. Converted | | | | books, a self-described "anarchist book store" where |
| duplexes are also common, as are full-on remodels | | | | activists meet to help shape the world around them. |
| with two stories. Such homes make it somewhat | | | | Between Monkeywrench and local pizza restaurant |
| more difficult to justify moving a family, but for | | | | The Parlor, about 3-4 shows for local bands of all |
| married and expecting couples North Loop is a | | | | persuasions go down weekly. Other personal |
| perfect fit. | | | | favorites of mine include Sound on Sound Records, |
| The main reason North Loop has been able to resist | | | | local bike shop The Peddler, and the self-explanatory |
| the increasing development associated with much of | | | | Sign Store, although that covers less than half of the |
| central Austin (and for its low rent by Austin | | | | recent additions to the North Loop shopping |
| standards) has much to do with its less than desirable | | | | experience. The majority of these businesses have |
| location in previous years- namely, underneath | | | | arrived in the past ten years, but there is one |
| airplanes. Austin's old airport placed North Loop | | | | common thread that unites them: local owners who |
| squarely underneath the flight path of descending | | | | are looking out for the benefit of the neighborhood. |
| planes, thereby rendering the properties much less | | | | In conclusion, if local businesses and smaller, unique |
| valuable. I remember many days playing at my | | | | houses sound like a great place to spend your days, |
| father's house when all conversation would be | | | | then North Loop is the right place for you. Austin real |
| interrupted by the mellifluous tones of jet engines | | | | estate has many choices, and this neighborhood is |
| roaring into the runway to the north. Those days | | | | one of the unique places to end up. |