Central allandale By Jackie Potts

East Austin

Austin's downtown skyline may garner a glut of glamorous postcard publicity, but the area east of Interstate 35 is quickly becoming a hotbed of revitalization and growth.

From cosmopolitan chic to longstanding mom-and-pop corner shops, Austin's East Side is a melting pot of urban cultures, historical significance and economic development. It also is home to Huston-Tillotson College, the Texas State Cemetery and such landmark destination restaurants as Juan-in-a-Million, Joe's Bakery, Gene's, Hoover's and El Azteca.

Not surprisingly, the 78702 and 78721 ZIP codes have seen an influx of development and revitalization as local singles, musicians, artists and young professionals turn their eyes toward East Austin's affordable housing and prime proximity to the downtown entertainment district, Towne Lake and Interstate 35.

"Once I get a home listed, it will sell within a week," says Jesse Torres, a Realtor since 1964 and a native Austinite who grew up in the area before founding Torres Home Quest. "It's a hot area."

And it's only getting hotter. While slick, new condos such as the Pedernales Lofts (priced from $96,000 to $200,000) have attracted a lot of attention, it is the decades-old homes that comprise the majority of the area's housing. Torres says many of the homes in the 78702 area are small in size and are in need of repair. However, these are precisely the qualities that are attracting the area's growing new population.

"Most houses are two bedrooms and average 800 square feet," Torres says. "They sell for about $121 per square foot. A lot of the homes are 80-years-old. Most of them don't have garages or air-conditioning, and they may need foundation work."

Homes in the 78721 ZIP code are newer and average about $80,000, Torres says.

"They were built about 15 to 20 years ago," he says, noting that he predicts "tremendous growth and renovation" throughout the East Austin area.

The 78702/78721 ZIP codes in East Austin are roughly bordered by Interstate 35 on the West; Martin Luther King Blvd. on the North; Ed Bluestein Blvd. on the East and Town Lake to the South.

Zone: EC
MLS Area: 5

Zip Code 78702, 78721

East Austin is seeing a revitalization in the area. Not only are the housing prices attractive but this area also offers an abundance of parks as well as the French Legation, which hosts community events throughout the year. The George Washington Carver Museum is also located in the area and has the distinction of the being the first African American neighborhood museum in Texas.