Some Sixth Street business' sales are dropping, but they're ok with that – for now
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Lucky Lizard and Museum of the Weird and Roppolo’s Pizza have stood side by side on Sixth Street for decades.
“My roots go back deep,” said Marc Roppolo, who opened the local chain in the 1990s.
Both he, and Veronica and Steve Busti – Lucky Lizards’s owners – said they were shocked to see the new fences, pictured below, up on Sixth Street a few weeks ago.
“Once I got down here and looked I though ‘hmm, interesting,'” Roppolo said.
The Bustis said they felt the same.
“Initially when we came in one day and saw these barriers were up, we were kind of upset about it,” Veronica said.
The fences are in place as part of a phased approach to open up Sixth Street to car traffic full time, with a larger-scale goal of making the entertainment district safer and bringing more visitors there during the day. The goal of this program is the break up stagnant, late-night crowds that often become unruly – and sometimes violent – Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said.
Roppolo said he saw business at his Sixth Street pizzeria drop by about 40% since the fences went out. The Bustis said their foot traffic has slowed significantly as well. Both expressed concerns about the fencing making their shops less accessible.
However, their mindset shifted when they learned the fences are supposed to be temporary. As the city of Austin tests out opening the street up to car traffic, staff said using the fences to create more sidewalk space is imperative for public safety. The city said the long term plan calls for permanently extended sidewalks.
“If this temporary setback has to be done to do the research and and figure out what works and doesn’t work, I think it’s worth it,” Veronica said.
Roppolo mirrored that.
“The next decades to come are a lot more important than the next six weeks or so,” he added.
This only stands, this groups of business owners said, if the changes actually come to Sixth Street and don’t take too long to do so.
“Is the movement happening?” Veronica said. “We plan to check on it and make sure the projects and promises are getting done.”
It’s important to note that this project is still in its very early stages, and city staff are continuing to adapt the pilot program to best fit the needs and safety of the city.
For many folks who have been on Sixth Street for decades – like Roppolo and the Bustis – the goal is to bring it back to what it was like in the 80s and 90s.
“I’ve asked myself what’s gonna be in the best interest of bringing Sixth Street back to where it was when I opened up,” Roppolo said.
