City officials formally dedicated the new pedestrian plaza next to Waterloo Park in recognition of Pike Powers, the attorney and lawmaker credited for his role in the growth of Austin's economy and technology ecosystem.

The big picture

City Council voted last fall to rename a stretch of "Old" Red River Street in downtown's Innovation District to honor Powers, who died in 2021. The city is now working to turn the plaza into an improved public gathering space that can also support downtown events.Mayor Kirk Watson, who sponsored the renaming effort, called Powers "an influential leader in Austin’s tech boom" and a key reason for the city's rise in economic prominence.

"We are an international city that is seen by the rest of the world as an important place," Watson said at a Jan. 9 dedication ceremony. "When people are looking where they want to grow their businesses and be a part of the worldwide economy, it’s one of the places that always gets looked at. ... That wouldn’t have happened, in my point of view, but for the history that Pike Powers played in making Austin that focal point.”Powers grauated from The University of Texas School of Law, launched the Fulbright & Jaworski law firm—now Norton Rose Fulbright—served as a state representative for Jefferson County in East Texas in the 1970s, and later worked as chief of staff in the governor's office. He's known for helping to secure major tech initiatives like the Microelectronics and Computer Technology Consortium and semiconductor consortium SEMATECH in Austin, and was one member of the local team that worked to draw investments by Samsung to Central Texas in the 2000s.

Powers was honored from the local to national levels with awards in the legal, economic and tech fields. Gary Farmer, former Opportunity Austin chair and Heritage Title Company of Austin president and CEO, said Powers is now a "forever legend" following the downtown plaza's official dedication.

“He was the person who shifted our focus in Texas from the natural resource to the human resource, and set the stage for us to be a high-tech capital of the world," he said.

Looking ahead

Years after it was closed to vehicle traffic as part of Red River Street's realignment, Pike Powers Plaza will now serve as a public gathering and event space adjacent to Waterloo Park.

The city recently completed a community survey seeking input about how the area should be used, and the kinds of amenities and other design elements that could be added. Based on those results, residents said they hope to see more mobility connections and safety elements as the plaza is developed. The survey also showed support for features like:

• New landscaping
• Shaded seating
• Outdoor dining options like cafes or food trucks
• Bike and pedestrian infrastructure
• Event facilities
• Public art

The plaza engagement initiative remains in its visioning phase as city consultants are now reviewing that public feedback. They're expected to craft several proposals for the plaza's future that'll be presented for public review later this year.

That work follows shorter-term safety upgrades already in place, like the addition of new barriers and signage around the plaza area.