AUSTIN, Texas — Minnie Mann remembers when East 11th and 12th streets were bustling corridors of stores, restaurants and clubs, in the heart of Austin's African American community.

"You could find everything you needed there," said Mann, 74, who used to live in the neighborhood and has owned a beauty salon on East 12th for more than 30 years. "On a typical Friday and Saturday night, everyone was out and ready to have fun."

Today, East 12th — mere blocks from the Capitol and downtown's skyscrapers — looks forlorn and neglected, with weedy, vacant lots and a hodgepodge of small buildings.

Neighbors for decades have pushed the city to help transform East 12th into a vibrant gateway to downtown. They envision a denser mix of buildings with shops and eateries on the ground floors and housing or offices above.

For more head to http://www.statesman.com/news/local/can-city-kick-start-transformation-of-east-11th-2246382.html

Information from Austin American-Statesman