Mean Eyed Cat is Saved
Wednesday, July 4th, 2007 at 4:44 pm 
By admin
The Mean-Eyed Cat, one of my favorite local watering holes, was in danger of closing recently as the property was not zoned to allow the operation of a lounge. Fortunately, a dramatic outpouring of public support convinced the Austin City Council to re-zone the property, allowing the Mean-Eyed Cat to stay open! What a relief!
Here are more details from the Austin Business Journal (June 22, 2007):
Zoning change keeps Mean-Eyed Cat open
The Austin City Council voted unanimously on Thursday to approve a zoning change request that will keep the unique West End bar Mean-Eyed Cat alive.
The three-year-old watering hole at 1526 W. Fifth St. faced an uncertain future because it did not have the proper zoning designation to operate as a lounge. Owner Chris Marsh, who started the business in 2004, had planned to make significant sales from food he brought in from other vendors, but it wasn’t enough to allow the establishment to continue under a retail/restaurant zoning designation. Still, in its short life so far, Mean-Eyed Cat has gained national and even international attention as an Austin hotspot. In recent weeks, thousands of patrons signed a petition asking the city to grant the request to keep the bar open.
Now the Mean Eyed Cat will survive to live next door to the new 5th Street Commons. This new mixed-use development immediately East of the bar will include a both retail space and apartments.
Here is a brief description from the developer’s brochure:
5th Street Commons is a joint development project between Direct Development and Gables Residential. Direct Development will develop the ground floor retail and Gables Residential will develop 138 multi-family units in three stories above the retail. There will be a four-story parking garage built in conjunction with the project.
More detail on 5th Street Commons can be found on the Direct Development Website and in this Austin Business Journal Article about the development.
5th Street Commons & Mean Eyed Cat Map:
Do you agree with the zoning change? What do you think of 5th St. Commons? Opine in the comments.
