West Campus, Austin, Texas

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West Campus is a neighborhood in Central Austin west of The Drag and its namesake, The University of Texas at Austin. Because of its close proximity to the university, West Campus is heavily populated by college students. The neighborhood is generally defined as the area east of Lamar, south of 29th St., west of The Drag and north of MLK. West campus is home to the majority of The University of Texas at Austin's fraternity and sorority houses, large apartment complexes, older homes and a few small restaurants and bars. Since this neighborhood is made up of so many students, it tends to be loud on the weekends. With the high demand for this neighborhood a recent surge in redevelopment is occurring with the addition to multiple-story apartment complexes.

West Campus exemplifies the vibrant spirit of UT, and is home to students, young families, and professors. The area’s architecture is just as quirky and diverse as the people who live there; 80-year-old buildings are often found next door to high-end, brand new condos and apartments. Craftsman homes, bungalows, historic mansions, duplexes, and apartments can all be found in this area despite its small geographic size.

THis neighborhood is marked by the diverse array of student organizations[1] and Greek communities [2] that occupy it. West Campus is home to more than 50 Greek organizations, more than 12 co-ops, organized by the Inter-Cooperative Council (ICC) [3], and countless other student organizations. With over 1,000 student organizations at UT Austin, there's always something going on, and because there are so many students eager to live and work near Campus, the overwhelming demand for housing has dramatically altered the face of West Campus.

The biggest changes to West Campus in recent years have come about as a result of the University Neighborhood Overlay (UNO) Plan [4], a city initiative passed in 2004. The UNO plans were:

"intended to help create a residential district that is close to the campus, consolidating some of the student housing that is presently scattered throughout the city, and thereby reducing transient student traffic to campus from outside, and reducing the transient parking requirements around West Campus."

The plan seeks to bring UT students closer to campus, as well as create a more dense, urban environment in order to provide more space for the growing student population. Though growth certainly isn't a new idea in West Campus, this plan has caused an explosion of new development, and by 2012, over 10,000 new bedrooms will have been built in West Campus.

Student life at UT Austin includes everything from watching football and going to a fraternity party to enjoying the outdoors at Pease Park and hanging out with friends on the Drag, and West Campus embodies all of this. And even though it's changing rapidly, West Campus will always be tied to the long and rich history of the University of Texas and of the Austin community.

The major commercial area of West Campus is "The Drag," or Guadalupe Street, where clothing stores, restaurants, bookstores (including the University COOP), and venues are just across the street from the University. The Drag isn't just famous for its retail stores; the Renaissance Market at 23rd Street is home to a strange mix of street vendors, musicians, and students hanging out, and during the school year there's never a shortage of action.

The West Campus area is also close to the brand new Blanton Museum of Art [5], the world-class Harry Ransom Center, the LBJ Library [6], and the Bob Bullock Texas History Museum [7], which features an IMAX theater. Check out Pease Park [8] on the western border (at Lamar Boulevard) for a relaxing day outdoors, or for a lively round of Disc Golf, a popular Austin sport.