Downtown dwellers look for noise relief

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Thomas Najer has called the 360 Building in downtown Austin home for two years now.

On either side of the building, two live music venues.

"I was a little surprised that I could hear it so well," Najer said. "I pretty much just accepted it right away. It kind of comes with the territory."

But not every downtown dweller feels the same way. Over the summer some people who live in the W Residents complained to the city that the noise coming from Fourth Street venues was simply too loud and it was leaking into their homes.

The city checked the noise and found the levels to be under the legal limit.

But now they're thinking about changing building codes in the Downtown area to help keep the peace between downtown dwellers and Austin's live music.

"We need to make sure as new residential towers are coming into downtown that they are built to withstand the urban sound environment," said Council Member Laura Morrison.

The resolution adopted on Thursday ask City Manager Marc Ott to bring back building code change recommendations to the City Council. Those changes could include such things as thicker glass and more insulation.

But, that could end up costing developers more money. Morrison said she thinks in the end it's a good investment.

"If you're going to build a residential tower downtown, and if it's not comfortable for people to live there, it's not going to be a good investment," she said.

But at least one Najer said it's the changes aren't needed.

"I think that is putting an extra burden on builders down here and I think it needs to be that if you are thinking of living downtown you need to do your research and understand what you are getting into," said Najer.