Summary
North Lamar is a small, urban neighborhood bordered by I-35 and a major thoroughfare. Housing is very inexpensive here, but some homes are in states of disrepair and the neighborhood has a reputation for high crime. The area has a lot of retail businesses and casual restaurants.
Features
Just seven blocks wide and about 1.5 miles long, North Lamar is situated between N. Lamar Blvd. on the west and I-35 on the east. Along Lamar Blvd. there are many retail businesses like auto service shops, truck rentals, low rent motels, pawn shops, and fast food options. The neighborhood is known for having a higher crime rate even than other low-income areas of town, particularly the south section near Rundberg Ln.
Two bright spots in the neighborhood are Chinatown Shopping Center, which opened in 2006, and Brownie Park. Chinatown features Chinese and Vietnamese restaurants and businesses, Vietnamese video rentals, Chinese hair salons, and a large Asian supermarket. Across Lamar Blvd. is a strip mall with another Chinese and Vietnamese restaurant, as well as a Mexican grocery store. Half-acre Brownie Park has picnic tables and a playground and is used mainly by the local residents.
Being adjacent to I-35 and Lamar Blvd. makes it easy to commute from the neighborhood to the rest of the city, and downtown is just a 15-minute drive. Public transportation is also accessible. Traffic and noise can get bad along I-35 and Lamar Blvd. Inside the neighborhood, away from the main thoroughfares, the environment is residential, with wide, tree-lined streets, modest-sized bungalows, and inexpensive apartment complexes.
Because of the neighborhood's reputation and distance from downtown, housing here is among the most inexpensive in Austin. Some homes still go for less than $100K. The low housing cost attracts students and young singles just starting out. But the population turnover is high; only about 15 percent of people stay here longer than five years.
Views From the Street
| Grady Dr. East | Ferguson Dr. | Farley Dr. |
| Doc Holliday Tr. | W. Longspur Blvd. | N. Creek Dr. |
| Brownie Dr. | Garrett Run E. | Chinatown Center |
| N. Lamar Blvd. | Middle Fiskville Rd. |
Facts and Figures
Community Information
Real Estate and Apartments
Homes in North Lamar are mostly bungalow-style houses, modestly sized and built in the 1970s and 80s. Home prices are mainly in the low $100K range and below.
North Lamar, Austin, Texas
Zip code: 78753