César Chávez Street renaming meetings begin

The backstory: The downtown street was named Water Avenue in the original 1839 city plan and became First Street in 1887 — also known as La Primera.

• Following Chávez's death in 1993, the street was renamed to honor the civil rights activist as well as Austin's Mexican American, Chicano, and broader Latino communities and their connections to the farmworker movement, organized labor and civic life. 

Follow the money: Renaming the street could cost between roughly $425,000 and $1.2 million and take up to six months to implement, per a city analysis.

• In addition, city staff identified 153 businesses along East and West César Chávez Street, ranging from small independent businesses to major institutions and technology firms.
• "All businesses would expect to face administrative, physical, digital, and opportunity costs if the street is renamed," reads a May memo from Lindsey Wilson, director of the city's equity and inclusion office, to the City Council. "Based on experience from the renaming of Manchaca Road to Menchaca Road, some businesses reported expenses reaching tens of thousands of dollars."

What's happening: The city of Austin is hosting three meetings about the history of the street, the renaming process and the possible impacts for the community and nearby businesses.

• The first meeting is 5-7pm Tuesday at the Central Library.
• The second is 2–4 pm Saturday at Sanchez Elementary School.
• The final meeting will be a virtual webinar from 6-8pm Aug. 18.

Zoom in: City officials are asking residents to weigh in on two central questions: whether César Chávez Street should be renamed and, if so, what names should be considered.

• Those who cannot attend can complete an online survey to provide feedback.