The Hill Country Galleria, opened in
2008, has become a site of attraction for many of the people that inhabit the
Lakeway and Westlake area, two very similar suburbs of Austin. People from this
area tend to be pretty affluent and are able to have not only the spare time
but the cash in order to afford to shop, eat, and enjoy what the Galleria has
to offer. From department stores, local shops, a diverse array of eateries, a
grocery store, and a movie theatre, the Galleria really has it all. Not to
mention Bee Cave City Hall and a public library also sit on the mall grounds.
The Galleria blurs the line between a public space and a private one, as well
as demonstrates certain cultural practices that can only be found on this side
of town.
The
different elements I decided to observe at the Galleria were the purses women
were carrying and the different ways the hill country rock and limestone were
used. I chose to ask 15 different random women what type of purse they had, how
much it cost, and if they purchased it for fashion or functionality. From the
data I collected, I found out that more than half of the purses were designer
brands, ranging between $700-$1,800 in price. The other half of the purses were
random brands from a variety of stores. Of these, the prices ranged from
$10-$120. From these observations, I have gathered that the women who shop here
without a doubt care more about fashion rather than function. They also do not
mind spending a significant amount of money on a purse. It is apparent that the
women from this area are in a different mind set than the women in other areas
of Austin. In regards to the hill country rock and limestone, it was utilized
in a multitude of different ways and is definitely the focal point of the mall
from an architectural standpoint. Not only is it used for the main construction
of the mall, but it is also used as a sidewalk, as potters for trees and
plants, as miniature monuments that sit on an open lawn within the mall, and in
a variety of other ways.
The Hill Country Galleria is
the perfect example of a private space appearing to be a public space. The
Galleria is a non- government owned mall, which in reality is private, although
it appears like a public space because it is a common area. Malls are
not public space. They are private spaces that are in modern society being
perceived as public spaces. There is a dilemma between the private ownership
policies and how one can use the space.
There are no fees to get into
the Galleria, and you don’t have to buy anything to enjoy what the space has to
offer. People just go to the Galleria to get outside and take a walk with their
family. As observed, there are many different seating areas made of the classic
hill country rock and limestone. These seating areas vary from benches to
chairs, some in the shade near landscaping and some not. Additionally, there is
a water fountain that shoots water from the ground where children can play,
especially on hot summer days. These different leisurely activities can be
enjoyed without having to use any other service the Galleria has to offer.
As discussed in class, there are
different ways people are expected to behave in public and private spaces
throughout the United States. It is often understood that people are expected
to maintain their privacy while amongst others or while in a crowd. In both a
public and private space, there are explicit and implicit rules that must be
followed. For example, the law upholds rules banning drug use, drinking, and
indecent exposure. Another rule, specific to the Galleria, is that costumers of
the mall are not allowed to park in the parking garage intended for the
apartments located behind the mall. Perhaps it is best to describe the Hill Country
Galleria as a privately owned public space. This is a result of urban
redevelopment.
Additionally,
the Galleria demonstrates certain cultural performances that one would only
find in this area of town. First of all, the times I was there, I mostly observed
the mall being used by Caucasians. It is almost impossible to encounter any
Hispanics or African Americans. What I gathered from my observations is that
the people that visit the mall are mostly white women and children. High school
and middle school students from the Eanes and Lakeway school districts have,
over the years, made the Galleria their “hang out.” It has become a place where
children can go off on their own and take part in certain activities while
parents can do the same, as well as supervise. With the galleria, parents are
now able to run errands while their children hang out with friends. It is, in a
way, a one-stop shop for many families. According to Margaret Kohn, “industry
watchers report that the average visit to a ‘leisure time destination’ (a mall
with sophisticated design elements, restaurants, and movie theaters) lasted
four hours as compared to just one hour at a conventional mall” (Kohn, Margaret:
256). Another cultural practice that I observed is that, in addition to the parking
spots along the sidewalks of the mall, there is a large parking lot behind the
stores where people can park. In the hotter months, beginning in May and ending
in September, or when it is raining, the Galleria offers free rides, from your
car to the stores, on a large golf cart. This is a luxury that cannot be found
at other outdoor malls.
I would say that the Galleria is not a
completely democratic space. It is democratic in the sense that there are no
fees to get in, and no matter where in the city you come from, you can go to
the Galleria. However, other than benches and a water fountain, the mall has
nothing to offer someone from a lower income family. Most of the shops are
expensive, as well as the restaurants. The only neutral things that are sold
are movie tickets at the Cinemark. Furthermore, the Galleria is not a close
distance from central Austin, and it takes a lot of time and gas just to walk
around an outdoor mall. The location of the mall decreases its desirability for
lower income families because it is not realistic for people from other areas
of the city to ever frequent the Galleria. Even people from Davenport, a
neighborhood in Westlake, have to travel a pretty significant amount just to
get to the galleria. By being so far out, the mall, in a way, excludes people
of a different class or different area from ever visiting the Galleria.
In essence, the Hill Country Galleria is
a private space that appears as if it were a public space. The primary visitors
of the mall are from only two areas, Lakeway and Westlake. People from these
neighborhoods tend to be on the wealthier side, which permits them to be able
to shop at the higher end stores that are in the mall. If one were to look 10
years into the past, the Hill Country Galleria wouldn’t exist, nor would hardly
any of the developments in that area. The Galleria and its surroundings are
very new, which signifies that these suburbs of Austin have not only been
growing in size, but in appeal. More and more people want to live in nice
neighborhoods, put their kids in the best schools, and frequent the best
places. However, in reality, the majority of the population is not in the
financial position to do so. One thing is for certain, what one would mostly
encounter at the Hill Country Galleria is white, rich people.
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