“Coming Soon” banners line the building on the corner of 24th and Guadalupe, a historic part of UT’s Drag. What exactly is coming and how soon will it be here? At this point in the summer, curiosity about the new development has turned into annoyance at the seemingly endless construction that has swallowed West Campus.

Most students remember the previous building as merely a closed Intellectual Property and a safe haven for Drag rats. But it was not always this way.

My first experience walking down the Drag landed me inside Intellectual Property bookstore on the corner of 24th and Guadalupe. I was a junior in high school at UT for speech camp and instantly fell in love with the city of Austin. For that summer, the drag felt like the heart of the city. I am not alone. The Drag holds a special place in the heart of Longhorns.

Jan Ingram attended the university in 1957 and explained that she and fellow students went to the Drag to get books at the Co-Op or food at local hamburger joints.

Former Longhorn Margaret Grant fondly remembers going to the Drag for similar purposes. Grant came to the university in 1978 and recalls picking up books at the Co-Op, checking out street vendors and hanging out at the Hole in the Wall. “A lot of interesting people hang out on the Drag, it’s part of the life of the university,” Grant said.

While the Co-Op may have remained the same over the last sixty years, it seems that is one of the only consistencies down Guadalupe. Around the mid 19th century, the corner of Guadalupe and 24th housed the Varsity Theatre; parts of that structure still remain around the building. In the 1990s Tower Records took over the corner only lasting for a decade. The mural on the side of the building was a product of the record store and stayed even when Tower closed.

Which brings us to Intellectual Property. The most recent endeavor at the corner of 24th and Guadalupe opened in the 2000s and contained a unique collection of books and films. The local Austin bookstore didn’t make it long enough for many current students to ever graze the lined shelves or check out their expansive film collection. As construction continues in full swing, those students will be seeing this building occupied for the first time.

According to Ran Peschel, the project manager at Burt-Watts Industries, Inc., the construction will result in a Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, Qdoba Mexican Grill and a Noodles and Company. The building will serve as a sort of food court for the area, although there is concern about the lack of parking. Equally concerning is when will it be ready. ”Possibly, they would like to be open for the start of next semester,” Peschel said about the project.

As changes continue to be made down the section of Guadalupe that is heavily incorporated into campus life, the Drag remains as big of a part of Austin as it always was. “Some things have changed or are no longer there, but it has the same feel that it always did.” Ingram said. Hopefully the new addition to the Drag will continue to add life and energy to campus.