Developer Calling East Austin 'Tortilla Canyon' Apologizes

EAST AUSTIN, TX — The commercial developer seeking a lucrative city lease that referred to East Austin — a largely Latino enclave — as "Tortilla Canyon" in its promotional materials has apologized and removed the reference from its website, according to reports.

Earlier in the week, the Austin American-Statesman first reported about a satirical map found on the Zydeco Development website that re-labeled the entire East Austin swath with the cultural pejorative in promoting its various properties. Patch independently confirmed the map's existence and tried reaching company officials without success.

Located at 901 Rio Grande St., the developer is trying to convince the city to relocate its aging municipal court complex to one of it properties, MetCenter, at 7000 Metropolis Dr. near the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. The office complex is located well within what Zydeco's satirical map dubbed the "Cool Zone" of Austin as opposed to the northern and southern municipal portions dubbed the "Sea of Sameness," or, presumably worse, subsections labeled as "same dull neighbors" or "not so Jolleyville."

Related story: Developers Seeking City Lease Label East Austin 'Tortilla Canyon'

It was a closer look within the "Cool Zone" that raised the ire of critics calling the company to task to a perceived cultural pejorative. The proposed site the company is pitching to the city as an alternative to the existing downtown courthouse at 7th Street. is in "Tortilla Canyon" — a clear, if culturally offensive, reference to the area's predominant demographics.

Given the ensuing outcry, the company by Friday took down its website to re-tool the offending maps. Later in the day, a company official issued an apology: “Words cannot express how deeply sorry we are for this error in judgment,” the company said in a statement to the Statesman on Friday. “So we ask that the community allow us the opportunity to show our sincere apology through our actions. We look forward to working with our neighbors and community leaders to turn this unfortunate situation into a benefit for our community.”

Among community leader who decried the use of the "Tortilla Canyon" moniker were State Rep. Eddie Rodriguez, Austin City Council member Delia Garza and the Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber.

"The Latino families in East and Southeast Austin have faced and continue to face many obstacles," Garza wrote on Twitter. "Referring to this area as "Tortilla Canyon" illustrates."

"I've seen 'satirical maps' like this before," Rodriguez wrote in a statement, "but never from an entity seeking a contract with the City of Austin. Zydeco Developments tone deafness calls into question whether or not the MetCenter is the right fit for the Austin Municipal Court."

Another Hispanic community leader, Paul Saldaña — a member of Hispanic Advocates Business Leaders of Austin (HABLA) — took a more conciliatory tone.

"A small group meeting with the Zydeco Developer will take place early next week in an effort to initiate dialogue and potential next steps," Saldaña alerted his followers on social media. "I welcome your thoughts, feedback and any messages you wish to convey and/or passed along to the owner of Zydeco. I have made it absolutely clear that I do not in any way claim to speak for and/or represent our Austin Latino community but agreed to participate in this meeting."

But he added that he, too, was outraged at the culturally insensitive label on the developer's satirical map: "Like so many of you, I remain deeply disappointed, insulted, angry, offended that anyone would feel entitled and/or have the audacity to refer to our East Austin and Latino community with such racist connotations."

Still, the Austin City Council on Thursday will consider a proposal to lease the 96,000-square-foot building at the 550-acre Zydeco Development's MetCenter business park company officials have been pitching. The 10-year lease would be lucrative for the company, valued at some $31.3 million through the life of the contract.

Detail of "Tortilla Canyon"

>>> Images: Screen shot of satirical map denoting "Tortilla Canyon" that have since been removed from the Zydeco Development website