Local arts leaders and members of the Tourism Commission hope to bring City Council’s attention to the lack of action on the deteriorating Dougherty Arts Center, which has been caught in a sort of planning and budgetary limbo for more than a year. At last week’s Tourism Commission meeting, Laura Esparza, executive director of the […]
Chad Swiatecki
Chad Swiatecki is a 20-year journalist who relocated to Austin from his home state of Michigan in 2008. He most enjoys covering the intersection of arts, business and local/state politics. He has written for Rolling Stone, Spin, New York Daily News, Texas Monthly, Austin American-Statesman and many other regional and national outlets.
Posted inCity Council
Postponements spark talk of examining Council work sessions
The lack of City Council work session meetings in recent weeks appears to have played a large role in the postponement of a trio of programs pushed by the Economic Development Department that had been up for a vote at last week’s full Council meeting. The three programs in question were: a place-based economic incentive […]
Posted inCity Council
Council delays vote, opts to fine-tune incentive program for creative spaces, legacy businesses
City Council plans to take the next two weeks to fine-tune the guidelines for a proposed place-based economic incentive program aimed at creative spaces, legacy businesses and community needs such as child care providers and grocery stores. Thursday’s meeting featured presentations on an assortment of new programs from the Economic Development Department, with the place-based […]
Posted inCity Council
Council could decide ‘agent of change’ noise dispute issue, after nearly a decade of debate
This week, City Council could end nearly a decade of waiting and staff work to settle disputes between music venues and new developments moving into all areas of the city. Today’s Council meeting will include a proposed ordinance change concerning sound assessments for new residential and hotel buildings, which since 2015 have been at the […]
Posted inUncategorized
Health diagnostics ‘unicorn’ to bring more than 1,000 jobs to bolster Austin’s life sciences sector
The city is expected to see an influx of more than 1,000 life sciences jobs in the coming years, with a California-based molecular diagnostics company announcing a major move into Austin. BillionToOne broke ground Wednesday on a 220,000-square-foot facility expected to occupy six buildings in the EastVillage ATX development on Parmer Lane near Samsung Austin […]
Posted inAustin
Hotels nearing agreement on tax plan to provide homelessness services funding
City leaders expect a long-in-coming new hotel tax that could provide money for homelessness services to be ready for final City Council approval within the month. On Monday, the Austin Business Journal reported that the proposed Tourism Public Improvement District tax levy has reached one of the needed thresholds with local hoteliers, with a second […]
Posted inHousing
City provides updates on financial, anti-displacement efforts related to HOME initiatives
The city has started to make a series of moves intended to make it easier for middle- and low-income residents to build accessory dwelling units and generate new income from properties that are now able to host more housing. Last week’s meeting of City Council’s Housing and Planning Committee included an update from Mandy DeMayo, […]
Posted inCity Hall
Audit finds low pay, telework policy among drags on the city’s worker retention rate
A recent audit by the Office of the City Auditor found the city’s efforts to retain employees are falling short, with compensation, career progression and telework policies standing out as problem areas. With a turnover rate that peaked at 11.77 percent in 2022, the need for more effective and strategic retention policies has become critical. […]
Posted inTransportation
Council to see start of contracts for nearly $2.5B to fund airport expansion
City Council will consider a handful of funding items today that collectively would approve almost a half-billion dollars in contracts for the expansion of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. The five requests total $497.8 million and represent the next major decisions in a series of possible approvals that would total nearly $2.5 billion in the coming months. […]
Posted inLand Development Code
Noisy neighbors: Council to consider changes in decibel limits for some new construction
At Thursday’s meeting, City Council will consider adjustments to the recent DB90 zoning classification that could result in a significant reduction in the noise levels allowed in residential areas. A scheduled public hearing on the possible ordinance change could also result in adoption of one of two ordinances that take opposite positions on the noise […]
Posted inParks
Camp Mabry as a park? Author Lawrence Wright proposes new use for military base
Renowned author and journalist Lawrence Wright has unveiled a vision to turn the Camp Mabry military base in Austin into an urban state park with natural attractions and some development to complement the city’s other major parks spaces. Wright, an Austin resident who has won a Pulitzer Prize in addition to many other national awards, […]
Posted inHousing
Left waiting: Rally Austin pushes for city action on four sites ID’d for redevelopment
Representatives of the economic entity created by City Council to speed up development of city real estate assets in support of affordable housing said they’re being stymied by inaction that’s holding back work on at least four high-profile sites. In 2022, City Council approved four properties to consider for redevelopment in the near future, with […]