The University of Texas has plans to make the J.J. Pickle Research Campus in North Austin a hub for the area’s already thriving semiconductor industry, in addition to existing city plans to steer life sciences businesses to that region. The Austin Business Journal reports that UT President Jay Hartzell wants the university to be more […]
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 inWhispers
Rainey Street Trailhead gets ribbon-cutting, community celebration
The Trail Conservancy has scheduled a ribbon-cutting and community celebration for the grand opening of the Rainey Street Trailhead, part of the Ann & Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail. The $1.1 million project connects the trail to Rainey Street and includes seating areas, a stage, natural tunnels and mazes, and other amenities to serve visitors to […]
Posted inLand Development Code
Disability committee asks Council to address group homes in land use code
Changes to city code that could affect the regulation of group homes for seniors and people with disabilities prompted a request for City Council to make further adjustments to the Land Development Code. The Mayor’s Committee for People With Disabilities voted last month to approve a recommendation that reestablished some basic guidelines concerning group homes […]
Posted inPlanning
Arts, music commissioners want new convention center to support Austin creatives
Members of the Music Commission and Arts Commission have assembled a list of 31 recommendations detailing how the reconstructed Austin Convention Center could best support the local creative community. The recommendations from the Urban Core Land Use Working Group, which includes two members of each commission as well as development and event professionals, was scheduled […]
Posted inPlanning
Downtown Commission wants updated downtown plan draft in six months; Council vote next summer
The Downtown Commission wants the city to approve an updated version of the Downtown Austin Plan by next summer, with a draft document expected early next year to allow the commission to make needed budget recommendations next spring. At a special meeting last month, the commission considered how to best move forward with the new […]
Posted inDevelopment
Developer expects to reach agreement for Crestview project this fall
The firm selected to lead in the redevelopment of a former utility yard in Crestview doesn’t expect the city’s recent changes to land use for transit-oriented developments to impact its plans for the site that has long been earmarked for substantial new housing. In May, the Austin Housing Finance Corporation voted to pursue a development […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Music Commission considers space, funding options for Texas Music Museum
The Music Commission plans to ask the city to provide emergency storage space and funding for the Texas Music Museum, which is facing overcrowding at its East Austin location and the possible loss of gratis storage space in an Austin Police Department warehouse. At Monday’s meeting, commissioners heard a presentation from museum leaders and discussed […]
Posted inWhispers
Infrastructure academy receives $225,000 for program design
Austin Infrastructure Academy, which was formed early this year, has received contributions of $125,000 from Texas Mutual insurance company and $100,000 from Google.org, the social impact arm of the tech giant. The money will fund program design for the academy that was created to help connect job seekers with careers in construction and operations. Training, […]
Posted inPublic Health
Central Health talks new facilities, services in advance of 2025 budget
Travis County’s public hospital district that funds medical care for low-income residents plans to accelerate its introduction of new clinical services in its next budget year. Care for psychiatry, endocrinology and rheumatology are among the new offerings on tap in part because of budget reserves that are higher than anticipated. At a community forum on […]
Posted inWhispers
Vision Zero gets $1.3M for new traffic signals in districts 1 and 2
The city’s Vision Zero program has received $1.3 million in federal funding via the Texas Department of Transportation’s Highway Safety Improvement Program. The money will be used to install new traffic signals, which are historically shown to reduce vehicle crashes by 35 percent. The new signals will be installed on Harris Branch Parkway at Giles […]
Posted inWhispers
City issues progress update on construction for MACC expansion
Construction crews working to expand the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center are preparing to install grade beams that will transfer some of the structural load to the spaced foundation of the structure, which consists of reinforced concrete beams at grade level. According to an update from Capital Delivery Services, other recent progress has […]
Posted inAustin
Arts Commission sees potential in proposed cultural district framework
The Arts Commission expressed early support recently for the Economic Development Department’s plans to simplify and standardize the process for creating cultural and economic districts, with the expectation that more districts will be established and funded in the coming years. At last month’s meeting, the commission received a presentation from Matthew Schmidt, a program manager […]