A 400-unit apartment project at 3707 Goodwin Ave. took another step toward approval last Tuesday after receiving Planning Commission support for vertical-mixed use (VMU) zoning. “This is a simple, straightforward VMU zoning case,” said David Hartman, representing the applicant, “but it is exciting in the sense that it’s transforming three acres of a trucking terminal […]
District 3
Posted inPlanning
Planning Commission throws support behind Springdale Green development
The Planning Commission last Tuesday recommended rezoning a 30-acre brownfield site in East Austin to make way for Springdale Green, a proposed 800,000-square-foot, mixed-use development. The commission voted 7-4 to support Planned Unit Development zoning, though only at the current building footprint. City staffers support the rezoning, as does the Environmental Commission. The development sits […]
Posted inTransportation
Guerrero Park bridge delayed again
The long-awaited Guerrero Park bridge is now expected to be finished in 2024, according to the Watershed Protection Department. Watershed anticipates construction to begin next year and to take two years to complete, according to project engineer Janna Renfro. The originally proposed completion date was 2018. The bridge, which crosses Country Club Creek West in […]
Posted inPlanning
Planning Commission recommends making Chalmers Avenue block car-free
The Planning Commission said at its Feb. 9 meeting that the city should allow Chalmers Avenue between East Third and East Fourth streets to become a car-free zone, with pedestrian and bike paths and green space replacing the asphalt. The proposed “urban park of sorts” is part of the Pathways at Chalmers Court public housing […]
Posted inTransportation
Construction imminent for Longhorn Dam bridge
The Austin Transportation Department has decided on Longhorn Dam’s new bike and pedestrian bridge, which is designed to increase safety on Pleasant Valley Road and connect trails and parks in the area. The bridge’s design is “wishbone style” and will be located near Guerrero Park on Pleasant Valley Road. After removing the current pedestrian bridge, […]
Posted inPreservation
Design Commission gives feedback on Fiesta Gardens vision
On Monday, the Design Commission reviewed plans for Fiesta Gardens, a city-owned events center in East Austin that is set to receive extensive renovations within the next two years. The venue, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, includes a dining hall, a grandstand overlooking Lady Bird Lake and a Parks and Recreation […]
Posted inPlanning
Former East Austin tank farm to become PUD
After years of failed proposals and persistent remediation efforts, the Environmental Commission unanimously voted last Wednesday to advance the development of a former East Austin tank farm into a mixed-use development called Springdale Green. Located near the intersection of Springdale Road and Airport Boulevard, the area, which sits on the Boggy Creek and Tannehill Branch watersheds, […]
Posted inTransit
East Riverside to get bus priority lanes in April
Construction on interim transit bus lanes on East Riverside Drive will begin in late February and are expected to open in April, according to the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Austin Transportation Department. One of Austin’s major corridors, the nine bus routes on East Riverside carry roughly 20 percent of Capital Metro’s ridership. These […]
Posted inZoning
Planning Commission urges more housing in Montopolis
Last week the Planning Commission voted 8-4 to recommend rezoning 1013-1017 Montopolis Drive to accommodate higher-density residences, paving the way for multi-story residences like apartments and condos. Thrower Design applied to rezone the undeveloped 3.12-acre lot from single-family (SF-3) to multifamily (MF-6) land use. Opponents say zoning areas like this for higher density accelerates gentrification, […]
Posted inParks
Parks board pushes for easement, land dedication on S. Congress project
The Parks and Recreation Board found that a development along South Congress Avenue adjacent to Williamson Creek must provide parkland as part of its site plan approval process, and cannot pay a fee in lieu of that donation. The board voted 10-1 at Tuesday’s meeting to support the recommendation of city parks staff, pushing the […]
Posted inCity Council
Pio Renteria: ‘We are going to come out of this really strong’
Austin City Council was forced to overcome many setbacks during 2020, but Council Member Pio Renteria said he was encouraged that he and his colleagues made strides on their efforts to help the city’s most vulnerable populations. After shifting gears to address a variety of pandemic concerns, Renteria said he took particular pride in adding […]