The city will inventory all of the culturally and economically significant publicly owned real estate just east of downtown in a move intended to preserve and enhance locations central to the area’s longtime Black and Latino communities. A resolution passed at Thursday’s City Council meeting calls for the city manager to oversee cataloging of all […]
Districts
Posted inAustin
Arts commissioners signal support for city funds for The Contemporary art museum
Members of the Arts Commission appear ready to advocate for The Contemporary Austin fine art museum and sculpture park to receive consistent city funding beyond Hotel Occupancy Tax dollars. This week’s commission meeting featured a presentation from Sharon Maidenberg, executive director and CEO of The Contemporary, detailing the organization’s plans for the next five years […]
Posted inTransportation
Austin’s airport is getting a new concourse and 20 more gates but not until the 2030s
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (ABIA) is gearing up to add at least 20 new gates, expanding capacity at the overcrowded airport as it struggles to serve millions more passengers each year than it was designed to handle. The planned gates will be located inside a newly constructed building – temporarily dubbed Concourse B – linked to […]
Posted inPreservation
Historic Landmark Commission to honor Russell Lee, iconic American photojournalist
The longtime home of one of history’s most prolific photojournalists may soon be crowned a local landmark, thanks to a vote at last week’s Historic Landmark Commission. The 110-year-old home, located at 3110 West Ave., secured the commission’s blessing due to its long-standing association with iconic photographer Russell Lee and his wife Jean, a notable […]
Posted inPlanning
Study raises questions about senior/child care center proposed for Nash Hernandez Building
A new study calls into question the feasibility of proposals to use the Nash Hernandez Building in East Austin as an activity center for older people and young children. The report on the legal and financial realities of the intergenerational resource and activity center (IRAC) has caused staff from the Austin Public Health Department and […]
Posted inHousing
County backs $7.2M SAFE Alliance housing in East Austin
On Tuesday, the Travis County Commissioners Court dedicated $7.2 million toward a supportive housing development called the Lancaster, a 60-unit complex that will provide respite for people experiencing homelessness and survivors of domestic and sexual violence. The development is a project of the SAFE Alliance, a nonprofit serving survivors of child abuse, sexual assault and […]
Posted inParks
Council approves renaming bathhouse in honor of Joan Means Khabele
City Council on Thursday approved the renaming of the bathhouse at Barton Springs Pool in honor of the woman who, as a teenager, led the first “swim-in” at the segregated pool in an act of civil disobedience. With the unanimous vote, the facility officially becomes the Joan Means Khabele Bathhouse at Barton Springs Pool. The […]
Posted inWater
Council OKs contract for advice on additional water pump station
On Thursday, City Council unanimously approved a $3 million contract with HDR Engineering Inc. for a study to determine where the water utility might locate an additional new pump station and reservoir in Southwest Austin in conjunction with the Davis Lane Pump Station. Austin Water says that on a day when there is maximum demand, […]
Posted inCity Hall
Memo supports mobile community court pilot ahead of $1.5M budget request
A pilot program to make the Downtown Austin Community Court more accessible to those needing help clearing up misdemeanor offenses and receiving social services has been ruled a success, with organizers pushing to make the expansion permanent. A memo released last week from the DACC court administrator Robert Kingham recommends the city move forward with […]
Posted inTravis County
Travis County approves ambitious ‘Marshall Plan’ for northeast planning district
According to Travis County commissioners and staff, eastern Travis County has long been blighted. Lack of investment and economic opportunities along with displacement and systemic racism have left the area systemically impoverished. In 2024, after years of dilapidation in the area, Travis County and the city of Austin have set their sights on changing – […]
Posted inHousing
Austin will spend $87 million on property in Southeast Austin for affordable housing
City Council voted Thursday to spend $87 million to buy 107 acres of land in Southeast Austin for affordable housing. Tokyo Electron, which makes semiconductors and display production equipment, announced in February that it was moving from the site. The city plans to build 1,100 units – some of which will be affordable – on the property. It […]
Posted inDevelopment
Council hears plan for another South Congress PUD
A proposed 6.0102-acre planned unit development would mean big changes for the southwest corner of South Congress Avenue and Riverside Drive, including the possibility of a tower more than 500 feet tall. City Council heard details about the plans at its work session Tuesday. Zoning Officer Joi Harden offered a development assessment, describing the PUD […]