The former Salvation Army Downtown Shelter will continue to serve people without homes for years to come, following City Council’s decision to purchase the property for $15 million. The purchase includes the 130-bed shelter on Eighth Street and a retail storefront and parking lot on the 700 block of Red River Street. The purchase removes […]
Districts
Posted inZoning
Reclaimed water issue stops PUD from getting final approval
With only six members of City Council voting Thursday in favor of changing plans for the West Parcel of the Hyatt Planned Unit Development at Riverside Drive and South First Street, the developer will have to come back for a third vote. The change won approval on first reading last month, and Mayor Kirk Watson […]
Posted inEnvironment
Environmental Commission recommends code variances for Old Lampasas Dam modernization project
At its meeting on Wednesday, the Environmental Commission voted to approve a set of Land Development Code variances to accommodate the Watershed Protection Department’s Old Lampasas Dam #3 Modernization Project. The Northwest Austin dam was built in the early 1980s and is classified by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality as an intermediate size and […]
Posted inRoads
City official explains need to fix Barton Springs Road bridge
There is an urgent need to move forward with repairs and expansion of the Barton Springs Road bridge leading into Zilker Park, Eric Bailey, acting deputy director of Capital Delivery Services for the city, told City Council’s Mobility Committee last week. The bridge was built in 1926 and expanded to four lanes in 1946. Bailey […]
Posted inParks
Council, parks department and East Austin residents continue clash over city-owned Nash Hernandez building
City Council, Austin’s parks department and East Austin residents are still at odds over plans for a vacant facility at Festival Beach. The Nash Hernandez building, which has sat idle since 2009, was earmarked for Parks and Recreation Department offices and community space until last year, when Council action redirected staff to explore redevelopment as […]
Posted inDevelopment
Downtown church seeks community partners, not developers, in reimagining prime real estate
First Baptist Church of Austin has so far turned down tens of millions of dollars from developers looking to capitalize on the nearly 2 acres of downtown real estate it owns. Rather than cashing out and moving to the suburbs, church leaders are looking to partner with other houses of worship – possibly including non-Christian […]
Posted inParks
Following ACL Fest, parks board calls for close look at Zilker Park health
Amid concerns over the impact on Zilker Park from this year’s Austin City Limits Music Festival, city parks staff said they have conducted the annual review of the festival and are beginning the work needed to replenish the park. The cost for aerating the soil and other restorative measures will be paid for by concert […]
Posted inDevelopment
Green Pastures gets to keep three-year site plan extension
Despite pleas from several neighbors, City Council declined Thursday to overturn a ruling from the Planning Commission granting a three-year extension to a site plan for redevelopment of the historic Green Pastures restaurant and surrounding gardens. The vote was unanimous, with Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison absent. In July, the commission approved a request from the […]
Posted inPreservation
Landmark commission delays demolition of North Campus bungalow
The Historic Landmark Commission could soon be going to bat for historic designation of a North Campus bungalow, following the last meeting’s turnout to oppose its demolition. The home, which sits at 701 Sparks Ave. across from Eastwood Park, was built in 1925 in a Spanish Revival style popularized by University of Texas School of […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Citing construction concerns, city indefinitely extends moratorium on new street events
The city has indefinitely extended a long-standing moratorium on street events in response to the large number of private development and infrastructure projects slated for downtown and beyond in the coming years. A memo released last week by José Roig, director of the Development Services Department, and Richard Mendoza, interim director of the Transportation and […]
Posted inPreservation
Preservationists hold out hope for Norwood House restoration project
After a number of setbacks, preservationists are once again eyeing a decadeslong project to return a historic 1920s bungalow overlooking Lady Bird Lake to its former splendor. The Norwood House, which sits on public parkland bordering Interstate 35 and Riverside Drive, has undergone extensive rehabilitation since the launching of a city-backed restoration project in 2013. […]
Posted inDevelopment
Former skate shop cleared for demolition after successful relocation campaign
With No-Comply Skate Shop successfully relocated a stone’s throw from its prior home, the proposal to demolish the now vacant storefront at 812 W. 12th St. has returned to City Hall. The lot, owned by Austin Community College, inspired controversy when news broke of plans to replace the building with a brand-new student parking garage. […]