The city is continuing work to establish a community center for seniors and young children in East Austin, with sites under consideration including the Nash Hernandez Building. A memo released last week discloses the latest progress related to a December 2022 resolution from City Council. The resolution called for a variety of administrative steps related […]
Districts
Posted inDevelopment
Bouldin Creek residents discourage development plans for hotels peering over their homes
Hotels could be coming to the Bouldin Creek neighborhood after the Planning Commission approved an extension for a site plan at Mattie’s at Green Pastures restaurant. The proposed development would bring two hotels with about 100 rooms and renovations to the historically significant home previously owned by Henry and Martha “Mattie” Faulk, whose daughter Mary […]
Posted inCity Council
Council gives final OK to Borden Dairy tract rezoning
City Council last week gave final approval for rezoning of the former Borden Dairy site in the Govalle neighborhood, allowing for its reconfiguration from an industrial site to a major mixed-use development. The vote was 8-1, with Council Member Alison Alter opposed. District 3 Council Member José Velásquez, who represents the area, recused himself from […]
Posted inAustin
Austin launches education and outreach initiative targeting hate crimes
The city of Austin last week launched the We All Belong Anti-Hate Initiative, an education and outreach campaign intended as a response to a string of hate crime incidents reported across the city. A group of leaders from the city, Travis County and other parts of the community gathered at a Friday morning news conference […]
Posted inParks
Downtown Commission hears plans to address Rainey Street safety
The Downtown Commission last week gave an unofficial thumbs-up to the city’s efforts to improve safety in the Rainey Street nightlife district, in an effort to prevent more drownings in the area. On July 19, representatives from the Parks and Recreation Department and The Trail Conservancy gave an update on the Rainey Street Trailhead project, […]
Posted inPlanning
Council approves taller buildings in part of Sixth Street entertainment district
City Council has approved an increase in building height for a portion of the East Sixth Street entertainment district that has been targeted for redevelopment by a Dallas-based real estate firm. The ordinance amendment approved Thursday after a public hearing will allow buildings on the 500 and 600 blocks of East Sixth Street – the […]
Posted inTransportation
City makes Barton Springs Road safety improvements ahead of pilot
The city recently began work on a series of safety improvements to the crash-prone stretch of Barton Springs Road between Stratford Drive – inside Zilker Park – and South Lamar Boulevard, ahead of a yearlong pilot program that has prompted a mixed response. The improvements include a reduction to one westbound lane between Azie Morton […]
Posted inPreservation
Landmark Commission debates historic exemption for new safe fence ordinance
The Historic Landmark Commission faced an unusual case last week, when a construction proposal at a landmarked home at 1412 W. Sixth 1/2 St. collided with pending City Council action to ban unsafe fence designs. The resolution, which would mandate flat tops for new fences under 6 feet tall and prohibit gaps running 2 to […]
Posted inZoning
Planning Commission says no to more mini storage units near future light rail station
The Planning Commission on Tuesday denied a request to expand a mini storage facility near a future light rail station, holding out for the possibility of mixed-use, transit-oriented development over what they deemed a suburban, car-oriented use. The owner of Life Storage at 8227 N. Lamar Blvd. requests a rezoning to Commercial Services – Mixed-Use […]
Posted inPreservation
Council to vote on allowing taller buildings along Sixth Street
City Council is set to vote next week on allowing taller buildings along part of Sixth Street, in hopes of bringing more daytime uses to Austin’s most famous stretch of bars and clubs. The plan is to allow buildings up to 140 feet high on properties along “Dirty Sixth”’ between Sabine and Neches streets, as […]
Posted inPreservation
Developers behind Fairmont Hotel revisit historic home relocation battle
With a $600 million development deal allegedly in the pipeline, Manchester Financial Group once again is eyeing a slice of prime real estate across the street from the Austin Convention Center. Since 2016, two historic homes on East Third Street have been caught in a tug of war between the hotel magnate and the city’s […]
Posted inDevelopment
City starting over on Ryan Drive redevelopment project
The city appears ready to hit the reset button on the redevelopment of its Ryan Drive property in North Austin, more than a year after selecting a development team that appeared ready to move the project forward. Last month the city terminated its exclusive negotiating agreement with 3423 Holdings LLC, the group led by developers […]