District 1
Council OKs staff to negotiate over HealthSouth contract
Last week, City Council directed city staff to move forward with negotiations with Aspen Heights Partners, the NHP Foundation and Capital A Housing on redeveloping the HealthSouth site at 12th Street and Red River. But it wasn’t a simple vote: Council…
Development • By Jo Clifton • Oct 10, 2022
Toll road agency, tech firm square off in court
At the end of a lengthy hearing Tuesday, Judge Eric Shepperd of Travis County Court at Law No. 2 told lawyers for the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority and the technology company suing the agency he would be back with…
Courts • By Jo Clifton • Oct 5, 2022
Feedback fueling progress on redevelopment of blocks 16 and 18 downtown
Residents along the eastern edge of downtown Austin have had many, many opportunities through the years to share their thoughts about how the city should redevelop two blocks on East 11th Street, with not a lot to show for it.…
Planning • By Chad Swiatecki • Sep 29, 2022
Candidates for District 1 City Council seat chat with the 'Monitor'
Four years ago, Natasha Harper-Madison won a runoff election to become the second-ever representative of City Council District 1. That year, the entrepreneur and mother of four bucked conventional wisdom by winning at the expense of better financed candidates. This…
Elections • By Nina Hernandez • Sep 21, 2022
Council gives final OK to East 11th and 12th street district changes
After months of delay, City Council finally concluded passage of a revised urban renewal plan for Central East Austin on Thursday. Despite pleas from residents of the East 11th and 12th street corridor not to allow additional cocktail lounges in…
Planning • By Jo Clifton • Sep 16, 2022
Demand for skilled workers drives District 1 jobs training program
With job growth in Austin stronger than ever, and most analysts naming the region as one of the best job markets in the nation, Workforce Solutions Capital Area is trying to make traditionally underserved communities aware of the job training…
Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • Aug 17, 2022
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City seeks developer to partner on transformation of two historic blocks
Over the next three months, the city’s quasi-governmental development entity will perform the early work that will result in a development plan next year for two long-discussed blocks in East Austin. This week’s Community Development Commission meeting featured a presentation…
Development • By Chad Swiatecki • Aug 11, 2022
Council rejects historic zoning for East Seventh Street house
Lacking the nine votes needed to overcome the property owner’s objection, City Council denied a request last week from the Historic Landmark Commission to designate “a good example of folk Victorian architecture” as historic. The Carlson-Colunga house at 902 E.…
Preservation • By Jo Clifton • Aug 2, 2022
Council approaches resolution on 12th Street conflict, but neighbors still dissatisfied
The city came close to settling a monthslong dispute over East 12th Street last week, postponing updates to the Urban Renewal Plan and Neighborhood Conservation Combining District perhaps one last time. With a valid zoning protest petition filed and Council…
Planning • By Kali Bramble • Aug 1, 2022
Council OKs bidder for low-income and homeless housing
Although the city’s housing staff expressed a great deal of enthusiasm for an Austin Housing and Finance Corporation contract to provide affordable multifamily housing on city-owned property at 3515 Manor Road, several neighbors urged City Council Thursday to reject the…
Bonds & Propositions • By Jo Clifton • Jul 29, 2022
City formulates $98 million financing plan to cover Colony Park gap
The city is asking Travis County to contribute $30 million to the development costs of the Colony Park planned unit development in Northeast Austin, part of a proposed financing package of $98.8 million needed to complete the project. A city…
Development • By Chad Swiatecki • Jul 6, 2022
East Seventh historic zoning case sails through Planning Commission
A 116-year-old property at 902 E. Seventh St. stands a fighting chance against demolition following the Planning Commission’s recommendation last Tuesday to zone the site historic. The single-story folk Victorian home, currently operating as storage space for neighboring restaurant Gabriela’s,…
