Newsletter Signup
The Austin Monitor thanks its sponsors. Become one.
-
-
Most Popular Stories
- Council members celebrate unanimous defeat of bill that proposed putting Austin under state control
- A once-banned type of building is back in favor – and the Planning Commission approves
- East Austin’s ‘wishbone’ bridge takes shape as concrete beams almost span Lady Bird Lake
- Austin churches answer prayers for affordable housing – by building it themselves
- Audit shows former Austin Water employee directed search of boss’ inbox
-
-
Discover News By District
-
Popular Whispers
-
District 9
Commission endorses historic zoning for Castle Hill estate
Another Castle Hill residence is poised to join Austin’s roster of registered landmarks, with owners of 610 Baylor St. winning over Historic Landmark Commission members last week in their bid for historic zoning. Since 1982, the city has granted landmark…
Preservation • By Kali Bramble • Jan 23, 2025
Dirty no more? City opts to keep Sixth Street open to traffic at all times
Beginning this weekend, the city will keep Sixth Street open to vehicular traffic on weekends, a substantial departure from decades of street closures designed to accommodate nightlife culture that saw thousands of pedestrians gather in the roadway while moving among…
Transportation • By Chad Swiatecki • Jan 16, 2025
Drawing on his last two years, Qadri hopes to expand his leadership on mobility
After a busy year, Zo Qadri has set his sights on taking on more mobility work in 2025. That seems an apt role for the City Council member who represents District 9, which covers Downtown, the University of Texas and…
City Council • By Amy Smith • Jan 2, 2025
Landmark commission says goodbye to Nau's Enfield Drug
All good things must come to an end, and the time has come for Nau’s Enfield Drug to join the souls of bygone local staples in the mixed-use afterlife. But first, the Historic Landmark Commission hopes the site’s new stewards…
Preservation • By Kali Bramble • Dec 10, 2024
PARD memo eyes expected 2026 bond package to complete new Dougherty Arts Center
The Parks and Recreation Department is looking toward an expected 2026 bond package to obtain the funding needed to complete the new Dougherty Arts Center, which is slated to be built in two phases in the coming years at a…
Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • Dec 10, 2024
Congress Avenue transformation plan gets support from Urban Transportation Commission
The Urban Transportation Commission has voted to support the proposed transformation of most of the downtown portion of Congress Avenue, turning much of the street into a pedestrian- and multimodal-focused corridor and removing almost all vehicular traffic. The recommendation to…
Planning • By Chad Swiatecki • Dec 6, 2024
Subscribe to our newsletter
Arts Commission joins call for bond money to replace Dougherty Arts Center
The Arts Commission wants City Council to commit to including funding for a new Dougherty Arts Center in the city’s next bond package, likely to go before voters in 2026. At its most recent meeting, the commission unanimously approved the…
Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • Nov 25, 2024
Latest State of Downtown report shows the city core's businesses and housing are in transition
The latest report on downtown Austin’s economic and cultural health shows the city core is seeing ongoing vacancies and low utilization of office space in a trend that has caused a flattening of many indicators of business activity. That analysis…
Development • By Chad Swiatecki • Nov 13, 2024
Council gives first reading OK to major development on tiny slice of land
On a vote of 8-3, City Council last week approved on first reading a major change for a small sliver of property at 1209 W. Fifth St. The change would allow the developer to build up to 120 feet, a…
Zoning • By Jo Clifton • Nov 13, 2024
Downtown Commission questions scope, cost of core transportation plan
The city has identified improvements to several east-west streets through downtown as priority projects in a new plan to address mobility in the area. Last month, the Downtown Commission got the first look at portions of the Austin Core Transportation…
City Council • By Chad Swiatecki • Nov 7, 2024
New zoning would allow huge building on South Congress
At the last meeting before the Nov. 5 election, City Council spent more than 11 hours in chambers, with most of their time being devoted to the contract with the Austin Police Association, which they approved. But with a barely…
Zoning • By Jo Clifton • Oct 29, 2024
New scenarios for HealthSouth site could revive redevelopment push from Council
A pair of new scenarios for redeveloping the former HealthSouth properties downtown could revive the city’s efforts to use the sites to provide hundreds of units of affordable housing. A memo released last week from Mandy DeMayo, interim director of…
