Tag Archives: Office of Real Estate Services
Idle lands: Austin joins cities looking to put real estate assets to best use
By next spring, the city is expected to have a detailed plan for how to turn its underutilized real estate assets into money-producers, in an attempt to add General Fund revenue and counteract state limits on property tax increases. Austin…
Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • Nov 14, 2023
Council to establish consistent practices for redeveloping city-owned land
City Council passed multiple resolutions this month aimed at guiding how the city manages the land it owns, particularly with an eye toward creating more affordable housing and other community benefits. On Dec. 1, Council passed four resolutions, all sponsored…
Planning • By Jonathan Lee • Dec 12, 2022
Mixed-use options considered for future of police HQ site downtown
Planners see a variety of possibilities for the eventual redevelopment of the Austin Police Department headquarters site downtown, with office space, affordable housing, retail, an event space and recording studio among the possible uses. Those were some of the ideas…
Development • By Chad Swiatecki • Dec 20, 2021
Downtown Commission hears plans for APD headquarters relocation
Alex Gale from the city’s Office of Real Estate Services and Darrell Alexander from the Building Services Department spoke to the Downtown Commission Wednesday on the relocation of the Austin Police Department headquarters. Gale explained that Council had given direction…
Police • By Seth Smalley • Mar 22, 2021
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Study weighs market impact of convention center expansion, predicts rebound from Covid-19
A new market analysis finds that the proposed expansion of the Austin Convention Center would bring more than 1,700 jobs to the city and add $306 million in annual economic impact from the local events and tourism industry. The market viability study…
Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • Aug 20, 2020
State empowerment zones seen as wrong tool for city to preserve affordable housing
The city’s Neighborhood Housing & Community Development Department has opted not to use a state statute created to encourage infill development as a method for preserving affordable housing stock, instead choosing to enter into direct partnerships with developers using city…
Housing • By Chad Swiatecki • Jan 14, 2020
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Affordable housing takes a few steps forward
Housing prices continue to climb in Austin as more people move to the music and tech mecca of Texas. According to Zillow, the median home value in Austin is $372,200, while the median list price is $399,000. In adopting its…
Housing • By Jo Clifton • Oct 10, 2019
City moving toward greater scrutiny, and possible rent hikes, on nonprofit leases
Nonprofit organizations operating on city properties will likely be expected to put a dollar value on the services they provide to the community, and could face higher rents after years of lease agreements at far below market rate. In May,…
City Hall • By Chad Swiatecki • Jul 18, 2019
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Audit finds city has 'poor' leasing practices
An analysis of the city’s leasing practices has called for widespread changes in coordination and oversight across city departments, after pointing out a number of inefficiencies and lost revenue that could cost $75 million over the next 30 years. The…
City Hall • By Chad Swiatecki • May 31, 2019
Alter worried about cost of city leases
Council Member Alison Alter is worried about how much money the city is spending on renting space for city offices as compared to purchasing or building those offices. At Tuesday’s work session, Alter grilled Alex Gale, the city’s interim real…
City Council • By Jo Clifton • Mar 7, 2019
South station closure marks start of municipal court facilities shuffle
A significant shuffling of operations is in store for Austin Municipal Court in the coming months, thanks in large part to Friday’s permanent closure of the court’s south substation on Manchaca Road. The closure will leave South Austin residents with…
City Hall • By Chad Swiatecki • Feb 28, 2019
Despite higher valuation, Montopolis School property appears headed to court
The city’s purchase offer via eminent domain for the Montopolis Negro School property appears to be headed to court. On Tuesday a three-member Special Commissioners Hearing agreed on a value of $464,000 for the schoolhouse portion of the Southeast Austin…
