After two decades of planning, negotiations to construct the Bowie underpass have come to a halt. The project at Third and Bowie streets is part of the 2001 Seaholm District Master Plan. It would have provided a link between the Pfluger Street bridge and the Market District, giving bicycles and pedestrians a path under the […]
Economic Development Department
This city department heads up business recruitment, urban regeneration, small business development, arts, and music for the city.
Posted inAustin
EDD provides a breakdown of federal funds under its purview
While the Covid-19 pandemic has posed a host of unprecedented challenges for the city, it’s also led to an influx of federal funds under the American Rescue Plan Act. A recent breakdown of these dollars shows how the portion of funds managed by the city Economic Development Department are being spent based on City Council’s […]
Posted inDevelopment
Greystar/HACA proposal recommended for redevelopment of Home Depot site
City staffers have recommended moving forward with a proposal from Greystar Development and the Housing Authority of the City of Austin for the redevelopment of the 19-acre East Austin site best known as the home of a long-closed and decaying Home Depot store. In a memo circulated this week, Sylnovia Holt-Rabb, acting director of the […]
Posted inAustin
City opens $2M grant program to assist creative sector nonprofits
The city has spun up another emergency relief program for arts organizations, with $2 million in federal aid available for nonprofit groups connected to local arts and cultural communities. The Arts & Culture Non-Profit Relief Grant will provide 100 grants of $20,000 to local groups in the creative sector that have had their fundraising and […]
Posted inAustin
Local leaders see pandemic, winter storm as openings for economic opportunities
Local leaders say the past 15 months of Austin’s history have been a test for how the city can best serve the people and businesses that are most at risk as growth changes the economics and character of Central Texas. On Wednesday the final Engage Series webinar from Leadership Austin looked at the effects of […]
Posted inAustin
City seeks input on post-Covid economic recovery plan
The city is taking feedback from residents on a wide-reaching plan to restructure how many departments operate, and how economic development is handled in the post-pandemic world. The Economic Recovery and Resiliency Framework is a list of 45 ways the city can create new or transform existing programs to better serve residents and small businesses. […]
Posted inAustin
City opens up grants to help legacy businesses hit hard by Covid-19
A new city program set to go live next week will give long-running hospitality businesses throughout the city another possible source of Covid-19 relief. The first round of the Legacy Business Relief Grant, which was designed to help restaurants, bars, and arts and music venues that have been open for 20 years, will offer up […]
Posted inAustin
City lays out diversity goals in next round of arts, tourism funding
Groups that have been historically overlooked and underrepresented in the city’s cultural community will have priority in the Economic Development Department’s spending for cultural and tourism programs in the next budget year. During an online meeting held last Saturday, the heads of three EDD divisions that allocate money from the Hotel Occupancy Tax – Heritage […]
Posted inCity Hall
City moves on plan to create AEDC, commissions consider board appointments
The city continues to move forward with plans to create the Austin Economic Development Corporation and expects its 21-member governing board will be decided by late January. At their Dec. 7 meeting, members of the Music Commission discussed a Nov. 2 presentation about the AEDC by David Colligan, the interim chief operating officer of the […]
Posted inAustin
Austin opening up relief program for live music venues affected by Covid-19
Austin’s ailing live music venues have been thrown a lifeline ahead of the year’s end. The city will begin accepting applications Friday for short- and long-term grants through the Live Music Preservation Fund. The money, which the city says it hopes to dole out by the end of the year, will be distributed by the […]
Posted inAustin
New SAVES programs face uncertain funding
The city has started nine programs in nine months to help local Austin businesses survive the pandemic. On Thursday, City Council will consider final program guidelines for three more programs providing relief for child care providers, local music venues and restaurants. The city has allocated $5 million to each of these sectors: child care providers, […]
Posted inAustin
Austin music venues won’t get Covid relief money until next year. They say they’re running out of time.
Jeannette Gregor was shaking, her voice quivering. “I am not a public speaker. This is actually kind of a nightmare for me – especially after about five months of isolation and no social contact,” she said back in September. “So if I don’t act right, sorry about it.” She’d never held a press conference, let […]