The city of Austin has concluded its series of public forums on a pair of proposed policy moves that would attempt to draw clear lines of responsibility between new residential developments and creative spaces that are increasingly co-mingling in the same neighborhoods as Austin’s population density increases. Throughout January, the city’s Economic Development Department took […]
Economic Development Department
This city department heads up business recruitment, urban regeneration, small business development, arts, and music for the city.
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Council expected to take up agent of change and entertainment licenses in March
Regulations for live music venues throughout Austin appear to be changing both very quickly and remarkably slowly. At Monday’s meeting of the city’s Music Commission, the dominant topic was the long-proposed “agent of change” principle that is intended to reduce legal friction between incompatible uses, such as music venues and residential development. That issue has […]
Posted inAustin
Virtual reality expected to help city attract billions in foreign investment
Through the use of virtual reality, the city of Austin is turning to the thriving local video game industry to help attract overseas investors and billions of dollars in new economic development money. The hope is that local developers can create a mobile app that will utilize virtual or augmented reality technology to showcase some […]
Posted inAustin
Character, retention of businesses fuel expansion of Soul-y Austin
Though he works on the very same block, Josh Blaine had never been inside East Austin’s Vortex theater prior to attending a meeting of what is now the Manor Road Merchants Association. But as manager of the In.gredients neighborhood grocery store, Blaine said he fell victim to the habit that many business owners and managers […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
City lands $10 million “minibond” agreement to save endangered music venues
The city of Austin will team up with private investors to save some of the city’s most iconic — and increasingly economically distressed — music venues through a new program announced prior to Thursday’s City Council meeting. Mayor Steve Adler announced the forthcoming creation of a $10 million municipal “minibond,” the creation of which will be […]
Posted inBudget
Adler: Business incentives shouldn’t be ‘bad word’
In a booming city with an unemployment rate south of 3 percent, it’s not surprising that people might be skeptical of spending taxpayer dollars to lure more jobs into town. In a recent survey of Austinites about city spending priorities, business recruitment was the city program for which by far the greatest number of respondents […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
Music Commission to tackle licensing issues
Although the city’s Music and Entertainment Division is billed as “an economic development accelerator and centralized resource center for Austin’s music industry,” program manager Don Pitts says he spends about 70 percent of his time on permitting issues. Aiming to help cut down on that work, the Music Commission has formed a working group to […]
Posted inBudget
Tovo finds an apparently painless $2 million cut
After its second day of budget deliberations and numerous additions for quality-of-life programs, City Council still needed to find or trim an additional $1.2 million to $1.3 million in order to balance the budget for Fiscal Year 2015-16. A city spokesman said late Wednesday that staff would not be sure of the exact number until […]
Posted inAustin
City seeks to “empower” Red River district
With news spreading about the struggles of several music venues in Austin’s Red River Cultural District, many have raised concerns about the future of the area’s identity. Meanwhile, the city is rolling out a new plan that could help give a collective voice to stakeholders in the RRCD. Officially dubbed the Soul-y Austin Business District […]
Posted inAustin, City Council, Development, Local Politics
Chapter 380 won’t stop firms from tax protests
City Council Member Kathie Tovo’s attempt to prevent companies that enter into Chapter 380 economic development agreements with the city from appealing their property tax appraisals ended with something considerably less than that Thursday, after Council members heard from a Samsung representative about how such an effort might backfire. Catherine Morse, general counsel and director […]
Posted inAustin, City Council, Development
Council OKs ‘local’ loan for planned hotel franchise
Questions from City Council Member Katie Tovo about a proposed Family Business Loan led to an illuminating discussion at Thursday’s Council meeting about what the word “local” really means. Tovo said she was surprised to find out that the program does not require that loans go to local businesses. Specifically, she wanted to know more […]