About the Author
Chad Swiatecki is a 20-year journalist who relocated to Austin from his home state of Michigan in 2008. He most enjoys covering the intersection of arts, business and local/state politics. He has written for Rolling Stone, Spin, New York Daily News, Texas Monthly, Austin American-Statesman and many other regional and national outlets.
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Stories by Chad Swiatecki
Wednesday, January 31, 2018 by Chad Swiatecki
Entertainment & Events
Live music proponents revive ‘agent of change,’ with eye toward fall
After it lay dormant since July, city leaders and music industry professionals are restarting the process that – it is hoped – will protect live music venues and nearby residential buildings from clashing over noise and general quality-of-life issues.Known as…
Friday, January 26, 2018 by Chad Swiatecki
Austin
Science friction: Austin Democrats look at growing clash between politics and facts
Perhaps the key to fighting fake news claims and a growing resistance to scientific research in state and federal policy decisions comes down to teaching scientists and engineers how to tell jokes.The need for making scientific analysis accessible and relatable…
Thursday, January 25, 2018 by Chad Swiatecki
Entertainment & Events
Land trust and incentives for arts appear headed for Council
The creation of a land trust – a potential first for the city – is one of the tools City Council will consider next month in an attempt to keep artists and musicians from getting priced out of Austin. Council…
Monday, January 22, 2018 by Chad Swiatecki
Bonds & Propositions
Bond session puts focus on neglect of East Austin infrastructure
Affordable housing, upkeep of parks and cultural centers, and assorted infrastructure projects were some of the more popular civic needs advocated for by residents Wednesday night in the third of a series of town hall forums on the bond package…
Friday, January 19, 2018 by Chad Swiatecki
Austin
Tech community tapped in move to rid city of paper
Paper-driven processes through Austin’s city government are on the way out with the announcement of a new collaboration with the city’s tech community. The partnership, announced Thursday, will see the city pair up with the Austin Tech Alliance and members…
Friday, January 12, 2018 by Chad Swiatecki
Entertainment & Events
Nonprofits pitching in on cultural land trust proposal
A group of Austin nonprofit organizations are working together on an effort that would see the city of Austin create a cultural land trust to buy and preserve properties around the city for use as theaters, studios, live music venues…
Wednesday, January 10, 2018 by Chad Swiatecki
Land Development Code
Commission: Add music venues in CodeNEXT to help clubs spread through city
The push is on to make live music venues a distinct business use case in the city’s building code, a move that music industry proponents hope will make it easier for music hot spots to emerge in neighborhoods throughout the…
Friday, December 22, 2017 by Chad Swiatecki
Austin
Affordability questions linger for businesses, residents in Austin economic forecast
Economists and business leaders expect Austin to see continued strong job growth and business activity in 2018, though more than a decade of rapid population growth may start to put downward pressure on hiring and new activity in the city’s…
Thursday, December 21, 2017 by Chad Swiatecki
City Council
Memo outlines ‘downtown puzzle’ progress headed into 2018
Work on Mayor Steve Adler’s “downtown puzzle” policies package will be almost certainly put on hold until the spring when newly hired city manager Spencer Cronk will be able to study and work on how to execute the proposal.That was…
Monday, December 18, 2017 by Chad Swiatecki
Entertainment & Events
Unclear regulations and development top music venue concerns
Thursday’s summit with music venue owners and operators saw a bit of political scheduling serendipity.Among the many issues discussed by them and other music community stakeholders was the fact that that afternoon City Council was set to consider a resolution…
Wednesday, December 13, 2017 by Chad Swiatecki
Entertainment & Events
Survey, memo suggest progress on soccer stadium
Tuesday saw two notable developments in the possible move of a Major League Soccer team to Austin, with a downtown park making the cut as a possible site for the team’s stadium.The first happening was the release of the results…
Tuesday, December 12, 2017 by Chad Swiatecki
Entertainment & Events
Kitchen to take up city efforts to preserve music, arts venues
Council Member Ann Kitchen has started work on a resolution that will direct city staff to examine ways for the city to step up and help prevent music venues, small community theaters and other creative spaces from being priced out…
Monday, December 11, 2017 by Chad Swiatecki
Entertainment & Events
Stadium proposal renews talk of hotel taxes for Expo Center revamp
Travis County officials appear ready to push for some of Austin’s growing pool of Hotel Occupancy Tax money to be used to pay for an ambitious expansion of the Travis County Exposition Center site, which is also where a group…
Wednesday, November 15, 2017 by Chad Swiatecki
Land Development Code
Building heights, regulations among CodeNEXT concerns at RECA lunch
Builders and other leaders in the Austin housing industry hope the release of the third draft of the city’s CodeNEXT planning document later this month will alleviate the confusion and contradictory objectives they say have plagued the first two drafts.That…
