Development

Sixth Street plans could create cushion for new incubator music venues

While new mega-capacity venues such as the Moody Center (capacity 15,000) or the Moody Amphitheater (5,000) attract high-ticket tours from established performers, the smaller clubs that can hold 300 people or less are often the most threatened by the city’s…

Planning • By Chad Swiatecki • May 23, 2022

Council endorses development bonuses near the Capitol

A rule prohibiting tall buildings near the Texas Capitol may soon be relaxed, opening up a sleepy part of downtown to more development. City Council passed a resolution Thursday that would allow properties currently under the Capitol Dominance Overlay –…

Planning • By Jonathan Lee • May 20, 2022

Stream Realty reveals plans for reinventing 'dirty Sixth'

If the downtown Sixth Street entertainment district is going to achieve a successful transformation in the coming years, the first real glimpse of its future will come from the improvements planned for the north side of the two blocks between…

Planning • By Chad Swiatecki • May 19, 2022

More homes on the way to substandard Rogers Lane

Rogers Lane, a steep, narrow road in East Austin, has seen substantial development recently. On Tuesday, the Zoning and Platting Commission heard a rezoning case that could bring 107 additional units to the street, drawing concern from some residents. The…

Zoning • By Jonathan Lee • May 19, 2022

Council lays out compromise for more density along major streets

As Austin’s housing crisis deepens, City Council is pushing to relax two major constraints on development – compatibility and parking requirements – for properties along busy streets, in hopes of increasing the supply of housing. “We believe there is consensus…

Land Development Code • By Jonathan Lee • May 18, 2022

County, nonprofits prepare to administer supportive housing resolution

The Travis County Commissioners Court met for a work session Thursday to review the ongoing, federally funded affordable housing initiatives in the Austin area. Multiple nonprofits are preparing to build supportive housing in Travis County using federal American Rescue Plan…

Housing • By Seth Smalley • May 17, 2022

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More dominoes fall in Austin's disappearing warehouse district

As tensions erupted over plans to redevelop Fourth Street at the last meeting of the Historic Landmark Commission, the case of a brick warehouse on the corner of Sixth and Lavaca was caught in a three-way crossfire that flew more…

Development • By Kali Bramble • May 16, 2022

Neighborhood association attempts to put kibosh on housing for the homeless

Advocates and city officials often say affordable housing is the key to ending homelessness. But as a rezoning case heard Tuesday at the Planning Commission showed, this type of housing can be hard to build, due in part to neighborhood…

Housing • By Jonathan Lee • May 16, 2022

Planning Commission recommends rezoning amid 'heartwrenching' testimony

A case at the Planning Commission Tuesday highlighted the vulnerability of renters amid Austin’s rapid growth, as older apartment buildings are increasingly torn down to make way for new development. At issue is the Old Homestead apartment complex, an 80-year-old,…

Zoning • By Jonathan Lee • May 13, 2022

Memo says bonds needed to meet affordability goals for waterfront redevelopment

To reach the goal of bringing about 500 units of affordable housing to the South Central Waterfront District, the city would need voters to approve more bond funds, for as much as $60 million. The prospects for planned affordable housing…

Planning • By Chad Swiatecki • May 12, 2022

Developer releases proposal to clean up East Sixth Street

Following years of public outcry over the deterioration of East Sixth Street, Dallas-based Stream Realty has stepped forward with aspirations to give the notoriously rowdy block a facelift. Real estate attorney Richard Suttle stopped by last Wednesday’s meeting of the…

Planning • By Kali Bramble • May 11, 2022

Montopolis project gets Council go-ahead

City Council approved a rezoning Thursday that will bring affordable housing for women and children experiencing homelessness to the Montopolis neighborhood. The rezoning from Family Residence (SF-3-NP) to Multifamily-Moderate Density (MF-4-NP), which Council approved on all three readings, will allow…

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