Tesla plans $700 million in growth at Austin facility, documents show "Tesla is planning for more growth to its already huge Austin manufacturing facility, proposing more than $700 million in new construction in the near future, according to filings with the state of Texas and the city of Austin." (Kara Carlson, Austin American-Statesman)
Austin's largest public housing authority opens waitlist for affordable homes "The Housing Authority of the City of Austin is opening its waitlist for three affordable housing complexes it operates. Residents who live in public housing pay roughly a third of their income toward rent, a portion the federal government has decided is affordable for families. ... To qualify, people need to earn no more than 80% of the median income of families in the area. (For a household of two, this is $70,600 a year.)" (Audrey McGlinchy, KUT 90.5
Plans for South Congress coffee and cocktail yard, Windsor Park multifamily move forward "Planning Commission members signed off on several project plans across Austin Jan. 10, including a new cocktail lounge and art yard off South Congress Avenue and a 34-unit apartment complex in Windsor Park." (Ben Thompson, Community Impact)
Zoning change to allow taller towers in the Domain "A proposed zoning change would allow buildings in and around the Domain to rise as high as many downtown towers, solidifying the area’s status as Austin’s unofficial second downtown. The zoning change, initiated in September by the Planning Commission, would increase the allowable height in the North Burnet Gateway Regulating Plan’s Transit-Oriented Development zoning to nearly 500 feet, or around 40 to 50 stories. Floor area ratio, a measure of density, would also increase." (Jonathan Lee, Austin Monitor)
Paseo Apartment Tower Secures Financing to Rise on Rainey in 2023 "The 48-floor apartment tower planned for a 0.66-acre assembly of properties in the heart of Austin’s fastest-growing entertainment district at 80 Rainey Street has officially secured its financing this week. The development partnership between local firm LV Collective and real estate investors ELV Associates and JE Dunn Capital Partners announced on Wednesday that the project has closed on its construction loan with UMB Bank, and is set to officially break ground in the first quarter of 2023." (James Rambin, Towers)
2022 was the deadliest year on Austin roads "At least 125 people died in traffic crashes on Austin roads last year, an all-time high that broke the previous record of 118 set just one year before. KUT tallied the death toll using data from the Austin Police Department, Texas Department of Transportation and the Texas Department of Public Safety." (Nathan Bernier, KUT 90.5)
Austin Public Health detects highly transmissible COVID-19 subvariant in Travis County "New omicron subvariant XBB.1 has been reported in different surveillance samples from the Travis County area. Due to the subvariant’s outbreak, along with a rise in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, the city has elevated the community’s risk to medium, and recommends individuals wear a mask when social distancing is not possible." (Taylor Cripe, Community Impact)
