10 new gates, 2 new taxiways and farewell South Terminal: Changes coming for Austin's airport. "Austin-Bergstrom International Airport will lose its South Terminal as the Central Texas travel hub is revamped over the next 15 years to increase passenger capacity, the airport announced this week. The terminal will be removed over the next two years to make way for a new concourse that will bring 10 new gates and two new taxiways to the airport, airport CEO Jacqueline Yaft said in a memo to Austin city officials."  (Kelsey Bradshaw, Austin American-Statesman)

Texas Comptroller records show Taylor ISD Chapter 313 agreement is for $17B Samsung Austin Semiconductor facility "Records from the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts show that a June 30 application for Chapter 313 tax limitation approved by Taylor ISD was for Samsung Austin Semiconductor. The application, under the name 'Project Colin,' was approved June 30 by the Taylor ISD Board of Trustees." Community Impact Newspaper previously reported." (Brooke Sjoberg, Community Impact)

Massive million-square-foot office park works its way into Northwest Austin "A proposed 1.25 million-square-foot office park is in the works at the 57-acre site of the former 3M manufacturing plant in Northwest Austin. Two real estate investors and developers, Dallas-based Trammell Crow and Los Angeles-based Karlin Real Estate, have teamed up on the project." (John Egan, CultureMap Austin)

Austin Will Open New Homeless Shelter Near UT, Narrows Possible Sites For City-Owned Camps Down To Two "Austin is a step closer to housing more people experiencing homelessness. Dianna Grey, Austin's homeless strategy officer, said in a memo Wednesday that a city-leased hotel off Interstate 35 and Dean Keeton Street will be converted into a shelter for 55 people. The Days Inn hotel, a few blocks away from the University of Texas at Austin, was one of many locations that the city leased to house hundreds of Austinites who were both living outdoors and at risk of getting sick with the coronavirus. City staff estimate the hotel will open up as a shelter in August." (Andrew Weber, KUT)

County Rejects City's $10 Million Offer for Palm School "The fate of the historic Palm School at I-35 and Cesar Chavez remains in flux, as the Travis County Commissioners Court last month rejected the city's $10 million offer to purchase the site. The move only attracted notice weeks later, when advocates for preserving the Mexican American community landmark became aware of – and alarmed by – the vote." (Austin Sanders, Austin Chronicle)

Meet the Avenir, East Austin’s Latest Downtown-Adjacent Apartment Tower "Since we consider ourselves the vanguards of building name and building color-related media coverage in the downtown area, it’s our pleasure to bring you another late-breaking dispatch regarding the branding of the 15-floor, 387-unit East Austin apartment tower developed by Lennar Multifamily Communities and JH West 12th Street Partners, now rapidly approaching completion at a former bingo hall between East 11th and East 12th Streets along I-35 and thus saddled with the deeply clunky official address of 1109 North I-35 Frontage Road — it’s called 'The Avenir' now." (James Rambin, Towers)

Planning Commission struggles with latest Plaza Saltillo rezoning "The Planning Commission, unable to accept a height increase for an office project in the Plaza Saltillo area amidst concerns about the building’s design, sent the case to Council without a recommendation Tuesday. The office project will replace Fair Market, an event space, and take up the southern half of the block bordered by Waller, East Fifth and East Sixth streets. The developer plans a six-story building, but needs a height variance from 60 to 85 feet to do so." (Jonathan Lee, Austin Monitor)

600 Congress is back on the market, sources say "One of Austin’s original high-rises is back on the market — perhaps an indication the commercial real estate market is recovering from the pandemic downturn. Multiple sources confirmed 600 Congress Ave., also known as One American Center, is up for sale once again." (Parimal M. Rohit, Austin Business Journal)

Minimum wage workers struggle to pay rent in Austin more than any other Texas city, report says "A person needs to make at least $27.58 an hour to comfortably afford a two-bedroom apartment in Austin-Round Rock, making Austin the most expensive city in Texas, according to a new housing report. The report also found that there is no county in Texas where a minimum wage worker working 40 hours a week can afford a mid-tier rental home." (Ella Malena Feldman, Austin American-Statesman)

Central Texas housing market remains on track for record-setting year "Despite the pandemic, the Austin-area housing market appears to be on track for 2021 to be a record year in home sales and home prices. That's the assessment of Susan Horton, president of the Austin Board of Realtors — and it's backed up by the board's housing market data for the first six months of the year." (Shonda Novak, Austin American-Statesman)