2 billionaires loaded up with land outside Austin "Elon Musk and vodka kingpin Bert "Tito" Beveridge own enough land in Bastrop county to build cities. Elon's plans to flesh out a hub for his business empire is getting clearer.” (Justin Sayers, Austin Business Journal)
UT Austin gets OK to demolish city's first integrated middle school despite preservation efforts "UT got a permit from the Texas Historical Commission to tear down the Steve Hicks School of Social Work and build a $70 million football training facility in its place. The building formerly housed University Junior High. … UT has started removing oak trees on the property and clearing out the inside of the building." (Pili Saravia, Austin American-Statesman)
Benefits of urban trees justify projected price tag for city’s tree inventory plan "Funding to conduct an inventory of Austin’s public trees did not make it into this year’s budget as a City Council-approved resolution called for, but city officials say cost recommendations should be ready for the next budget cycle.” (Amy Smith, Austin Monitor)
Proposed hotel or residential high-rise cut from Austin Convention Center redevelopment "The $1.6 billion Austin Convention Center redevelopment will no longer include a hotel or residential high-rise component that was previously envisioned under a potential public-private partnership.” (Ben Thompson, Community Impact)
Downtown Austin skyscraper builder breaks ground on big industrial park near Kyle “The Dallas-based developer behind the current and future tallest buildings in Austin [Lincoln Property Co.] announced it has broken ground on an 894,000-square-foot industrial development near Kyle. Included with this report is a ranking of local real estate developers.” (Justin Sayers, Austin Business Journal)
City considers acquiring new combined HQ for police, fire and EMS "Next week, City Council will consider approving a $107.8 million allocation to acquire an office campus along South MoPac Expressway that would serve as a consolidated headquarters for the city’s public safety agencies, which are located in outdated and cramped facilities across the city.” (Chad Swiatecki, Austin Monitor)
