Austin moves to seize the South Terminal in bitter eminent domain battle at ABIA "Six years after hiring a company to run the South Terminal at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, the Austin City Council voted Thursday to pull the plug on the 40-year deal using the power of eminent domain. ABIA officials want to raze the terminal and build a new concourse to accommodate the rapidly growing number of passengers traveling through the airport." (Nathan Bernier, KUT)
Builder tapped for $17B Samsung plant "Samsung Electronics has tapped a general contractor for its $17 billion next-generation chipmaking plant in Taylor, northeast of Austin. Mississippi-based W. G. Yates & Sons Construction recently announced that it's working on the 1,200-acre project. The facility is expected to be 6 million square feet when completed." (Justin Sayers, Austin Business Journal)
Amid affordability crisis, Austin could hike hourly minimum wage for city employees to $22 "Low-wage city employees could see their pay go up to $22 an hour in October. City Council on Thursday unanimously approved raising the minimum wage for city workers as Austin’s affordability crisis worsens." (Skye Seipp, Austin Monitor)
Austin City Council approves $3.9 million contract for homeless "A northwest Austin hotel will soon be used as permanent housing for the homeless. The Pecan Gardens hotel conversion project is expected to provide 78 permanent housing units and supportive services for individuals with disabilities over the age of 55. Austin City Council voted to negotiate a $3.9 million contract with Family Eldercare to fund renovations at the former Candlewood Suites hotel." (Blake DeVine, KXAN)
Apple lining up land to expand North Austin campus "Apple is preparing for the next phase of development at its new campus off West Parmer Lane. Executives have their eyes on roughly 53 acres of ranch land they'd like to transform. They're asking Austin City Hall to annex the property so it can be rezoned for a variety of uses." (Mike Christen, Austin Business Journal)
Williamson County files suit against city of Austin over plans to convert hotel to shelter "In the latest volley in an ongoing dispute, Williamson County has filed a lawsuit seeking to prevent the city of Austin from using a former hotel as a housing facility for people experiencing homelessness. A June 17 news release from Williamson County states the suit seeks a temporary restraining order and a temporary and permanent injunction against a nonprofit created by the city—AHFC Pecan Park PSH." (Brian Rash, Community Impact)
Tax breaks could top $100 million for proposed $2 billion Applied Materials facility in Hutto "Applied Materials could be in line for more than $100 million in tax breaks for a proposed $2 billion research and development facility the technology company is considering building in Hutto. An incentive agreement with the Hutto Independent School District could save Applied Materials nearly $38 million in property taxes over 10 years, according to documents filed with the Texas comptrollers office." (Kara Carlson and Bob Sechler, Austin American-Statesman)
A new mixed-use development planned for eastern Travis County could be anchored by an H-E-B "Developers have secured a handful of approvals, including an incentives agreement, to aid with the creation of the 95-acre hub for living and shopping in Manor. Representatives from Butler Family Partnership discussed the Manor Crossing project during a Manor City Council meeting. Plans call for 600 multifamily units and up to 425,000 square feet of commercial space." (Justin Sayers, Austin Business Journal)
