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NORTH CENTRAL AUSTIN EDITION VOLUME XX, ISSUE XX XXXXX XXXXX, 2022 2022
ONLINE AT
REAL ESTATE EDITION
VOLUME 1, ISSUE 4 JULY 25 AUG. 29, 2022
BUILDING BIGGER
IMPACTS
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City o cials hope to bring more a ordable housing along Austin’s busiest streets while easing some standards for new development.
TO DO LIST
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Many vertical mixed-use, or VMU, projects such as Lamar Union were a ected by height limits imposed by nearby homes and could now build taller under a new city program.
$5B Austin budget proposed
BEN THOMPSON COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
Austin continues to add more hous- ing than any other major U.S. city, but new residents are still pouring into town faster than builders can keep up along busy corridors where the city is poised to grow even more. City o cials said they hope to ensure new development creates denser Austin opts for larger, denser construction to help o set housing crisis BY BEN THOMPSON CONTINUED ON 22 while the cost of living in town grows monthly, according to real estate data. New city development policies for- warded in June could generate big- ger and more a ordable construction
2022 REAL ESTATE EDITION GOVERNMENT
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Speed limits are lowered throughout the city as tra c deaths rise
• Belmont Village Senior Living SPONSORED BY
BY KATY MCAFEE
happened in Austin this year as of late June, per city data. Speeding causes one out of every three tra c fatalities in Texas, according to state data. "Nobody wants to die on the road," Lewis Le , Vision Zero’s lead tra c safety o cer said. "Nobody should die on the road. It's completely unac- ceptable that from this point forward, it's pretty likely that we'll have over 50 more people dying on the streets this year."
While area leaders and tra c experts acknowledge Austin does not have enough police to enforce speed limits, they are banking on lowering those limits to save lives. On June 16, Austin City Council approved reducing the speed limit of almost 50 roads in the city as speeding is the No. 1 contributing factor of fatal car crashes in Austin, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. More than 50 fatal accidents have
MARKET DATA
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1 in 3 tra c deaths are speed-related 48 Austin roads see speed limits lowered SOURCES: CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
CONTINUED ON 24
DINING FEATURE
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ONE SMART METER SYSTEM
As lake levels continue to drop in the face of drought this summer, it’s important that we all help conserve our precious resource. The new My ATX Water Program provides the tools to help you save water and money. Your new City of Austin water meter, along with the My ATX Water Customer Portal , will give you access to near-real-time water use data so you can maximize the savings. Benefits of My ATX Water 6 Continuous usage and leak notifications 6 Personalized alerts 6 Water budgeting features 6 Customized water-saving tips and rebate information Don’t have your new meter yet? Don’t worry! You can still join the My ATX Water Customer Portal now to access monthly water use data and other benefits at myatxwater.org .
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COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER • COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
Curious what is selling in your neighborhood? Scan me *All prices shown are list price
ACTIVE
ACTIVE
ACTIVE
ACTIVE
realtyaustin.com/p/7370719
realtyaustin.com/p/4142059
realtyaustin.com/p/2272457
realtyaustin.com/p/9230694
$795,000
$829,000
$850,000
$950,000
3 bds
2.5 ba 1,726 sq ft
2 bds
2.5 ba 1,526 sq ft
3 bds
3 ba
1,892 sq ft
3 bds
2.5 ba 2,605 sq ft
4052 Berkman Dr, Austin, TX 78723 Ryan Gamble | 512-791-8641
4513 Ruiz St, Austin, TX 78723 Laura Olesen | 512-663-5776
3207 Breeze Ter, Austin, TX 78722 Cristina Valdés | 512-843-3572
4603 Lime Stone Cir, Austin, TX 78731 Albert Allen | 512-589-9776
PENDING
ACTIVE
ACTIVE
ACTIVE
realtyaustin.com/p/4022416
realtyaustin.com/p/1510655
realtyaustin.com/p/9953041
realtyaustin.com/p/3278070
$1,790,000
$2,595,000
$3,500,000
$1,000,000
4 bds
2.5 ba 2,564 sq ft
5 bds
4 ba
3,474 sq ft
7 bds
6.5 ba 5,030 sq ft
4 bds
3.5 ba 3,004 sq ft
4505 Shoalwood Ave, Austin, TX 78756 Susan Degraffenried | 512-699-7577
2210 W 49Th St, Austin, TX 78756 Ashlie Bailey | 512-568-0736
4115 Firstview Dr, Austin, TX 78731 Joe and Cara Keenan Team | 512-200-2469
7625 Parkview Cir, Austin, TX 78731 Brad Bradburn | 512-228-9531
PENDING
PENDING
SOLD
SOLD OVER ASKING
realtyaustin.com/p/2949682
realtyaustin.com/p/7971708
realtyaustin.com/p/1603641
realtyaustin.com/p/8705701
$1,150,000
$1,750,000
$850,000
$900,000
4 bds
3.5 ba 2,161 sq ft
5 bds
3.5 ba 3,159 sq ft
3 bds
2 ba
1,770 sq ft
3 bds
2 ba
2,089 sq ft
5704 William Holland Ave #A, Austin, TX 78756 John Turlington | 703-862-6855
4711 Colorado Xing, Austin, TX 78731 Brian Copland | 512-576-0288
7500 Greenhaven Dr, Austin, TX 78757 Debbie Trominski | 512-593-1389
1100 Taulbee Ln, Austin, TX 78757 Jennifer Berbas | 512-655-3830
Are We at the Top of the Housing Market?
You’re probably hearing a lot about Austin’s shifting housing market. Historically low interest rates drove housing markets across the nation into hyperdrive over the last year. As the market softens, we’ll likely see fewer
offers on homes, fewer bidding wars, an increase in inventory, and more. Scan the QR code to see what experts have to say.
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NORTH CENTRAL AUSTIN EDITION • JULY 2022
THE INHERITANCE PART 1 “ A BLOCKBUSTER! ” THE NEW YORK TIMES
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BEGINS AUGUST 10
This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Texas Commission on the Arts, and the Cultural Arts Division of the City of Austin Economic Development Department.
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COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER • COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
THIS ISSUE
ABOUT US
Owners John and Jennifer Garrett launched the rst edition of Community Impact Newspaper in 2005 with three full-time employees covering Round Rock and P ugerville, Texas. Now in 2022, CI is still locally owned. We have expanded to include hundreds of employees, our own software platform and printing facility, and over 30 hyperlocal editions across the state with a circulation to more than 2.4 million residential mailboxes.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS MONTH
FROM DEEDA: Driving around my neighborhood, I see a few more “For sale” signs. However, a ordability is still a major issue as demand outpaces supply. On page 14, you’ll nd the start of our Real Estate Guide. In our front-page story, we share the city’s plans to increase the housing supply, particularly along our major corridors. We’ve all heard, “if you build it, they will come.” Well, they are here, and they’re knocking down doors for housing. Deeda Lovett, GENERAL MANAGER dlovett@communityimpact.com
Community Impact Newspaper teams include general managers, editors, reporters, graphic designers, sales account executives and sales support, all immersed and invested in the communities they serve. Our mission is to build communities of informed citizens and thriving businesses through the collaboration of a passionate team. Our core values are Faith, Passion, Quality, Innovation and Integrity.
FROM DARCY: I mentioned to a tra c expert that I feel less safe driving now than before the pandemic. Her response? “You should.” State data shows accidents are more frequent and more deadly this year. Inside (see Page 24), reporter Katy McAfee looks at how changes to speed limits might help. Darcy Sprague, EDITOR dsprague@communityimpact.com
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NORTH CENTRAL AUSTIN EDITION • JULY 2022
IMPACTS
Businesses that have recently opened or are coming soon
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found on the website. 724-436-2639. www.embody tnessatx.com 3 P our Shop , a P ugerville-based bakery, opened a second location in Aus- tin at 7414 Burnet Road on July 2. P our Shop sells cinnamon rolls, cupcakes, decorated cookies, drop cookies and other baked goods. P our Shop is locally owned by P ugerville natives April and Sam Saldana. 737-203-9036. www.yourcarbdealer.com 4 Jazzercise Northwest Recreation Center , located at 2913 Northland Drive, Austin, reopened in May after having on- line-only classes due to COVID-19. Jazzer- cise provides group tness classes that combine music, dance, strength training and resistance training for a full-body workout. Jazzercise has been holding classes in Austin for 40 years. The class schedule can be found on its website. 512- 656-8752. www.jazzercise.com 5 Sandwich Emi , a new fusion sandwich truck, is now open at 203 E. 53rd St., Austin. Sandwich Emi is named after the owner, Emilio Bardomiano, who also owns neighboring truck Tacos and Deli and an agua fresca stand. Sandwich Emi has a variety of options, including banh mis, hamburgers and a Philly cheesesteak. Bardomiano’s broad menu was created in e ort to have something every Austinite will enjoy. Sandwich Emi does not have a phone number or website. COMING SOON 6 Restore Hyper Wellness is opening its ninth Austin location at 815 W. 47th
St., Ste. 101, Austin, at the Triangle this summer. Restore Hyper Wellness is a retail franchise that o ers cryotherapy, IV drips, an infrared sauna, red-light therapy, facials and other treatments in one building. www.restore.com 7 Local owner Steve Sheets will open a Brass Tap location in the Triangle at 815 W. 47th St., Ste. 103, Austin, in Decem- ber. The suite used to house the Flying Saucer brewery, which closed in 2018. The Brass Tap is a chain of craft beer breweries and restaurants. Sheets also owns the Brass Tap in Round Rock. www.brasstapbeerbar.com CLOSINGS 8 Sweet Ritual , an Austin-based all-veg- an ice cream shop, closed on June 1 after 10 1/2 years. The shop was located at 4631 Airport Blvd., Ste. 125, Austin. The owner, Amelia Raley, said in an Instagram post she is closing due to the pandemic, food shortages and other personal reasons. The shop closed temporarily in January and brie y reopened later in spring. 9 Sala and Betty , a local new Ameri- can restaurant, is closing after 40 years in Austin. The owners said in an insta- gram post that chef Teresa Wilson has decided to slow down and spend more time with family. The restaurant serves seafood, salads, and dinner plates with proteins like roasted chicken and wagyu beef. They also have a brulee of the day for dessert. Sala and Betty is located 5201 Airport Blvd., Austin, and they are closing by the end of July. 512-645-0214 www.salaandbettyatx.com
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avors including chocolate chip, snicker- doodle, oatmeal raisin and more. 512-402- 3325. www.goodensweetcookies.com 2 Embody Fitness opened a new location at 6800 Burnet Road, Ste. 8, Austin, in late April. Embody Fitness is a woman-owned gym that specializes in strength training and conditioning. It also o ers a free 1:1 session that includes a nutrition consult, InBody composition scan and tness assessment. Additional pricing and schedule information can be
1 Gooden Sweet Cookie opened April 1 in the industrial kitchen at 5610 N. I-35, Austin. The location o ers kitchen space to several restaurants, which in turn o er pickup options for dinners. Lifelong East Austin resident Sean Gooden founded Gooden Cookie to honor his brother. The bakery o ers square cookies in several
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COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER • COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
COMPILED BY KATY MCAFEE & DARCY SPRAGUE
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Garbo’s Fresh Maine Lobster
COURTESY LORIN PETERS
COURTESY GARBO’S FRESH MAINE LOBSTER
will be open Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., unless there is a private event. Cookie Rich’s menu features cookie ice cream sandwiches, milkshakes, espresso drinks, lemonade and more. 512- 359-5465. www.getcookierich.com COMING SOON 4 Next Level Urgent Care is opening a new location this fall at 3221 Red River St., Austin. Next Level Urgent Care was founded by Dr. Julia Breeze after she re- ceived an expensive emergency bill and recognized the need for fast, a ordable health care services. She has 24 clinics in the Houston area and is planning to open 20 more. Next Level Urgent Care has faster care by using an app that allows patients to “wait in line online” rather than waiting at the clinic. www.nextlevelurgentcare.com 5 Garbo’s Fresh Maine Lobster will open its second brick-and-mortar loca- tion at 626 N. Lamar Blvd., Austin, in the former home of Counter Cafe in Sep- tember. In June, the Garbo’s food truck began serving food from the address. It will remain at the site until the new store is nished and operate Thursday through Saturday. Once it opens in September, Garbo’s On Lamar will o er a limited menu similar to the food truck. It will include items such as crab cakes, lobster rolls, beer and wine. The location will have 10 seats at the counter inside and 10 seats outside at patio tables. www.garboslobsteratx.com NAME CHANGES 6 Lincoln Ventures, an Austin-based
multifamily and student housing de- veloper, rebranded to LV Collective on June 28. The name change will also be accompanied by a logo and marketing materials update. LV has over $2.4 billion in assets, according to the company. The company owns The Ruckus, The Ruckus 2.0, Moontower and Waterloo in Austin and is working on projects in Austin at 80 Rainey and 2700 E. Fifth St., Austin. It also has properties in Arizona, Georgia, Florida and Ohio. The company’s o ce is located at 2324 Guadalupe St., Ste. 200, Austin. www.lvcollective.com CLOSINGS 7 The House , formerly known as Rus- sian House, closed in June. The restau- rant, formerly located at 307 E. 5th St., Austin, changed its name earlier this year in support of Ukraine. The location was scheduled to be demolished after the property owners sold the building. Pre- viously, the owners of The House stated they would look for a new location in Austin, but in June they posted a notice on social media that they were closing due to unforeseen circumstances. The restaurant closed shortly before its 10- year anniversary. 8 Southwestern restaurant Z’Tejas will be closing their original Austin location within the next 6-9 months. Developers have plans of turning Z’Tejas, located on 1110 W 6th St, Austin, and several neighboring businesses into a mixed-use development called “Clarksvillage,” with a boutique hotel and retail space. Z’Tejas manager Julio Campos is hoping to stay in business for as long as possible, as the original restaurant has been serving the community for over 30 years.
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Jacinto Blvd., Austin, on the ground level of the new Thompson and Tommie Hotel. Chef Mashama Bailey and Johno Mor- siano, who previously opened the Grey Market in March within the same hotel, are behind the new restaurant. The Diner Bar features a menu based on local Austin produce, game and sh. It has a rotating oyster selection while paying homage to the creators’ Georgia roots. 737-257-3047. www.thedinerbar-austin.com 3 Cookie Rich , a local woman-owned cookie shop, opened a new trailer June 25. The trailer is parked at the storefront location at 2201 N. Lamar Blvd., Austin, and will be mobile for special events. It will also expand its menu. The trailer
1 In Plain Sight , a neighborhood-style cocktail bar located at 612 Brazos St., Austin, opened in July. It is owned by Blind Spot, the team behind the Austin speakeasy Here Nor There. Though In Plain Sight is not a speakeasy, it is “hid- den in plain sight” and is only available for walk-ins. With a capacity of 14 people, owners said it is now the smallest bar in Texas. In Plain Sight does not have a phone number or website. 2 Diner Bar opened in April at 500 San
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IMPACTS
Businesses that have recently opened or are coming soon
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ANNIVERSARIES 7 Matt’s El Rancho celebrated 70 years in business July 6. The Mexican restaurant was started by Matt and Janie Martinez in 1952 with seating for 40 and has grown to more than 500 seats. The menu includes made-from-scratch corn tortillas, chips, breakfast tacos, nachos and margaritas at 2613 S. Lamar Blvd., Austin, 512-462-9333. www.mattselrancho.com CLOSINGS 8 The vegan dim sum and bao food truck Plow Bao will close Aug. 20 after two and a half years. The Plow Bao team said in an instagram post it is closing because the owner, Joyce Ni, is moving out of state. The food truck serves vegan bao tacos, rice dishes, crab rangoons, noodles and other specialty items. Plow Bao is located at 1505 Town Creek Drive, Austin, at the Buzzmill. www.plow-bao.square.site
512-686-2030. www.lousaustin.com 3 Side Eye Pie , a local, new wood-fired pizza truck, officially opened July 8. Side Eye is owned by Tony Curet, a previous co-owner of Dough Boys, a pizza truck that closed in May. Curet opened Side Eye at the same location at Meanwhile Brewing Co. at 3901 Promontory Point Drive, Austin. Side Eye uses local and organic ingredients to make its pizzas, salads, breadsticks, kid-friendly and veg- an-friendly options on the menu. www.sideeyepie.com 4 Sweet Memes opened its first loca- tion in Austin at 3801 S. Congress Ave., Ste. 109, in July. Sweet Memes is a des- sert and tea shop with unique items like banana sticky rice, matcha tiramisu and Vietnamese panna cotta on the menu. Is also has a selection of boba tea, coffee and smoothies as well as a photo-friendly decorated interior. 512-893 3389. www.smdessert.com
5 Soho House Austin opened a new restaurant within the last month called Cecconies on the third floor of the hotel. Cecconies is an Italian chain restaurant that is in many Soho Houses through- out the world. It serves pizza, pasta, salads and other italian dishes. Like the previous restaurant, which was just called Clubhouse, Cecconies will be available to members only. It is located at 1011 S. Congress Ave., Bldg. 2, Ste. 100. 737-210- 1116. www.sohohouse.com COMING SOON 6 Cain Realty is opening a new loca- tion at 4010 Menchaca Road, Austin, on July 25. Cain Realty is an Austin-based residential real estate group affiliated with Keller Williams. It offers specialized services for buying and selling homes, relocating and finding the right commu- nity in the Austin area. 512-675-7653. www.cainrealtygroup.com
1 Radix House Coffee truck opened a second location at 2119 Goodrich Ave., Austin, next to the Sola CrossFit, in late June. Radix sells coffee and tea as well as specialty coffee drinks with CBD and other hemp-derived products. Radix is locally owned by Roger Pilney, who start- ed the CBD-forward shop as part of his advocacy for mental health awareness. 512-426-8059. www.radixhouse.com 2 Lou’s opened a second location on Barton Springs Road in May. The restau- rant company owned by the McGuire Moorman Lambert hospitality team opened at 1608 Barton Springs Road, which previously housed Austin Java, Darcy’s Donkey and Ski Shores Cafe. The menu includes food such as breakfast tacos, rotisserie chicken and soft serve.
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6 Latinitas , located at 1023 Springdale Road, celebrated its 20th anniversary in June. Latinitas started as a magazine made for girls of color to share their stories and gain experience in the editorial industry, and has since introduced STEAM education, and is now Austin’s only fully bilingual STEM education non pro t. Latinitas magazine covers college and ca- reers, health and wellness, current a airs, poetry, pop culture and a “Soy Latina” section where writers share thoughts and give personal testaments. It also o ers summer camps for students ages 9-14 that have a range of activities, such as Lego building, leadership training and healthy living. www.latinitasmagazine.org 7 The Puerto Rican Cultural Center , located at 701 Tillery St., Ste. 13, Austin, celebrated its 25th anniversary June 12. The Puerto Rican Cultural Center is a space for many community events, such as bomba, salsa and folklore dancing, art showcases, fall harvest gatherings and many others. It has many educational events that pay homage to West African, Taino and Spanish ancestry that have contributed to Puerto Rican culture. It is the only center in Texas that is a liated with the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture. 512-251-8122. www.prfdance.org 8 Austin Parks Foundation , a non- pro t devoted to building public-private partnerships that develop and maintain parks and trails around Austin and Travis County, celebrated its 30th anniversary in June. APF was founded in 1992 and holds volunteer workdays, park-activation events, and training and education pro- grams. The foundation’s o ce is located at 1625 E. Sixth St., Ste. 150, Austin. 512- 477-1566. www.austinparks.org 130 TOLL 973
Den, is expected to open on the weekend of July 23. The club, founded by Raza Jafri and Andre Ricks, will have comedy shows on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The owners described the club as an intimate space with 40 seats. Additional- ly, the club will be BYOB with a wine bar. https://eastaustincomedy.com RELOCATIONS 4 Local craft brewery Hi Sign Brewing opened its new 13,000-square-foot East Austin taproom and production facility July 9. The facility is located at 730 Shady Lane, Austin. Burro Cheese Kitchen ’s food truck also opened on the property. Hi Sign’s current lineup in- cludes El Berto the Mexican Lager, Violet the Blueberry Blonde and Shamus the Fiddler Irish Red. The building opened as an RC Cola bottling facility in the 1950s, then became a Shiner beer distribution center followed by Hill Country Brewing & Bottling. The footprint of the new brewery is more than twice the size of Hi Sign’s previous facility, providing the space needed to ramp up production of the brand’s core beers and allow Hi Sign to reincorporate limited-release o er- ings. www.hisignbrewing.com ANNIVERSARIES 5 Dell Children’s Hospital celebrated its 15th anniversary June 30. The hospi- tal, part of the Ascension Seton network, is Austin’s largest pediatric hospital. It of- fers a range of services from emergency care to specialists. The hospital, located at 4900 Mueller Blvd., Austin, is the main pediatric center in Austin. 512-324-0000. www.healthcare.ascension.org
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foods, such as chicken and wa e kebabs as well as a breakfast Monte Cristo. 512- 861-1140. www.originhotel.com 2 Burrata House opened its rst Aus- tin location June 19. Originally located in Los Angeles, Burrata House is now on its third location at 1201 Barbara Jordan Blvd., Ste. 1280. Burrata House has dish- es with meats, pasta, paninis and greens with burrata, and desserts such as tira- misu and bread with Nutella. It is open from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. daily. 737-587-1719. www.burratahouse.com COMING SOON 3 East Austin Comedy Club , located on 1303 E. Fourth St., Austin, in the Tiger
1 East Austin boutique hotel Origin Austin opened June 24. The ve-story property located at 1825 McBee St., Aus- tin, has 120 rooms, including four suites. The hotel is pet-friendly with several di erent room styles, including bunk- bed suites, to accommodate di erent group sizes. The hotel has a gym, outdoor gathering spaces, complimentary Wi-Fi, and rentable yoga mats and Peloton bikes that can be delivered to the room. Its restaurant, Blue Lacy , opened June 27. The 121-seat restaurant, named after a working dog breed that originated in Texas, o ers modern takes on comfort
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NORTH CENTRAL AUSTIN EDITION • JULY 2022
TO DO LIST
August & September events
COMPILED BY DARCY SPRAGUE
AUG. 04 06
HOT SUMMER NIGHTS RED RIVER CULTURAL DISTRICT
AUG. 05
CATCH A MOVIE WATERLOO GREENWAY
The Red River Cultural District will host Hot Summer Nights, a four day event featuring free live music at venues including Stubb’s, Mohawk, Cheer Up Charlies and Empire. Musicians will represent a range of genres. The event will also feature local vendors. Free. Locations and times vary. www.redriverculturaldistrict.org
Austin Parks Foundation and Alamo Drafthouse Cinema will host a screening of “Selena” at the Waterloo Greenway. The event will include audience contests, live music and family-friendly activities. 7:30 p.m. Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park, 500 E. 12th St., Austin. www.waterloogreenway.org/summer-programs-2022
AUGUST 02 THROUGH AUG. 07 WEAR PINK ON WEDNESDAY “Mean Girls” the musical will come to Broadway in Austin at Texas Performing Arts center for ve days. The show is crafted by director Casey Nicholaw from “Aladdin” and “The Book of Mormon,” “30 Rock” composer Je Richmond, lyricist Nell Benjamin and comedian Tina Fey and follows a similar plot to the 2004 Lindsay Lohan movie. Times vary. $35 and up. Bass Concert Hall, 2350 Robert Dedman Drive, Austin. 512-471- 1444. www.austin.broadway.com 07 SEE A CONCERT Three decades after their rst album was released, Canadian rock band Crash Test Dummies is celebrating that milestone with a North American and European tour that will stop in Austin. Founding members Brad Roberts, Ellen Reid, Dan Roberts and Mitch Dorge will be joined by Stuart Cameron and Marc Arnould. Their most popular songs include “Superman’s Song” and “Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm.” 7:30 p.m. (doors open), 8:30 p.m. (show). $42 (advance), $45 (door). 3TEN ACL Live, 310 Willie Nelson Blvd., Ste. 1A, Austin. 877-435-9849. www.3tenaustin.com 11 THROUGH AUG. 27 SEE A PLAY Pulitzer-winning play “Anna in the Tropics” will come to Ground Floor Theatre. The play tells the story of a Cuban-American family in the cigar business set in Florida in 1929 and a man who sets change in motion at the factory by reading Tolstoy’s “Anna Karenina.” The play is written by Nilo Cruz, and the cast includes David Segura as Santiago, Ranferi Salguero as Cheché and Toni Knight as Ofelia. Times vary. $25 (general admission) or Pay What You Can tickets available. Ground Floor Theatre, 979 Springdale Road, Ste. 122, Austin.
www.ground oortheatre.org/anna 13 THROUGH AUG. 14 REV YOUR ENGINES Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live will take over the Moody Center for two days with a family-friendly event. The event features full-size versions of popular Hot Wheels cars, including the Bone Shaker, Tiger Shark and V8 Bomber. The show will be kid-focused. 12:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m. (Aug. 13); 2:30 p.m. (Aug. 14). $39+. Moody Center, 2001 Robert Dedman Drive, Austin. www.moodycenteratx. com/event/hot-wheels-monster-trucks- live-3 15 HEAD BACK TO SCHOOL Austin ISD students will head back to class after summer break. The full academic calendar for the 2022-23 school year is available on the district’s website. www.austinisd.org 27 CELEBRATE BATS Austin will hold its 17th annual Bat Fest on the South Congress Avenue bridge featuring live music from the Toadies and several other bands, food and a bat costume contest, plus a chance to see the world’s largest urban bat colony—1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats—take over the sky. 4 p.m.-midnight. Free (kids under 8), $25. 100 S. Congress Ave., Austin. www.roadwayevents.com/ event/bat-fest 27 TURN OUT FOR A CAUSE Big Brothers Big Sisters for Austin will host its ninth annual Ice Ball gala. The event features a seated dinner, live and silent auctions, and live music. Big Brothers Big Sisters for Austin has served the community for more than 50 years by pairing children age 6 and over with mentors from Travis, Williamson and Hays County. It costs the organization $1,250 to fund each pairing for a year. More than 42,000 children have been served by the organization. 6-11 p.m. $500 (per ticket), $3,500 (and up per table). JW Marriott, 110 E. Second
St., Austin. www.bigmentoring.org/ ice-ball 27 SUPPORT YOUNG TALENT Tunnel Vision, a group founded by high school student Elise Ponder, will host an event to highlight young talent in Austin. The show will feature live music and art. 6:30-10:30 p.m. Free. Feels So Good, 211 E. Alpine Road, Ste. 700A, Austin. Instagram: Tunnel Vision 27 THROUGH AUG. 28 SHOP SUMMER SALES Le Garage Sale, a semiannual event featuring local clothing boutiques, will host a summer event. The event features hundreds of local retailers and designers o ering end-of-the-season prices on items. The vendor list includes Lady Captains, Lux Rox, Man Out tters and The Block. 11 a.m-5 p.m., 9:30-11 a.m. (VIP preshop Aug. 27). $10 (admission per day), $25 (VIP). Palmer Events Center 900 Barton Springs Road, Austin. www.legaragesale.net 27 THROUGH AUG. 28 COME ABOARD A TRAIN SHOW Over 25,000 feet of model railroading will be constructed at the Palmer Events Center during the annual Austin Train Show. The family-friendly event will feature Lego and operational model trains, a Kiddie Express ride, concessions and multiple vendors. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free (age 12 and younger with adult), $8 (covers both days). 900 Barton Springs Road, Austin. www.austintrainshow.org 30 THROUGH SEPT. 05 SUPPORT BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES The Austin Justice Coalition will host the annual ATX Black Food week. The event supports local Black-owned restaurants and food trucks by highlighting di erent eateries each day. Nine restaurants are participating over the course of two weeks, including Bird Bird Biscuit and Emmer and Rye. Locations and cost vary. www.austinjustice.org/black-food-week
121 Pickle Road Austin, Texas 78704
6015 Dillard Circle #B Austin, Texas 78752
www. cruxcc .com
Find more or submit local events at communityimpact.com/event-calendar. Event organizers can submit local events online to be considered for the print edition. Submitting details for consideration does not guarantee publication.
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COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER • COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
TRANSPORTATION UPDATES City crews
COMPLETED PROJECT
begin annual street repairs
BY KATY MCAFEE
N
On June 22, Austin Public Works began a months-long process of improving damaged streets through- out the city. Residents along a ected roadways will receive an orange slip of paper on their door 30 days before Austin Public Works plans on repairing their street and will be provided with alternative parking options, accord- ing to Janae Spence, division man- ager of Pavement and Infrastructure Operations. Residents are also encouraged to call 311 to get the exact date of the repair, as weather conditions may impact the schedule. “It’s important to know we’re investing in our streets, and we want to have a great network of streets
Burnet pedestrian crossing installation
An Austin Public Works crew applies a thin coat of adhesive to Valley Oak Drive during the sealcoat process. (Katy McAfee/Community Impact Newspaper) WORK ON THE ROAD The public works department will work on repairing the roads during the summer when the weather is hot and dry, which is best for the work. $27M
ALL INFORMATION ON THIS PAGE WAS UPDATED AS OF JULY 6. NEWS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE OR OTHER LOCAL TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS? EMAIL US AT CTANEWS COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM. The city installed a pedestrian hybrid beacon—crossing signal—at the Twin Oaks Drive and Burnet Road on June 7. This is the 100th pedestrian beacon installed in Austin since the project began in 2009. A study by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute shows 96% of drivers in Austin yield prop- erly to pedestrians at these beacons. National research shows they lead to a 55% reduction in pedestrian crashes. Timeline: Completed June 2022 Cost: $340,000 Funding source: 2016 Mobility Bond
10% of city streets will be repaired
45% of road repair is done with sealcoating
is Austin Public Works’ budget for road repair
SOURCE: AUSTIN PUBLIC WORKS COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
here,” Spence said. With a budget of just over $27 million, Austin Public Works aims to repair 10% of the city’s streets this year. Austin Public Works uses a vehi- cle with laser technology that can assess the conditions of each street and determine if it needs a sealcoat,
crack seal, mill and overlay, or other repair option. Sealcoating, a process of protecting asphalt with a coat of adhesive and aggregate, accounts for 45% of street repairs this year, according to Spence. Sealcoating ensures roads have enough friction to be safe to drive on.
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NORTH CENTRAL AUSTIN EDITION • JULY 2022
EDUCATION BRIEFS
News from Austin ISD & Austin Community College
HIGHLIGHT AUSTIN ISD During the Austin ISD bond program meeting July 12, AISD confirmed it will ask for a bond to be placed on the ballot in the November election. There were two potential bond proposals suggested: a $1.55 billion option with no tax rate increase and a $2.18 billion option with a $0.01 tax rate increase. Both proposals include several partial or complete campus modernizations, district wide technology upgrades, mental health clinics and secure entry points. The larger of the two bonds would expand the number of modernized campuses modernized from 14 to 21. AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE Staff will propose including a 5%-15% raise for ACC employees and an $18 minimum wage in the 2022-2023 budget during the college’s Aug. 1 board of trustees meeting. The raise would be applied on a sliding scale with the lowest paid employees receiving 15% raises.
Austin ISD school board approves $1.9B budget, raises teacher pay
DISTRICT SALARY INCENTIVES On June 23, the district approved an increase in pay for staff for the 2022-23 school year. annual pay bump for teachers $1,000 for a 2% raise for teachers based on midpoint salaries $6.3M
BY ANDREA ANDERSON
Report sound & Noise complaints on the Mobile app. will pay a $2,000 retention stipend to full-time educators and $1,000 to those who work part time. A $500 stipend will be awarded to teachers who have been with the district for more than five years. Meanwhile, $8 million will go to raise the district’s minimum hourly wage to $16, from $13.50, and another $1 million will go to increas- ing the minimum hourly pay for bus drivers to $21 from $17. Of the entire budget, a portion will go toward an $846 million recapture payment, the highest in the state, district officials said. The funding plan was started by the state Legislature in 1993 and reroutes money from property-wealthy school districts to those that have less. The 74,000-plus student school district’s new budget is about $33 million less than last year, according to district officials.
AUSTIN ISD The district will boost salaries next school year in a move to keep educators from leaving Austin ISD. School district trustees approved June 23 a nearly $1.9 billion budget for the upcoming school year, which results in a $1,000 annual pay bump for teachers and raises wages for other staff. The budget plan sets aside $6.3 million for a 2% raise for teachers based on midpoint salaries, accord- ing to district officials. “We wanted to make sure we didn’t lose ground with teacher pay and we were competitive,” said Edu- ardo Ramos, AISD’s chief financial officer, during the board’s budget meeting. That figure includes financial incentives so teachers will stay. Starting next school year, the district
one-time retention stipend to full-time educators $2,000 one-time retention stipend to part-time educators $1,000
one-time stipends for teachers who have been with AISD five years $500 to raise AISD’s minimum hourly wage to $16, from $13.50 $8M to increase the minimum hourly pay for bus drivers to $21 from $17 $1M SOURCE: AUSTIN ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
MEETINGS WE COVER
Austin ISD Will meet Aug. 25 at 5:30 p.m.
4000 S. I-35, Austin www.austinisd.org
WE’RE ON THE ROADS AGAIN! Austin Public Works is improving hundreds of streets this summer. Visit austintexas.gov/streetmaintenance to see if your street is scheduled to be resurfaced and to fill out our street maintenance survey.
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12
COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER • COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
CITY & COUNTY
News from Austin & Travis County
HIGHLIGHTS AUSTIN On June 24, the Texas Supreme Court announced it will not consider a lawsuit from Austin residents requesting that all City Council seats be included in this November’s election. The decision ended a challenge that could have forced ve incumbents into midterm races. In the lawsuit, plainti s alleged that Austin’s redistricting process of 2021 “disenfranchised” thousands of voters by shifting residents into a district where they had not voted for their own representative. AUSTIN As of July 13, Austin Resource Recovery is asking customers to place carts outside no later than 5:30 a.m. on their scheduled collection days throughout the rest of the summer. The change is to help sanitation workers start earlier and avoid the midday heat. ARR has also increased the number of mandatory breaks drivers must take from two to four. These breaks are intended as 15-minute rest periods for drivers to drink water and sit somewhere cool. AUSTIN On July 10, a veterinarian noti ed the city of Austin that a dog died around an hour after swimming at Barking Springs, a section of Barton Creek next to the Barton Springs Municipal Pool. The city is investigating the death and looking at toxic algae as a possible cause. Until the city can determine if the area is safe, it is advising against swimming in Barking Springs. AUSTIN The director of Austin’s O ce of Civil Rights remains on paid leave following an investigation backing up employee allegations of a hostile work environment and mistreatment, likely at a cost to the city’s anti-discrimination e orts. Civil Rights O cer Carol Johnson was placed on administrative leave months after multiple employees led a complaint about her conduct with the city, prompting the external investigation. Since early 2021, Johnson had “derailed” the o ce through manipulative management in a toxic environment that a ected employees’ wellbeing and work, according to sta testimony. The investigation was released to Community Impact Newspaper on July 13.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR Austin Public Health is warning residents to take precaution and watch out for symptoms. TRAVIS COUNTY Local cases of monkeypox can no longer be traced to travel, Austin Public Health said July 13; instead the virus is moving through the community. As of July 14, nine cases have been con rmed in Travis County, while eight more are presumptive. Monkeypox is spread through bodily uids, including intercourse, touching skin lesions or touching contaminated items, per APH. BY KATY MCAFEE & DARCY SPRAGUE Travis Co. reports community spread of monkeypox
AUSTIN PROPERTY TAX RATE The proposed budget for scal year 2022-23 includes a tax rate decrease, but the average homeowner will pay about $10 more a month due to higher fees.
$0.5335 $0.541
$0.4448 $0.4403 $0.4431
$0.4519
2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21
2021-22 2022-23 (proposed)
SOURCE: CITY OF AUSTIN COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
Austin proposes $5B budget AUSTIN On July 15, Austin City Manager Spencer Cronk proposed a $5 billion budget for Austin’s scal year 2022-23. While the tax rate would decrease for property owners, the city would raise about $20.29 is that we do not currently have the sta that we need to deliver the services that we must,” Cronk said. The budget includes an increased minimum wage for employees from $15 to $18 and a one-time stipend of $1,500 for full-time employees with at least one year of service with the city. The new tax rate would provide homeowners some protection from drastically increased BY BEN THOMPSON
million more than last year. Cronk said a top focus of his budget planning was addressing sta ng vacancies. During his announcement of the budget, Cronk said he hoped to correct the trend of Austin head- ing “in the direction of a crisis” related to its workforce as the city continues to face high vacancies and an increased cost of living. “The simple truth of the matter
Fever
Headache
Chills
property values. Austin’s tax rate would dip from the current $0.541 per $100 of property valuation to $0.4519 per $100, a more than 16% drop. Cronk said the typical resi- dent can expect to pay around $10 more per month due to increased service costs and fees.
Muscle aches and backache
Swollen lymph nodes
A rash that can look like pimples or blisters Exhaustion
SOURCE: AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
City leaders seek to limit local effects of abortion measures AUSTIN City Council could vote to reduce the local e ects of the U.S. Supreme Court’s rollback of abortion rights by limiting the city’s role in related enforcement. BY BEN THOMPSON AUSTIN TAKES ACTION ON ABORTION LAWS June 16, 2021 Sept. 1, 2021 June 24, 2022 Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signs abortion “trigger July 21, 2022 TBD
Law banning abortions after six weeks goes into e ect.
Supreme Court decision overturns Roe v. Wade. Council members announce plan to limit abortion enforcement.
Austin will consider abortion measures.
The Texas abortion ban goes in place.
The Supreme Court issued its 6-3 opinion overturning Roe v. Wade on June 24, paving the way for Texas to move forward with its near-total ban on abortion. On July 21, council will hold a special meeting requested to con- sider several measures related to reproductive health. One item would update city policy to deprioritize investigations and enforcement related to abortion in
MEETINGS WE COVER
law” to ban the procedure if the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade.
Austin City Council Will meet July 26 10 a.m. and July 28 at 9:30 a.m. 301 W. Second St., Austin www.austintexas.gov/ austin-citycouncil
SOURCES: CITY OF AUSTIN, TEXAS LEGISLATURE COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
Austin as well as block the use of city resources for information sharing or surveillance tied to reproductive health decisions. Council will also consider measures
ensuring access to birth control including vasectomies through city health insurance and exploring options for bene ts supporting travel for reproductive health services.
Travis County Commissioners Court Will meet July 26 and Aug. 2, 9, 16 and 23 at 9 a.m. 700 Lavaca St., Austin www.traviscountytx.gov
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NORTH CENTRAL AUSTIN EDITION • JULY 2022
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COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER • COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
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