North Central Austin Edition | March 2024

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North Central Austin Edition VOLUME 16, ISSUE 12 MARCH 28APRIL 30, 2024

The Austin Animal Center is at capacity and has paused intake of dogs, even for emergencies.

ZARA FLORESCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Austin Animal Center reaches capacity ‘crisis’

Pets group director. An audit from last fall outlined several issues, including poor conditions and conict with commu- nity members, that ocials plan to address this year while maintaining the city’s no-kill policy.

Shelter leaders urged Austinites to consider foster- ing or adopting pets in the face of overcrowding. In the meantime, other shelter and animal group members say they are left to deal with the overow. “I feel they put a tremendous burden on the public,” said Beverly Luna, Austin Lost and Found

BY BEN THOMPSON

After mounting criticism of animal treatment and years of pandemic disruptions, Austin Animal Center leadership is working to improve operations at the city shelter as it reaches a “crisis point." As of March 20, dog intake was closed—even for emergency cases.

CONTINUED ON 24

Also in this issue

Impacts: BOA Steakhouse slated for Sixth Street (Page 8)

Government: City manager search down to 2 candidates (Page 13)

Events: Laugh it up at Moontower Comedy Festival (Page 16)

Dining: Nissi’s VegMex oers vegan twist on Mexican food (Page 26)

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NORTH CENTRAL AUSTIN EDITION

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Impacts

BY AMANDA CUTSHALL & ZARA FLORES

NORTH AUSTIN

• Opening TBD • Locations TBD • www.eggsupgrill.com

Coming soon

MCCANN DR.

In the news

183

4 Assistance League of Austin The nonprofit will celebrate its 50-year anniversary in April. The Assistance League of Austin provides help to children and adults through a variety of programs. • 4901 Burnet Road, Austin • www.assistanceleague.org/austin 5 Freytag’s Florist Ken Freytag opened the family-owned flower shop in 1974 and celebrated its 50th anniversary in February. The shop has expanded over the years to include multiple locations and offering floral delivery services. • 2211 W. Anderson Lane, Austin • www.freytags.com 6 Memorial United Methodist Church The church celebrated 150 years of services in December. It hosts community events, offers resources for those experiencing homelessness and daycare services.

MOPAC

2 P Thai’s Khao Man Gai Less than three months after closing the Research Boulevard location, P Thai’s Khao Man Gai will reopen at its new spot on Airport Boulevard in April. Serving Thai-Chinese fusion dishes, owner Thai Changthong specializes in khao man gai, or Thai-style Hainanese chicken and rice. Changthong is also the co-owner of Thai Kun at Domain Northside. • Opening in late April • 4807 Airport Blvd., Austin • Instagram: pthaiatx

290

• 6100 Berkman Drive, Austin • www.memorialumcaustin.com

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Closings

North Central

Coming soon

7 The Austin Antique Mall After 40 years, the antique mall will close to make way for an expansion of Playland Skate Center. Its home to nearly 100 vendors selling furniture, jewelry, and toys. • Closing May 15 • 8822 McCann Drive, Ste. 6931, Austin 8 DoubleTake ATX The resale and gift shop closed its doors after 40 years. Funds from the store provided education and awareness resources for Travis County victims of sexual and physical abuse through the Center for Child Protection. • Closed March 3 • 6318 Burnet Road, Austin

3 Solaris House Brandywine Realty Trust and ZRS Management will open Solaris House, a 66-acre mixed-used, multilevel community with 341 residential units. • Opening in late spring • 11501 Burnet Road, Bldg. 906, Ste. 600, Austin • www.solarishouse.com Eggs Up Grill The restaurant will expand its Texas presence with eight new locations planned for the Austin area. Four locations will be opened in the North Austin area by Michael and Rana Bosleah.

Now open

1 Lone Star Circle of Care Adult Medicine The nonprofit health center at Integral Care-St. Johns Clinic provides physical and mental primary care services for people ages 18 and older. There are also plans to expand its services to include pediatric care. • Opened Jan. 8 • 6937 I-35 N., Austin • www.lonestarcares.org

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Impacts

a void in the food scene—a late night food spot. Last Call Tacos is open until 2 a.m. every day serving tacos, quesadillas and more. • Opened Jan. 5

Now open

MAIDEN LN.

• 606 Maiden Lane, Austin • www.lastcalltacosatx.com

FRUTH ST.

Coming soon

6 Downright Austin The renaissance hotel will have 367 guest rooms, five suites, two dining and cocktail concepts. This hotel is part

of the Marriott family. • Opening this spring • 701 E. 11th St., Austin • www.downrightaustin.com

SABINE ST.

where the chef selects the day’s menu. The owners are the same team behind Sazan Ramen. • Opened March 6 • 609 W. 29th St., Austin • www.sushiendo.com 4 Jo’s Coffee The Austin-based chain opened at The Waller, a new residential building. The menu includes signature Jo’s coffee drinks, craft beers and mimosas. • Opened March 6 • 1108 Sabine St., Austin • www.joscoffee.com 5 Last Call Tacos Austinites Ben Platzer and Spencer Smith set out to fill 3 Mexta Nestled inside the historic Littlefield Building, Mexta uses contemporary cooking techniques to create traditional Mexican dishes, such as tetela Oaxaca, shrimp aguachile and more, along with curated cocktails, such as the Mole Old Fashioned and the Palomazo. The restaurant is owned by Jonatan Gómez Luna Torres, Mikel Alonso Garcia, Jesús Chávez, Benjamin Arriola, and Rodrigo Quintanilla. • Opened March 22 • 106 E. Sixth St., Ste. 110, Austin • www.mextarestaurant.com

7 BOA Steakhouse The California-based steakhouse will open in the former Gloria’s Latin Cuisine space. BOA’s current locations serve dry-aged steaks, Japanese wagyu, sides and salads. • Opening mid-2024 • 300 W. Sixth St., Austin • www.boasteak.com

COLORADO ST.

S. CONGRESS AVE.

Relocations

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8 Li’l Nonna’s The vegan pizza food truck, owned by Rob Lordi, relocated from 7107 E. Riverside Drive, Austin, serving New York-style pizzas and garlic knots. • Relocated Jan. 4 • 2908 Fruth St., Austin • www.lilnonnas.com

Downtown/West Campus

Now open

1 Arriba Abajo Rooftop Cantina The restaurant replaced the shuttered Wax Myrtle’s, offering food, drinks and events in an indoor dining room and on the rooftop pool deck. • Opened March 1 • 506 San Jacinto Blvd., Ste. WM, Austin • www.arribaabajoatx.com 2 Endo Chef Endo Yasuhiro, Taika Wakayama and Darrell Oribello debuted 20-course sushi omakase restaurant,

Closings

9 Smash ATX The bar and restaurant closed to make way for two new hotels and featured Ping-Pong tables, drinks, sandwiches and more at the former site of Spin. • Closed Feb. 17 • 213 W. Fifth St., Austin

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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY COMMUNITY IMPACT STAFF

Coming soon

Now open

MOPAC

5 The Diamond Reserve A third location of the Denver-based jewelry company is slated to open in Lamar Union. Kaeleigh Testwuide has helmed the company for nearly a decade, offering custom bridal and fine jewelry using lab grown diamonds. • Opening April 1 • 1100 S. Lamar Blvd., Ste. 1145, Austin • www.thediamondreserve.com

Relocations

6 Art for the People Gallery The local art gallery, founded by Deanna Worden, relocated from 1711 S. First St., Austin, to Good Dad Studios. Since its inception in 2015, the gallery has showcased original art, jewelry, prints, writing and more from emerging and experienced artists.

States location, offering a trifecta of workouts. FS8 allows for low-impact workouts with Pilates and yoga moves meant to improve balance and strength. • Opened March 2 • 3601 S. Congress Ave., Bldg. E, Austin • www.fs8.com 4 LeRoy and Lewis Barbecue The Austin-based food truck opened a brick-and-mortar restaurant, offering barbecue and drinks. Behind the restaurant are co-owning couples Evan and Lindsey LeRoy, and Sawyer and Nathan Lewis. The business now has space for beer and wine, packaged barbecue goods 3 Hattie B’s The Nashville-based hot chicken restaurant Hattie B’s opened in the former Maria’s Taco Xpress space. The menu features hot chicken sandwiches, wings and tenders with varying heat levels, pimento mac and cheese, crinkle-cut fries, baked beans and potato salad. The space features a 78-seat indoor dining room and large outdoor patio. • Opened Feb. 28 • 2529 S. Lamar Blvd., Austin • www.hattieb.com

FORT VIEW RD.

• Relocated March 9 • 2801 S. I-35, Austin • www.artforthepeoplegallery.com

EMERALD FOREST DR.

In the news

W. STASSNEY LN.

MAP NOT TO SCALE

7 Austin Aqua-Dome Founded by Gary Coffman, the Austin Aqua-Dome has been a go-to for fish and fish tank purveyors. In February, the business celebrated the completion of its $90,000 exterior renovation, encasing the dome of the building with a new, blue coating.

South Central

Now open

• 1604 Fortview Road, Austin • www.austinaquadome.com

1 Face Foundrie Founder Michele Henry opened a new location of her “all- inclusive” facial bar, which seeks to make skin care more accessible. Face Foundrie offers regular and mini facials, brow waxing and lamination, massages, and more. • Opened March 7 • 1221 S. Congress Ave., Ste. 110, Austin • www.facefoundrie.com

Closings

8 Outdoor Voices The athletic clothing brand has closed all of its brick- and-mortar stores in order to focus entirely on online- based business. The brand was founded in 2014 in New York City. • Closed March 17 • 1204 S. Congress Ave., Austin • www.outdoorvoices.com

and merchandise. • Opened Feb. 28 • 5621 Emerald Forest Drive, Austin • www.leroyandlewisbbq.com

2 FS8 The Australian fitness studio opened its first United

NORTH CENTRAL AUSTIN EDITION

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EAST AUSTIN

Impacts

BY AMANDA CUTSHALL & KATY MCAFEE

script, font and pre-drawn flash tattoos. • Opened Dec. 14 • 908 E. Fifth St., Ste. 108A, Austin • Instagram: toobadtattoos

MUELLER BLVD.

Now open

ALDRICH ST.

6 Holey Moley The Australian-based mini golf concept offers nearly 30 uniquely themed holes and other amenities like an outdoor stage area for live entertainment, a karaoke room, a restaurant and bar. • Opened March 22

• 807 E. Fourth St., Austin • www.holeymoley.com

183

Coming soon

along with trims for eyebrows, beards and mustaches. • Opened Dec. 1 • 4600 Mueller Blvd., Ste. 1003, Austin • www.barbertiesbarberstudio.com 4 Filthy Dogs Owner Sophia Cruz offers Mexican-style hot dogs loaded with Cheetos, cotija cheese, pineapple, grilled onions, bacon and other toppings. • Opened Feb. 7 • 1405 E. Seventh St., Austin • Instagram: filthydogs 5 Too Bad Tattoo Tattoo artist Bree Hagler opened her own tattoo studio in east Austin at the end of 2023. Hagler offers custom, 3 Cafe Corazon The cafe’s menu features over a dozen specialty drinks, including pistachio lavender, honey cinnamon, Nutella and PB&J lattes. They also offer cookies that pair with the special latte flavors, such as the pistachio lavender white chocolate chip cookie and Nutella-stuffed chocolate chip cookie. All Cafe Corazon items are made using natural ingredients, and vegan and gluten-free options are available. • Opened Jan. 8 • 1701 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Ste. 103, Austin • www.cafe-corazon.square.site

7 Bark House Social Founders Sandra Tanaka and Christian Vargas moved to Austin to start the 1-acre, private off-leash dog park. Membership options will be available, in addition to a bar and cafe. • Opening in late summer • 5022 E. Cesar Chavez St., Austin • Instagram: barkhousesocial

C O

973

Expansions

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8 SC4Kids The natural hair salon more than doubled its number of chairs, added shampoo bowls and installed high-tech dryers. The salon is owned by Austin local Hepsiba Barar. • Expanded in December • 1000 E. 11th St., Ste. 110 and 120, Austin • mysite.vagaro.com/sc4kids 130 TOLL

East Austin

Now open

1 Bambino The team behind Italian restaurant L’Oca d’Oro opened an all-day pizzeria. Main dishes include a burger of the day and a variety of “13-ish”inch pies. • Opened March 14 • 979 Springdale Road, Ste. 153, Austin • www.bambinoaustin.com 2 Barber Ties Barber Studio Owner Josue Ballejo opened the barbershop in late 2023 offering haircuts, hair designs and nose waxing, 71

Closings

9 Lick It Up Founder and chef Edgar Delfin closed the Austin food truck to focus on his original spot in downtown El Paso. Lick it Up Austin served plant-based Mexican street including tacos, burritos, flautas and more. • Closed Dec. 31 • 2421 Webberville Road, Austin

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NORTH CENTRAL AUSTIN EDITION

Government

Garza secures party nomination for DA

TravCo issues disaster declaration for eclipse Travis County officials declared a local disaster March 8 for the total solar eclipse April 8. What happened The declaration comes in anticipation of an influx of visitors and traffic in April, and potential strains on first responders the week of the eclipse. Austin’s 911 Emergency Communications Center will increase staffing from April 6-9 to address a potential for additional calls. Private property owners in unincorporated areas of Travis County are required to give officials notice if planning a gathering with more than 50 people. Residents are encouraged to view the eclipse from home, run errands before April 8 and plan ahead for traffic.

Local races

Winner

66.86% José Garza 33.14% Jeremy Sylestine Travis County District Attorney, Democratic Party 56.68% Sherine Thomas 28.7% Susana Castillo 14.63% Madeleine Connor 353rd Judicial District judge, Democratic Party 86.09% Lloyd Doggett 7.88% Christopher “Chris” McNerney 6.04% Eduardo “Lalito” Romero U.S. House District 37, Democratic Party

Incumbent José Garza won the Democratic nomination for Travis County district attorney over opponent Jeremy Sylestine in the March 5 primary election. He’ll face Republican Daniel Betts in the November general election. In other news Sherine Thomas won the Democratic 353rd Judicial District race with over 56% of the vote. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Rep. Greg Casar ran unopposed and will face the winner of a Republican runoff for House District 35. Incum- bent U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett won the District 37 Democratic primary and will face Republican Jenny Garcia Sharon. Michael Rodriguez and Steven Wright will compete in the runoff May 28 for District 35 Republican race.

SOURCES: TRAVIS COUNTY, TEXAS SECRETARY OF STATE/COMMUNITY IMPACT

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BY ELLE BENT & BEN THOMPSON

Council backs Austin cultural initiatives

Two remain in Austin city manager search City Council narrowed its search for Austin’s next city manager in March. Current situation A national search led 39 candidates to apply for the top local government job in early 2024. After a closed-door March 5 discussion, City Council selected three finalists with city manager experience:

“It’s important to keep the momentum going around this issue. Red River Cultural District is a critical

part of Austin’s vibrant cultural music and arts scene, [and] has a sizable role in the local economy.” ZO QADRI, CITY COUNCIL MEMBER

Multiple City Council actions last month were aimed at expanding Austin’s support for the local arts, music and cultural scene. What happened After organizers announced the Blues on the Green summer concert series had been canceled in January, it was revived thanks to support from council and H-E-B in February. Two weeks later, council members voted to send a financial aid package to downtown’s Red River Cultural District after stakeholders from the entertainment strip petitioned City Hall for help. Both actions were tied to resolutions from council members Natasha Harper-Madison and Zo Qadri, respectively aimed at: • Improving Austin’s partnerships with various local cultural events

• Supporting the city’s multiple cultural districts What’s next Harper-Madison’s item asked city staff to find new ways for the city to support free, public cultural events and festivals throughout Austin’s arts ecosystem. In addition to calling for a Red River aid pack- age, Qadri’s measure could lead Austin to build a new funding framework for cultural and heritage districts, according to the resolution.

• T.C. Broadnax of Dallas • Sara Hensley of Denton

• Brian Platt of Kansas City, Missouri Platt announced his withdrawal from Austin’s selection process March 10. A public town hall with Broadnax and Hensley is scheduled for March 25, after press time. Council could make a final decision April 4.

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NORTH CENTRAL AUSTIN EDITION

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Government

BY BEN THOMPSON

Property owners flee Austin regulations under new state law A new state law has Texas cities grappling with the loss of control over land in their outer limits, including Austin where hundreds of property owners have removed themselves from certain regulations. Since Senate Bill 2038 went into effect last 183A TOLL Properties that have petitioned to leave Austin's ETJ* Approved Under review Not approved Austin's ETJ Round Rock

Cedar Park

45 TOLL

September, property owners in a city’s extraterri- torial jurisdiction, or ETJ—the unincorporated area surrounding city limits—can request release from the city bounds. Sorting out the details Under SB 2038, cities including Austin can’t stop property owners from leaving an ETJ as long as application materials are found to be valid. The law also halts civic ETJ growth alongside any annexa- tions as of 2023 or after. Those in the ETJ can seek the release of any land from their city in one of two ways: • A resident or majority of landowners in the area can petition the city for release. • A smaller portion of residents in the area can petition for a local election. Only registered voters within the proposed boundary can participate and decide on the issue; a majority vote releases the land. Zooming in Hundreds of properties of all sizes were released from Austin’s ETJ or were pending removal as of mid-March, or well over 5,000 acres. That land now falls under looser county review related to develop- ment and environmental regulations, which could affect how the sites are used in the future. A county representative didn’t provide informa- tion on how ETJ releases are being handled. The outlook Through the 2010s, residents in Southwest Aus- tin’s ETJ utilized the city’s public review in an effort to cap the size of the proposed Live Oak Springs subdivision behind their neighborhood. The project would have brought more than 80 homes to the end of lightly traveled country roads. Local pushback over safety, traffic and flooding concerns led Live Oak Springs to be scaled down in 2019 to 30 homes and ended plans for a proposed access bridge over Slaughter Creek. The group thought they’d reached a compromise on the project years ago. However, the Live Oak Springs properties have now been removed from Austin’s ETJ and are no longer subject to previous oversight. New project plans are now being reviewed under

Pflugerville

130 TOLL

183

LAKE TRAVIS

360

Manor

MOPAC

290

Bee Cave

Austin

COLORADO RIVER

290

183

MOPAC

45 TOLL

Buda

MAP NOT TO SCALE N

SOURCE: CITY OF AUSTIN/COMMUNITY IMPACT

*DATA AS OF MARCH 14

contention between cities and petitioners over certain parts of the process, she said she believes it will “absolutely” continue to be a popular option. “The end result could be that development around Austin becomes less expensive to complete, thus making the developments more affordable for the end-users,” she said. Author of SB 2038 Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, said he valued positive reviews of the law for now, while changes could be in line after more analysis. “I was expecting there to be a steady stream of these applications and not a tidal wave of it. So we’re going to be looking at those results long-term because what gets measured gets fixed,” he said.

Travis County’s less restrictive set of rules, once again raising worries about a potential wave of new residents and traffic in what locals thought would remain a quiet, less built-out area. Property owner David Knapp, who successfully petitioned to remove the site from Austin’s ETJ last fall, didn’t return requests for comment. What's next Nikelle Meade, a partner with law firm Husch Blackwell specializing in land-use, said the flexibil- ity and loosened permitting requirements outside Austin’s reach are well-received by landowners looking to “control their destiny.” And despite some

NORTH CENTRAL AUSTIN EDITION

Events

BY AMANDA CUTSHALL

Social Distortion and Bad Religion Tickets are on sale for the co-headlining concert featuring California punk bands Social Distortion and Bad Religion. • April 20, 6:30 p.m. (doors), 8 p.m. (show) • $42 and up • Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park, 1401 Trinity St., Austin • www.ticketmaster.com Presto Series: Robert Spano Presented by KMFA Classical 89.5, this series will feature renowned people from the classical music scene for an evening of conversations and music, beginning with Robert Spano, music director at the Washington National Opera. • April 25, 7 p.m. • $20 (students), $60 (general admission) • Draylen Mason Music Studio at KMFA, 41 Navasota St., Austin • www.kmfa.org/presto B Scene: Japanese Pop The art party will feature works focused on Japanese pop culture with art and live music by Austin-based band Peelander-Z. Other activities will include art discussions, digital projections, food and drinks. • April 26, 6:30-10:30 p.m. • Free (5 and younger), $5 (ages 6-17), $20 (18 and older)

• April 10-21 • Badges start at $150

• Blanton Museum of Art, 200 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Austin • www.blantonmuseum.org Austin Psych Fest Presented by Levitation and Resound, the three-day festival will feature live psych rock, dream pop and indie rock music from a host of bands and musicians on two stages, with visuals and art installations. • April 26-28, times vary • $75-$475 • The Far Out Lounge, 8504 S. Congress Ave., Austin • www.levitation.fm/pages/austin-psych-fest Blue Genie Art Bazaar May Market Organizers are bringing back the Art Bazaar's May Market days, featuring more than 100 artists in the region showcasing handmade items like pottery, clothing, art prints and more. • April 26-May 27, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. • Free (admission) • 6100 Airport Blvd., Austin • www.bluegenieartbazaar.com Sunset Valley ARTFEST The city of Sunset Valley Arts Commission will put on this 16th annual art fest featuring over 100 artisans showcasing their handmade works, along with live

music from local musicians. • April 27, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. • Free (general admission)

April

• Paramount Theatre, 713 Congress Ave., Austin • ww.austintheatre.org/moontower-comedy

The Prom Zach Theatre will host musical performances of the Tony award-winning show telling the tale of washed-up stars putting together a small-town prom. • Through May 12, times vary • $25-$88 • 202 S. Lamar Blvd., Austin • www.zachtheatre.org Texas Bridal & Wedding Expo Vendors will fill the Austin Convention Center offering services from food and beverage to dance lessons, photography, tuxedos and gowns, decor and more. Bridal fashion shows, as well as cash prizes and giveaways, will happen throughout the day. • April 6, 12:30-5 p.m. • Free (advance), $10 (door) • Austin Convention Center, 500 E. Cesar Chavez St., Austin • www.bridalshowstx-au.com Moontower Comedy Festival The Moontower Just For Laughs Comedy Festival returns with some of the nation’s top touring comics, as well as some local favorites.

• Toney Burger Center, 3200 Jones Road, Austin • www.sunsetvalley.org/visitors/enjoy/events

Staple: The Independent Media Expo The event will feature more than 100 artists selling independently made comics, zines, artwork, crafts and games. Panel discussions and presentations will also be offered throughout the two-day event. • April 13-14 • $12 (advance), $15 (door) • Mabee Ballroom at St. Edward’s University, 3001 S. Congress Ave., Austin • www.staple-austin.org Field Guide Festival Connect with local farmers and chefs, taste seasonal dishes and learn about Austin’s sustainable food system. One ticket covers a day of food and drinks, live cooking, symposium discussions and live music. A portion of the proceeds benefit the Central Texas Food Bank. • April 20, 1-5 p.m. • $120 (ages 21+), $60 (ages 13-20), free (ages 12 and under) • Fiesta Gardens, 2101 Jesse E. Segovia St., Austin • www.fieldguidefest.com

Eeyore’s Birthday Party This annual day-long festival from the Friends of the Forest Foundation will have live music, local beer, food and more to celebrate Austin culture. All proceeds will benefit nonprofit organizations in Central Texas. • April 27, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. • Free (admission) • Pease Park, 1100 Kingsbury St., Austin • www.eeyores.org Austin Blues Festival The team at Antone’s and Waterloo Greenway will host the festival featuring a variety of local food trucks. The music lineup will showcase both longtime and newer artists, such as Buddy Guy, Jimmie Vaughan, Robert Finley, Big Freedia and more, with a pop-up vintage record shop and a variety of local food trucks. • April 27-28, noon • $80 and up (one-day pass), $130 and up (two-day pass) • Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park, 1401 Trinity St., Austin • www.austinbluesfestival.com

ABC Kite Festival Sponsored by ABC Home and Commercial Services, this is one of Austin’s oldest traditions. The 96th annual festival is an all-day event filled with kite making, flying and gazing. • April 14, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. • Free • Zilker Park, 2100 Barton Springs Road, Austin • www.abckitefest.org

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Education

BY ELLE BENT

AISD officials working around budget deficit As Austin ISD officials plan for the fiscal year 2024-25, district officials are working amid a projected budget shortfall. Current situation Superintendent Matias Segura said that because the basic student allotment—the amount school districts receive from the state based on student enrollment and attendance—did not increase this year and hasn’t since 2019, cuts would have to be made alongside any proposed budget increases for fiscal year 2024-25. The basic allotment is currently at $6,160. AISD officials say current enrollment is at 72,800, with a 92% attendance rate. Going forward with budget planning, district officials will keep the following in mind: • Lowering the 20% fund balance would be “risky” due to decreasing enrollment

ACC proposes free tuition program

The district is working to lessen the deficit through the following: Decreasing the deficit Vacancy savings, or costs saved by a staff position that is not filled

Austin Community College officials are working toward the potential launch of a free tuition program. The overview The proposal would create a zero-cost tuition program for high school seniors who graduate from local school districts and those who have completed General Educa- tion Development, or GED. If the proposal is approved by the board of trustees, set to be voted on April 1, eligible students could qualify for up to five years of free tuition beginning this fall. The program would include Credit and Continuing Education courses and would be paid for with funds already available within ACC’s budget in addition to state appropria- tions from House Bill 8.

Managing overtime expenses Monitoring contract expenses Interest earnings

SOURCE: AUSTIN ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT

• Adopting a shortfall greater than $30 million would put the district at risk of going below the fund balance in FY 2026-27, but decreasing the projected shortfall to $25 million or less would require multiple budget cuts What’s next? This spring, district officials will propose investments and potential cuts, such as staff, for the FY 2024-25 budget as it is being drafted. The AISD board of trustees will vote on the budget in June.

Nominated for 7 Tony® Awards including BEST MUSICAL!

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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Transportation

BY ELLE BENT, ZARA FLORES & KATY MCAFEE

Waymo driverless cars debut in Austin Technology company Waymo announced March 5 that it will test drive autonomous vehicles around the city with employees in the passenger seat. The overview The driverless cars will travel within a 43-square-mile radius that includes down- town, Barton Hills, Riverside, East Austin and Hyde Park. In San Francisco, Los Angeles and Phoe- nix, residents can hail one of the company’s driverless cars as a rideshare, through its Waymo One program. Austin may become the fourth city to get this service, but a timeline to roll this out has not yet been announced by company officials. Those interested can join the Waymo One waitlist at www.waymo.com

Lawsuit over Project Connect moves forward A lawsuit aiming to thwart Project Connect, a plan to build a 9.8-mile light rail system throughout Central Austin, could be resolved by this spring. What happened In November, five plaintiffs filed a lawsuit against Austin Transit Partnership, the organiza- tion tasked with building and financing Project Connect. The lawsuit argued ATP’s funding struc- ture, which allows it to receive a stream of cash from the Project Connect tax rate hike approved by voters in 2020 without annual oversight, violates the state constitution. It also argued ATP pulled a “bait and switch” on Austin voters after the project costs increased by $4 billion and subsequently scaled back the plan. In response, ATP filed a bond validation petition Feb. 20. The petition allows for an expedited review of its bonds funding process without direct

"Our job here at Austin Transit Partnership is to work day in, day out advancing the project. We do have a vocal few in this community that have tried to try to stop it, and over this past year they have not been successful in that." GREG CANALLY, ATP EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

approval from the attorney general. In Texas, all government bonds must typically pass attorney general review. What’s next Approval of the ATP’s funding structure and resolution to the lawsuit filed against them could wrap up in the coming weeks as the trial is slated to begin late May or early June. If the ATP gets the green light, they hope to break ground on the rail in just over two years, ATP Executive Director Greg Canally said.

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NORTH CENTRAL AUSTIN EDITION

Transportation

BY KATY MCAFEE

Capital Metro's triumph for transit, soccer fans face challenges

CapMetro Red Line Ridership Ridership of CapMetro’s Red Line has remained stagnant mostly since 2021, with peaks at the beginning and end of the Austin FC season. However, officials hope McKalla Station will encourage more passengers.

Thousands of soccer fans decked out in bright green jerseys boarded Capital Metro’s Red Line Feb. 24 to experience the grand opening of the McKalla Station—a double platform station less than 100 yards from Q2 Stadium. The $600 million station took more than 300 engineers and con- struction workers to build, and aims to make going to and from Austin FC games easier. However, CapMetro and Austin FC learned lessons from that opening night, as hundreds of fans dealt with delays or weren’t able to board the train. Officials hope with time the station will become a staple for residents. The context McKalla is one of the first projects created using funding from Project Connect—the city’s plan to expand transit options in the city, including a multi-billion dollar plan to build a 9.8-mile light rail throughout Central Austin. The McKalla stop is now the biggest along the Red Line and CapMetro officials hope it will become a go-to for soccer fans, as the previous closest station, Kramer, was a near-mile walk from Q2 and not Americans with Disabilities Act accessible. Austin FC President Andy Loughnane called the station a “spectacular” addition to Q2, as the stadium only has 750 parking spaces but has an average attendance of 20,738 people per match. CapMetro has seen a slow but steady increase in ridership of the Red Line since 2021, and officials expect the McKalla station to boost it higher. What happened More than 4,500 people boarded the Red Line Feb. 24—about one fifth of the people who

Ridership

Austin FC season

70,000

March 2023: 61,630

March 2022: 58,802

56,000

Oct. 2021: 49,817

42,000

28,000

14,000

2021

2022

2023

2024

SOURCE: CAPMETRO/COMMUNITY IMPACT

attended the match. While CapMetro officials said they had prepared for crowds, several mechanical failures caused trains to be delayed and people to pile up. Crowds were left in the dark as to when the next train would come and many fans ended up missing the start of the game or taking a ride hailing service due to the delays, Andy Skabowski, executive vice president, Chief Operating Officer at CapMetro said. They transported over 7,000 people by rail that day, over 4,000 of which went to the McKalla.

What's next The new station also “unlocked" the east side of Q2 and officials said the ride gives people a chance to see if riding the train could be feasible for work commutes, shopping trips and more. The area surrounding the stadium and the Domain is growing and is expected to see an influx of residents and visitors with at least four residen- tial and commercial projects in the works. CapMetro is also pursuing more public-private partnerships that will help expand the Red Line near areas with high pedestrian traffic.

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Development

BY ZARA FLORES

Long-time staple Frank Erwin Center coming down bit by bit

Demolition of the Frank Erwin Center has begun and commuters on I-35 are seeing the concrete walls come down, some even asking to keep a piece of the building and its near 50-year history for themselves. The details Nearly $100 million was poured into the center over the years with an initial $34 million for its construction and an additional $55 million spent in the early 2000s for renovations that included new lighting, seating and sound systems. The 500,000-square-foot center spanned upwards to six stories that hosted the University of Texas basketball games, high school and college commencement ceremonies, concerts and other large-scale events. However, the Moody Center’s completion in April 2022 essentially replaced the Erwin Center which held its nal events the following month. In August 2023, the UT board of regents announced that the center would be torn down to make way for the University of Texas at Austin Medical Center and an MD Anderson Cancer Center. The adjacent Denton A. Cooley Pavilion, which served as the basketball training facility since 2003, is also part of the demolition. What’s happening Costs for the demolition were anticipated to be around $25 million but Dan Cook, UT’s executive director of Planning, Design and Construction, said that the project is proceeding under budget. Demolition began in September and, due to the size and shape of the facility, the SpawGlass general contractor team is working to tear the site down piece by piece and have opted not to blow it up.

The concrete walls of the Frank Erwin Center are being torn down, exposing the interior.

Crews will tear down the steel beams after all the concrete walls are removed.

PHOTOS BY ZARA FLORESCOMMUNITY IMPACT

is at and safe, SpawGlass Project Executive Ryan Syring said. Cook and Syring both said the process is very methodical and doing so, rather than blowing it up, also allows for up to 80% of the building to be recycled. “Everything’s proceeding on schedule and under budget,” Cook said. “It’s all happening at the right speed to support what we need to happen.” The project is slated for completion this fall.

“There is a signicant amount of design eort that’s required to take it apart ... to make sure you’re not taking out a structural component,” Cook said. There are around 70-100 workers demolishing the center, and almost all of the concrete walls have now come down. Crews are also working on abatement, which is the removal of hazardous materials, including asbestos and lead paint. Once the concrete panels are all removed, crews will begin removing the steel frames and beams before leveling the site completely and ensuring it

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