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South Central Austin Edition VOLUME 18, ISSUE 12 MARCH 31APRIL 29, 2026
MoPac South expansion heads to public review
By Brittany Anderson
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Also in this issue Election: See local results from the March primary elections (Page 9)
In an eort to ease congestion, the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority is proposing building one to two express lanes along MoPac from Cesar Chavez Street to Slaughter Lane, with a wishbone ramp near Barton Skyway. (Matthew Brooks/Community Impact)
Nonprofit: Check out a revamped paleontology exhibit downtown with local fossils (Page 17)
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Conservation Rebates, Tools, Tips, and more
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Added general purpose lanes for smoother non-tolled traffic. Auxiliary lane enhancements for better merging. Infrastructure improvements like lighting and drainage.
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April 8, 2026 | 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Palmer Events Center, 900 Barton Springs Rd Career Expo Keep Austin Hired! Free and open to the public. For more information visit: AustinTexas.gov/CareerExpo
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3 Kinsho Nick Ford and Wade McElroy of Rocco’s opened neighborhood sushi bar Kinsho off Rainey Street in Austin, the first-ever dedicated sushi restaurant on the street. Kinsho offers an a la carte menu, as well as an omakase option. • Opened in March • 51 Rainey St., Ste. 140A, Austin • Instagram: kinshoaustin 4 Laura Rathe Fine Art Gallery The contemporary art gallery, with locations in Houston and Dallas, is now open in downtown Austin. The gallery is owned by Laura Rathe, while Nicole Donaldson serves as director and Dawn Ohmer as associate director. • Opened March 28 5 Very Cherry Vintage The vintage shop began selling decor and trinkets at a new storefront. The business hosted a grand opening event March 21 featuring drinks from Please Stay Coffee and a pop up from Rosehound Apparel. • Opened March 21 • 1628 S. First St., Austin • www.verycherryvintage.com • 907 W. Fifth St., Austin • www.laurarathe.com
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6 Texas French Bread The Austin bakery is opening a new storefront at its original location, which closed following a fire in 2022. The bakery serves breakfast and lunch sandwiches as well as assortments of fresh bread, sweets and pastries. • Opening in April
2 The Code The luxury hotel and residence hybrid opened in the Zilker area. The new development features 178 residences available for short or extended stays. Guests may choose from studios as well as one- and two- bedroom units that are designed to feel like apartments with full kitchens, dedicated living areas and in-unit laundry. • Opened March 9
Now open
1 Boni’s Bar Next Door The tapas bar opened next to Lenoir, a Michelin- recommended restaurant. The bar serves Spanish- leaning and classic cocktails that range from $12-$15 per drink alongside Spanish wines starting at $10 per glass. Cider, beer on draft, non-alcoholic options and espresso drinks are also available. The tapas-style menu features BBQ-spiced pork rinds, a pickle bowl, and oysters. • Opened March 6
• 2900 Rio Grande Blvd., Austin • www.texasfrenchbread.com
In the news
• 2323 S. Lamar Blvd., Austin • www.thecodeaustin.com
7 Vinaigrette Restaurateur Erin Wade now owns the 1950’s-era building housing Vinaigrette. With the purchase, Wade also plans to expand the space with two new concepts:
• 1805 S. First St., Austin • Instagram: bonisbaratx
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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
BY COMMUNITY IMPACT STAFF
Now open
Now open
Now open
8 De Nada Cantina The Austin Tex-Mex staple opened a second location in South Austin at the former El Mercado restaurant. The restaurant serves tacos and margaritas in pink cups, offering happy hour specials and a late night menu. • Opened Feb. 22
10 Olga Roberts Studio - Body Intelligence Pilates
13 Aperí at Paggi House The Loren Hotel Austin opened a new bar serving wine and small bites at the historic Paggi House art gallery and event space. The new concept offers a pre-dinner aperitivo hour where patrons can choose from more than 40 bottles of wine and build their own charcuterie boards featuring Italian
Instructor Olga Roberts is now offering a variety of classes and services including classical Pilates, classical ballet, kinesiology and dance medicine. • Opened Jan. 12 • 401 W. Third St., Austin • www.olgarobertsstudio.com
meats and cheeses. • Opened March 19 • 200 Lee Barton Drive, Austin • www.thelorenhotels.com/austin
• 1302 S. First St., Austin • www.denadacantina.com
11 Little Drinks Lounge The bar, located underneath The Debut Soco Apartments, celebrated five years of business in March. Other locations from the bar include Drinks Lounge in East Austin and Drinks Backyard. • 3801 S. Congress Ave., Ste. 116, Austin • www.littledrinkslounge.com 12 Tillery Street Plant Co. The East Austin plant shop celebrated its 15th anniversary in March. The locally-owned small business sells a variety of houseplants and tropicals. Merchandise and plant classes are also available. • 914 Shady Lane, Austin • www.tillerystreetplants.com
Tiny’s, serving coffee and light bites, and the Live Oak Farmer’s Market, bringing a bi-weekly market of local growers and makers to the neighborhood.
Closings
14 Hoover’s Cooking The soul food restaurant is closing its doors after almost 30 years in business as owner Hoover Alexander retires. • Closing May 31 • 2002 Manor Road, Austin 15 Sunshine Vinyl The LGBTQ-owned record store is closing its doors, owner Luca Kisielius announced to customers in an email. Kisielius will start a small disco house label called
• 2201 College Ave., Austin • www.vinaigretteonline.com
9 Walter’s Tavern The Freddo Coffee shop owners introduced additional owners to reopen the business as a bar in February. The tavern offers a full bar and kitchen until midnight and continues to serve coffee. Patrons can participate in watch parties for sporting events featuring a 15-foot jumbotron outside, live music, free pool, trivia and poker nights.
Sunset Records. • Closing April 12 • 2501 E. 5th St., Austin
• 2336 S. Congress Ave., Austin • www.walterstavernatx.com
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SOUTH CENTRAL AUSTIN EDITION
Government
BY BEN THOMPSON
Audit probes city consultant usage
Penalties increased for noisy vehicles A new ordinance was approved to combat excessively loud vehicles that have reportedly become a growing nuisance on Austin streets. What happened Drivers whose cars or motorcycles are unreasonably loud can now be cited after an initial warning is issued. Violations are Class C misdemeanors. Residents, law enforcement and city officials said the policy came together after extensive reports of disruptive noise and racing activity around neighborhoods. “This is a constant daily threat to our peace and safety, and a noise ordinance is written as a balanced, reasonable measure that empow- ers our officers to protect our community from clearly irresponsible conduct,” resident Lisa Capps told council.
Consultant spending Consulting services across city departments cost nearly $300 million in less than three years.
$120M $100M $80M $60M $40M $20M $0
$102.64M
$94.69M
$81.97M
A new city audit probed Austin’s frequent use of third-party contractors, including unclear justifi- cations and reporting on work that recently cost nearly $300 million in less than three years. “The city may not be able to show why consul- tant services were needed or how they were used,” Audit Manager Keith Salas said. The overview Contracting with consultants is common in Austin, with Salas noting that “virtually all” city departments are spending on third-party support. The March audit, based on a sample of recent contracts, found the city typically didn’t evaluate whether to complete work internally; often didn’t fully document deliverables or complete per- formance evaluations; and sometimes accepted inaccurate or incomplete follow-up information.
*CITY FISCAL YEARS RUN FROM OCTOBER-SEPTEMBER. FY 2024-25 DATA THROUGH JULY ONLY. SOURCE: CITY OF AUSTIN/COMMUNITY IMPACT 2022-23 2023-24
2024-25*
The approach Salas said auditors determined the city’s finan- cial services office should set clearer guidance for departments to conduct needs assessments before seeking third-party help. They also proposed requiring performance evaluations for all contracts and better maintaining relevant documentation. The finance department agreed with the find- ings and suggested fixes, and plans to update its processes by October, according to the audit.
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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
Election
BY COMMUNITY IMPACT STAFF
For more election coverage, go to www.communityimpact.com/voter-guide. Election results breakdown Voters weighed in on local, state and federal candidates in March. This list is not comprehensive due to space constraints. SOURCES: TEXAS SECRETARY OF STATE, TRAVIS COUNTYCOMMUNITY IMPACT
Incumbent
Democrat D
Green G
Libertarian L
Republican R
Winner
Headed to runo
1.30% Brandon Hawbaker R 7.11% Jessica Karlsruher R 2.86% Kara King R 6.72% Scott Macleod R 2.38% Jenny Garcia Sharon R 4.52% Jeremy Story R 51.25% Chris Gober R
Local elections
State elections
Texas Senate, District 21
Travis County Commissioner, Precinct 4 6.46% Gavino Fernandez Jr. D 37.06% George Morales III D
26.85% Cortney Jones D 73.15% Judith Zarini D
35.62% Susanna Ledesma Woody D 20.86% Ofelia Maldonado Zapata D
US House, District 10
US House, District 37
22.63% Dawn Marshall D 16.53% Bernie Reyna D 60.84% Caitlin Rourk D 7.54% Rob Altman R 13.96% Ben Bius R 2.36% Robert Brown R
5.46% Reese Ricci Armstrong 30.72% Amanda Marzullo 6.35% Rick Astray-Caneda III 57.47% Brigid Shea Travis County Commissioner, Precinct 2 D D D D
19.25% Esther Amalia De Jesus Fleharty D 80.75% Greg Casar D 35.31% Ge’nell Gary R
R 29.73% Janet Malzahn 34.96% Lauren B. Peña R
CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF Texas Under One Roof 25th Anniversary Weekend April 25–26 | Austin, TX
The Bullock Museum, a division of the Texas State Preservation Board, is funded by Museum members, donors, and patrons, the Texas State History Museum Foundation and the State of Texas. 25th Anniversary
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SOUTH CENTRAL AUSTIN EDITION
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Government
BY BEN THOMPSON
Air taxi testing heading to Austin Test ights for electric aviation services like air taxis will soon be taking o across the state, including in Austin, following the Texas Department of Transportation’s selection for a Federal Aviation Administration pilot program this month. The big picture Under an executive order issued last year by President Donald Trump, the FAA is moving to advance aviation systems including unmanned drones and electric vertical takeo and landing, or eVTOL, aircraft. Expanded eVTOL operations could include local air taxi service, regional passenger and cargo trans- portation, emergency medical response, and more. The project Under the FAA pilot, TxDOT is coordinating with
Archer’s Midnight electric air taxi will be part of the TxDOT pilot program.
Wisk Aero’s aircraft and autonomous systems will be used in the TxDOT pilot program.
COURTESY WISK AERO
COURTESY ARCHER
four aviation companies: Archer, BETA Technolo- gies, Joby Aviation and Wisk Aero. The partnership will see eVTOL air taxi ights and other services launch between Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, Houston—known as the Texas Triangle—as well as rural communities around that area. The transportation department didn’t identify specic communities outside the major cities. Only existing infrastructure will be used initially, according to TxDOT spokesperson Adam Hammons, and the project will also consider future needs for the new aviation technology.
A closer look TxDOT’s program will have a footprint in Austin, but city ocials had separately applied to the FAA pilot initiative last year after general planning for local eVTOL service began. The city’s own eVTOL pilot proposal development was spearheaded by Austin-based LIFT Aircraft and wasn’t among the federal agency’s nal selections. During a brieng to City Council last fall, Assistant City Manager Mike Rogers noted Austin will need to plan for the local impact of eVTOL operations, including zoning, infrastructure, and regulatory coordination with state and federal governments.
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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
Environment
BY BROOKE SJOBERG
LCRA reservoir could add 13 billion gallons to Central Texas water supply
What they’re saying
Adding a reservoir in this area could help all water customers in the lower Colorado River basin, according to the release, because this part of the state receives more annual rainfall than the Highland Lakes northwest of Austin. “Building a new reservoir takes years, so it’s important to start developing new supplies before the demand arrives,” LCRA General Manager Phil Wilson said in the release. “Meeting future needs requires a combination of adding new supplies and using the supplies we already have thoughtfully.” Should studies find the site to be suitable for a reservoir, it would be the second in the lower Colorado River basin, after Arbuckle.
The Lower Colorado River Authority is conducting studies to determine if a site northwest of Eagle Lake in Colorado County would be suitable for a new, larger water reservoir. LCRA already owns the 2,000-acre site, which could add over 13 billion gallons to the Central Texas water supply amid growing water needs. The river authority, which supplies water and hydroelectric power to many communities throughout Central Texas, is exploring plans to build a new reservoir that could hold up to 90,000 acre-feet of water. That would make it larger than the recently opened Arbuckle Reservoir, or two to three times the capacity of Lake Austin.
Potential LCRA reservoir
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A new reservoir off the river authority’s main channel was established in its Water Supply Resource Report, an overview of strategies to address regional water needs, that was approved last year, according to a Feb. 19 news release.
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SOUTH CENTRAL AUSTIN EDITION
Education
Transportation
BY CHLOE YOUNG
BY CHLOE YOUNG
Nonprofit to take over 3 Austin ISD schools Texas Council for International Studies may begin operating Burnet, Dobie and Webb middle schools next school year. The Austin ISD board of trustees is expected to vote on a three-year contract with TCIS at a March 26 meeting, after press time. The educa- tional nonprofit specializes in the International Baccalaureate program and works with Region 1 Education Service Center. The background The nonprofit partnership comes after Burnet, Dobie and Webb each received their fourth consecutive F rating in 2025 from the Texas Edu- cation Agency. If a campus receives five or more consecutive failed ratings, the TEA may close the campus or takeover the district. This school year, the district restarted the three middle schools by hiring new principals and teachers.
Austin ISD looks to cut costs by $39M Austin ISD is aiming to reduce its expenses over time and increase its savings. What’s happening The district is planning to make $39 million in cuts this fiscal year to lower a pro- jected $136 million shortfall to $49 million, among other cost-saving measures like a hiring freeze, adjustments to discretionary spending and identifying additional revenue opportunities. The backstory The projected shortfall has increased from $111 million to $136 million after a $26 million land sale failed to go through this fiscal year, Chief Financial Officer Katrina Montgomery said.
Dobie Middle School and College Prep Academy
Ongoing projects
Completed projects
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1 Congress Avenue Urban Design Initiative Project: The project will redesign Congress Avenue to expand sidewalks, add pedestrian amenity zones, upgrade bikeway barriers and add turn lanes for vehicle traffic. Update: Construction began Jan. 30. • Timeline: Phase 1: 2026–summer 2027; full project: 2026–2030 • Cost: full project: $29 million • Funding source: 2020 Mobility Bond
2 Wishbone Bridge Project: The new pedestrian and bicycle bridge runs over Lady Bird Lake, connecting the Ann and Roy Butler Trail at Mt. Holly Peninsula, Canterbury Park and Longhorn Shores. The new underpass links Longhorn Shores to Krieg Fields and the Roy G. Guerrero Trail. Update: The bridge and underpass opened Feb. 7 • Timeline: July 2024-Feb. 2026 • Cost: $25.9 million • Funding source: 2020 Mobility Bond
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The impact Under Senate Bill 1882, school districts can receive additional funding and a two-year exemp- tion from state accountability interventions by partnering with a charter school or nonprofit.
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BRODIE LANE 4970 W Hwy 290 (512) 366-8260
NORTH LAMAR 914 North Lamar (512) 214-6665
35TH STREET 1500 West 35th St (512) 277-2518
MoPac South expansion heads to public review From the cover
Breaking it down
How we got here
The 2C configuration features northbound and southbound express lanes from Cesar Chavez to the Barton Skyway via an elevated, wishbone-shaped ramp, which Mobility Authority officials say will eliminate vehicle weaving and allow for multiple downtown exit options. The configuration also includes two express lanes from Barton Skyway to Convict Hill Road, one express lane from Convict Hill Road to Slaughter Lane, and other improvements, such as a shared- use path connecting the Roberta Crenshaw Bridge over Lady Bird Lake to Slaughter Lane. According to Mobility Authority documents, the agency has incorporated community input collected over the years into 2C’s design, including: • Adding a direct connection at US 290, a col- lector-distributor road from Barton Skyway to Loop 360, and a south-to-north U-turn at Barton Skyway • Lengthening the turn lane leading to the U-turn at Loop 360 • Adding more bike and pedestrian crossings on each side of the corridor, and widening or relocat- ing shared-use paths Mobility Authority documents also state 2C considers emergency vehicle response times, noting current shoulder widths are too narrow for adequate response and could worsen as the region grows.
“While there is much work to be done on gathering and responding to public comments, we look forward to fulfilling the community request for the Mobility Authority to sponsor this environmental study,” Mobility Authority Executive Director James Bass said. The study utilizes the recommended build alternative 2C configuration that proposes building one to two express lanes in each direction between Cesar Chavez and Slaughter, despite some pushback from the community regarding its environmental and traffic impacts. Five other configurations and a no-build alternative were studied, but the Mobility Authority said 2C reflects public feedback and is expected to reduce travel delays by 2045.
For over a decade, the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority has spearheaded an $825 million project along 8.77 miles of MoPac South between Cesar Chavez Street and Slaughter Lane. Mobility Authority officials said MoPac South is consistently ranked among the most congested roadways in Texas. In 2013, the agency and the Texas Department of Transportation initiated an environmental study of the corridor to identify options to improve mobility and safety. While the project has faced various delays in the years since, the Mobility Authority held six open houses before publishing the project’s draft environmental assessment Feb. 13.
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Scan the QR code to see an animated video flythrough of what changes the recommended build alternative 2C would bring to MoPac South between Slaughter Lane and Cesar Chavez Street.
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SOURCE: CENTRAL TEXAS REGIONAL MOBILITY AUTHORITY/COMMUNITY IMPACT
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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
BY BRITTANY ANDERSON
Stay tuned
Put in perspective
MoPac South travel times in 2045 By 2045, the 2C express lanes could cut northbound travel times by 60% and southbound travel times by 64%. Northbound morning peak hours 2C general-purpose lanes 16 minutes 2C express lanes 8 minutes No-build alternative 20 minutes Southbound evening peak hours 2C general-purpose lanes 17 minutes 2C express lanes 8 minutes No-build alternative 22 minutes
The Mobility Authority’s virtual public hearing for the draft environmental assessment opened March 9 and will run through May 3. The agency also held an in-person public hearing March 24, after press time.
2C is also being evaluated against a no-build, or “do nothing” alternative. According to the Mobility Authority, by 2045 the 2C express lanes would save drivers 12 minutes during northbound morning peak hours of 7-9 a.m. and 14 minutes during southbound evening peak hours of 4-6:30 p.m., compared to the no-build alternative. The general-purpose lanes would save drivers four minutes northbound and five minutes southbound. Bobby Levinski, senior staff attorney with Save Our Springs Alliance, said construction generates a significant amount of traffic itself, and expanding road capacity only increases vehicle miles traveled. “That’s the opposite direction I think a lot of people are trying to get the city to head, which is ... trying to work towards traffic demand management solutions where we can have some alternatives to just highway expansion,” Levinski said. “I think a lot of people are asking, is it really worth it?”
Get involved Community members can provide public comment on the draft environmental assessment through May 3 via the following:
Online at ph.mopacsouth.com
By mail to Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority, c/o MoPac South, 3300 N. IH-35, Suite 300, Austin, 78705 In a three-minute-maximum voicemail at 512-387-5811
NOTE: BASED ON THE CAPITAL AREA METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION 2045 REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN MODEL
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SOUTH CENTRAL AUSTIN EDITION
Events
BY ELLE BENT
• April 12, 8 a.m. • $70-$75 (participate) • Congress Avenue bridge (start) • www.cap10k.com
A pril
Moontower Comedy Festival Enjoy two weeks of comedy shows. • April 7-18 • $85 (daily wristband); $175+ (badge) • 713 Congress Ave., Austin; Various venues • www.austintheatre.org ABC Kite Fest The annual kite festival features hundreds of kites. • April 11, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. • Free (admission) • Zilker Park, 2100 Barton Springs Road, Austin • www.abckitefest.org STAPLE! Independent Media Expo The two-day festival will showcase comics, zines, artwork and tabletop games. • April 11-12 • $15+ (tickets) • St. Edward’s University, 3001 S. Congress Ave., Austin • www.staple-austin.org The 49th Annual Statesman Capitol 10,000 Runners will gather to race over 6.2 miles.
Austin Reggae Festival The festival is a fundraiser for the Capital Area Food Bank and features three days of reggae, world and dub music. • April 17-19 • $50-$650 (tickets) • Auditorium Shores, 900 W. Riverside Drive, Austin • www.reggaeriseup.com/texas Pop-Up Picnic This 13th annual fundraising event features live music and picnic baskets from Austin restaurants. • April 18, 6-10 p.m. • $25 (admission); $100-$350 (picnic baskets) • 1401 Trinity St., Austin • www.waterloogreenway.com/picnic Austin Dragon Boat Festival The 26th annual festival is a race on Lady Bird Lake. • April 25, 10 a.m. • Free (admission), $800+ (to compete) • Festival Beach, 1621 Nash Hernandez Senior Road, Austin • www.atxdragonboat.com
Austin Blues Festival The Austin Blues Festival will return to Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park this spring, presented by Antone’s Nightclub and Waterloo Greenway Conservancy. The two-day festival celebrates music and culture and started in 1999. This year is the festival’s fourth edition and will celebrate Antone’s 50-year lease extension. • April 25-26 • $79+ (varies on ticket type) • 1401 Trinity St., Austin • www.austinbluesfestival.com
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Guests can now learn more information about almost all the showcased fossils throughout the exhibit.
One of the interactive elements added to the exhibit are the touchscreen panels which give visitors a closer look at featured creatures in their habitat.
PHOTOS COURTESY TEXAS SCIENCE & NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM
Local museum uncovers revamped exhibit The Texas Science and Natural History Museum opened its latest paleontology exhibit on Jan. 28. Attendees can immerse themselves in how crea- tures lived through a video game, interactive panels and learning where the featured Texas fossils were found across the state. The present
Another addition to the space is a choose-your-own- adventure game.
When stepping into the room, community members can see the displays are separated into ve slices of time and environments: Triassic, Permian, Cretaceous, Miocene and Pleistocene, also known as the Ice Age. Prior to the exhibits revamp, each section only told one story about the environment. Now, visitors can read about almost every specimen showcased in their respective displays. Approximately 77% of the specimens in the exhibit are from Texas—some were discovered by UT Austin alumni. What else? The space also features the Discovery Center which opened in March 2025. The center is a hands-on paleontology exhibit.
TRINITY ST.
35
The Epic Encounters exhibit gives visitors infor- mation about paleontology through fossil displays, immersive design and interactive experiences. Liam Norris, exhibition and outreach associate and paleontologist, said while the fossils and skeletal mounts in the exhibit haven’t changed signicantly, the greatest upgrade is the amount of information visitors can now intake from the exhibit.
ROBERT DEDMANDR.
DELOSS DODDS WAY
N
2400 Trinity St., Austin https://sciencemuseum.utexas.edu
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Real estate
Less Central Austin homes sold in February 2026 compared to February 2025, according to Unlock MLS data. Residential market data
Homes sold
February 2025
February 2026
+30%
-45.83%
-37.5%
-3.23%
-0.5%
0%
78701
78702
78703
78704
78705
78722
78705 78751 78752 78756
+3.33%
+46.15%
+77.78%
-16.67%
+100%
+8.33%
78757
78731
290
360
78723
78703
78701
78722
78702
78704
290
183
35
71
MOPAC
78723
78731
78751
78752
78756
78757
N
Median home sales price
Central Austin
February
2025
2026
February
2025
2026
$595,000 $762,500 $1,372,500 $948,000 $395,500 $453,500 $579,690 $718,750 $749,000 $317,500 $605,000 $679,900
$645,000 $665,000 $1,676,000 $900,000 $315,000 $503,000 $575,000 $1,020,000 $625,000 $368,000 $565,000 $740,000
78701 78702 78703 78704 78705 78722 78723 78731 78751 78752 78756 78757
476 454
New listings
174 158
Closed sales
Homes under contract
208 231
MARKET DATA PROVIDED BY AUSTIN BOARD OF REALTORS AND UNLOCK MLS 512-454-7636 WWW.ABOR.COM
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