North Central Austin Edition | July 2023

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NORTH CENTRAL AUSTIN EDITION

VOLUME 16, ISSUE 4 AUG. 330, 2023

HOME EDITION 2023

Mueller nears nish line

Austin's rst bike polo course opens

CapMetro rail line receives funding for double tracking

Transportation

HOME EDITION 2023

Real estate data

Mueller in Northeast Austin is nearly nished. A new development around the old airport control tower is under construction. (Katy McAfee/Community Impact)

Local service shop oers advice on car maintenance

Aordability program sets bar, but experts say replication will be hard

Pull the newest teaser from CC Libraries

BY KATY MCAFEE

development with dozens of locally owned restaurants and shops, aord- able housing, an HEB, the Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas, Austin Energy’s headquarters and a popular Sunday farmers market that brings in hundreds of residents from across town. “It accomplishes one of the main purposes, which is to enable folks

who might not have it all together to buy their rst home. It makes it pos- sible, cost wise, to do that,” Suzanne O’Malley, who owns an aordable unit, said. “[Residents] enjoy the social aspect. They enjoy living near one another. They enjoy the activity on the street and outside.” With a handful of parcels left for CONTINUED ON 24

After nearly two decades of development, the Mueller neigh- borhood—Central Austin’s largest master-planned community—is near- ing completion. The 700-acre stretch of land in Northeast Austin has been trans- formed from the Robert Mueller Municipal Airport to an eco-friendly

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 .

austinwater.org

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IN ROUND ROCK. FOR ROUND ROCK. Over 32 exceptional programs and expanding, four on-site clinics to serve the community, and a world of more to come.

Learn more about undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs offered: RRC.TXST.EDU

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Texas State University is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer, committed to providing a welcoming educational and working environment for all. This information is available in alternate format upon request from the Office of Disability Services. 23-416 6-23

NORTH CENTRAL AUSTIN EDITION • AUGUST 2023

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THIS ISSUE

MARKET TEAM GENERAL MANAGER Deeda Lovett EDITOR Darcy Sprague REPORTERS Katy McAfee, Ben Thompson GRAPHIC DESIGNER Joseph Veloz METRO LEADERSHIP PUBLISHER Travis Baker MANAGING EDITOR Amy Denney COPY EDITOR Kasey Salisbury SENIOR ART PRODUCTION MANAGER Haley Grace CONTACT US 16225 Impact Way, Ste. 1, Pugerville, TX 78660 • 5129896808 CI CAREERS communityimpact.com/careers PRESS RELEASES ctanews@communityimpact.com ADVERTISING ctaads@communityimpact.com Learn more at communityimpact.com/advertising EMAIL NEWSLETTERS communityimpact.com/newsletter SUPPORT US Join your neighbors by giving to the CI Patron program. Funds support our journalistic mission to provide trusted, local news in your community. Learn more at communityimpact.com/cipatron ABOUT US Owners John and Jennifer Garrett launched Community Impact in 2005, and the company is still locally owned today. We have expanded to include hundreds of team members and have created our own software platform and printing facility. CI delivers 35+ localized editions across Texas to more than 2.5 million residential mailboxes.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS MONTH

FROM DEEDA: When I moved to Austin, Mueller was the talk of the town. I remember hearing the news of Dell Children’s Hospital and seeing ower-shaped solar panels o I-35 further piquing my interest. Today, it’s clear it’s a major part of Central Austin and a success story on aordable housing. The only thing unclear is how to pronounce it! Let the debate begin as you read our front-page story on its progress. Deeda Lovett, GENERAL MANAGER

FROM DARCY: The rst year I worked on Community Impact’s home guide, I was a brand- new homeowner. I learned so much in the process. I still pull out our past issues when I am navigating my own tax bill. This year, our guide will tell you about home prices, repairs and home improvement projects, and more. (Deeda, it is pronounced “Miller!”) Darcy Sprague, EDITOR

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IMPACTS

Businesses that have recently opened or are coming soon, relocating or expanding

COMPILED BY KATY MCAFEE

RUTLAND DR.

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Gelatoro

Another Broken Egg

COURTESY GELATORO

COURTESY ANOTHER BROKEN EGG

MOPAC

4 Taiwanese tea shop ChiCha San Chen opened its rst Texas location at 6501 Airport Blvd., Ste. 100, Austin, in late May. The menu features a broad selection of green, oolong, black and milk teas that include add-ons such as taro balls, mousse, honey and fruit. The shop is open from noon-9 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays and 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturdays-Sundays and is closed on Mondays. 512-695-6868. www.tx.chichasanchen.com 5 Mexican sandwich spot Lonche Bar opened a food truck behind Revival Vintage at 5201 N. Lamar Blvd., Austin, in May. Lonche Bar sells made-to-or- der fried sandwiches made with bolillo rolls, tacos, street corn and other items. Lonche Bar is co-owned by Antonio and Karla Rodriguez. www.lonchebar.com 6 Junkdrop —a decluttering service based in Nashville—expanded its services to Austin in June. Junkdrop removes cli- ents’ unwanted furniture, appliances and other household items and then works with local nonprots to deliver the items to people in need free of charge. The company is owned by Nashville native Walter Hindman. Junkdrop’s warehouse is located at 607 Canion St., Austin. www.junkdropnash.com NEW OWNERSHIP 7 Italian restaurant Andiamo Risto- rante announced in July that Mike Smith had purchased the restaurant. The Austin local has over 20 years of experience in the restaurant business, including leading Gumbo’s, Shoreline Grill and Jerey’s. Andiamo Ristorante, which is located at 2521 Rutland Drive, Ste. 325, Austin, also

2 3

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Junkdrop

COURTESY JUNKDROP

announced a new summer menu, includ- ing Zuppa di Melone, chilled honeydew soup with toasted pine nuts, ricotta salata, and basil oil; Carpaccio di Cape- sant, slices of sea scallops in lemon olive oil; and Gnocchi al Pesto. 512-719-3377. www.andiamoitaliano.com CLOSINGS 8 Plant store Garden Seventeen closed June 30 due to several unexpected nan- cial setbacks, the owners said. The store, located at 604 Williams St., Austin, had provided Austinites with a wide selec- tion of plants, gardening supplies and other goods for green thumbs since June 2020. Co-owners Rodney Stoutenger and Jake Garrison said they plan to reopen in a new space in the future. www.gardenseventeen.com 9 Guitar Resurrection closed in July after 48 years in business. The store sold new and used guitars and ampliers as well as oering guitar repair services. Guitar Resurrection was located at 813 Morrow St., Austin.

NORTH CENTRAL NOW OPEN

ond Austin location at 6406 N. I-35, Ste. 1600, Austin, on May 16. The restaurant, owned by Austin locals Nathan and Li- anne Straathof, serves Southern-inspired breakfast and brunch, including chicken and waes, cinnamon roll French toast, and eggs Benedict. The restaurant also serves handcrafted cocktails and boozy cold brew. www.anotherbrokenegg.com 3 Happy Lemon opened a new location at 6406 N. I-35, Ste. 1301, Austin, in May. The Taiwan-based tea shop oers boba milk tea, lemonade, smoothies and bubble waes—waes with crispy edges and chewy “bubbles” in the center. Happy Lemon has locations throughout the U.S., Asia, Europe and Australia. 512-243-7658. www.happylemonusa.com

1 A new gelato and coee shop called Gelatoro opened at 4500 Duval St., Aus- tin, the former Hyde Park neighborhood JuiceLand location, in early June. The shop, owned by Austin local Sabri Gulsay, oers dozens of gelato avors, including hazelnut, stracciatella, bisco and straw- berry sorbet. Gelatoro also oers baked goods from Easy Tiger and coee using beans from local roaster Greater Goods Coee Co. 737-296-5941. Instagram: gelatoroatx

2 Another Broken Egg opened its sec-

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Businesses that have recently opened or are coming soon, relocating or expanding

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2 EXPOSITION BLVD.

GUADALUPE ST.

W. KOENIG LN.

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The Perch

COURTESY ESTILO KIDS

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Swank Cocktail Room

Ninja Nation

COURTESY SWANK COCKTAIL ROOM

COURTESY NINJA NATION

4 A new upscale bar called Swank Cocktail Room opened at 117 W. Fourth St., Austin, in July. Swank’s menu focuses on both classic and new craft cock- tails and champagne. The bar has an upscale casual dress code for guests, and reservations are recommended. www.swankaustin.com 5 Ninja Nation , a youth fitness arena with a huge obstacle course, opened at 6500 N. Lamar Blvd., Austin, on July 1. The gym, owned by husband and wife Atlas Cage and Tatiana Jitkoff, has running, balancing and climbing activities that are available for all kids of all skill levels. Ninja Nation also offers classes, camps and birthday parties. www.austin.ninjanation.com COMING SOON 6 A new bookstore called Alienated Majesty Books will open in the for- mer Malvern’s Books space at 613 W. 29th St., Austin, this summer. Alien- ated Majesty will sell a wide range

of literary fiction, poetry, works in translation and books from small in- dependent presses. The store will also host book readings and other events. www.alienatedmajestybooks.com RELOCATIONS 7 The Ascension Medical Group Seton Women’s Health clinic relocated from 305 W. 34th St., Austin, to a new space located at 1111 W. 34th St., Austin, in Bailey Square in late June. The clinic pro- vides routine and advanced obstetric and gynecologic care for women. 512-324- 8670. www.healthcare.ascension.org CLOSINGS 8 Fine Line , a clean makeup and skin care boutique, closed its store at 724 N. Lamar Blvd., Austin, in July. Longtime friends and owners Ashley Young and Cissy DeLuca said they are looking for a bigger space to relocate to sometime next year. In the meantime, Fine Line will host events and launch an e-commerce site in August. www.visitfineline.com

DOWNTOWN/ WEST CAMPUS NOW OPEN

2 Boutique clothing store Estilo opened a new shop for children’s clothes called Estilo Kids in Tarrytown’s Casis Village in June. The store, owned by Austin local Stephanie O’Neill, carries clothes for kids ages 3-14 and a selection of baby gifts. Estilo Kids is located at 2727 Exposition Blvd., Austin. www.estiloboutique.com 3 A new cocktail bar called Saturn opened at 906 Congress Ave., Aus- tin, on July 15. Saturn offers colorful, disco-themed cocktails, cold beer and small bites. The bar has no required dress code or cover charge for guests. Saturn is owned by Austin local Steven Smith. Instagram: saturnatx

1 The Perch —a new spot for beverages and small bites—opened in the former Alta’s Cafe location inside the Waller Creek Boathouse in late May. The Perch sells coffee, tea, beer, wine, smoothies to drink and bagels, tacos and other break- fast items to snack on. The Perch is family owned by the Kohlers, who also own boat rental company Retro Boats next door. The Perch is located at 74 Trinity St., Austin. www.theperchatx.com

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NORTH CENTRAL AUSTIN EDITION • AUGUST 2023

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N. PLEASANT VALLEY RD. 1

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SHORE DISTRICT DR.

Metz Park Multi-Use Bike Polo Court

Ceremony Social Spa

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COURTESY CEREMONY SOCIAL SPA

NAME CHANGES 7 WorkWell Austin, a holistic massage and acupuncture center, rebranded to Ceremony Social Spa and expanded its services in July. The spa, owned by Austin local Asenath Avinash, added a sauna, a cold plunge, life and business coaching, Buddhist meditation and other group classes. It is located at 1706 S. Lamar Blvd., Austin. 512-671-0224. www.ceremonyspa.com CLOSINGS 8 Vegetarian restaurant Mr. Natural closed its 2414 S. Lamar Blvd., Ste. A, Austin, location after 20 years in business. The restaurant’s last day of service was June 30. Co-owner Isabel Mendoza said the business was unable to recover after closing for six months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Mr. Natu- ral’s east side location will remain open and began serving lunch specials July 1. www.mrnaturalatx.com ANNIVERSARIES 9 Cabo Bob’s celebrated its 15th anniversary July 26. Don Brinkman, Terri Brinkman and John Stepan opened the first restaurant at 500 E. Ben White Blvd., Austin, in 2008, offering cus- tomizable burritos and fish tacos. Since opening in South Austin, Cabo Bob’s has expanded to a total of nine locations in Texas, including one in Central Austin. 512-432-1111. www.cabobobs.com

E . B E N W H I

BOTE

COURTESY BOTE

SOUTH CENTRAL NOW OPEN 1 Canva , a platform to create free online designs and visual communication, opened its flagship office in Austin on June 6 at 3212 E. Cesar Chavez St., Bldg. 1, Austin. The campus is 25,000 square feet and offers 108 work desks, 21 meet- ing rooms, eight solo pods and a training room. www.canva.com 2 The city of Austin celebrated the opening of the Metz Park Multi-Use Bike Polo Court on July 21. The court, located at 2407 Canterbury St., Austin, is the first bike polo court in Austin. The sport is similar to traditional polo, but played on bikes instead of horses. The court was installed by the city through the Austin Parks and Recreation Department in part- nership with the Austin Texas Bike Polo Social Club. www.austintexas.gov

5 Queen Spa will open a second loca- tion at 1333 Shore District Drive, Austin, this fall. Owner River Nguyen said she wanted to open a new location as busi- ness is growing, and she chose the South Shore District to provide a convenient location to customers who live east of I-35. The spa will have 12 chairs and 10 tables, where specialists can provide services to customers. Queen Spa offers nails, lashes, skin and brow services. www.queenspa.com 6 Sweat 440 will open a location in the Zilker neighborhood in early fall. The studio offers high-intensity interval train- ing classes that consist of four 10-minute sessions. Every 10 minutes, people will have the opportunity to join in a class, and reservations are not required. The studio will be located at 300 S. Lamar Blvd., Ste. O, Austin, on the ground floor of Cole Apartments. Sweat 440 has another Austin location open in the High- land area. www.sweat440.com

3 BOTE , which sells kayaks and other personal watercraft, opened at 312 Barton Springs Road, Austin, in July. The company began in Florida. The 3,400-square-foot space offers paddle- boards, kayaks, docks, floats and acces- sories. Bote will also host community events, including paddle demonstrations. www.boteboard.com COMING SOON 4 American pop-up restaurant Elementary will open a brick-and-mortar location at 2032 S. Lamar Blvd., Austin. The same team will also open a small second space called Hopscotch. Ele- mentary will serve a full dinner menu, while Hopscotch will focus on small bites using food trimmings from Elementary to reduce waste. The space was pre- viously home to Tiny Pies. The con- cepts will open in late July. Instagram: elementaryatx

Austin Habitat for Humanity

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Businesses that have recently opened or are coming soon, relocating or expanding

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EAST AUSTIN

SPRINGDALE RD.

BARBARA JORDAN BLVD.

290

Clover + Maven

WEH? Asian Fusion

COURTESY CLOVER + MAVEN

COURTESY WEH? ASIAN FUSION

973 7 Greater Goods Coee Co. will sell its agship shop location to HaloEast Prop- erty LLC on Aug. 28. The shop, located at 2501 E. Fifth St., Austin, will continue to operate as a cafe and oer a similar menu and Greater Goods coee. Meanwhile, the Greater Goods team is working on opening a tasting room and event space at 160 McGregor Lane, Dripping Springs, which is slated to open in early 2024. www.greatergoodsroasting.com CLOSINGS 130 TOLL RELOCATIONS 6 WEH? Asian Fusion relocated from San Marcos to 1023 Springdale Road, Bldg. 1, Ste. 1, Austin, in March. The restaurant, owned by Triz Es- guerra, serves Asian dishes inspired by Filipino and Korean cuisines, such as lumpia—a fried spring roll native to the Philippines—and a version of bibimbap, a Korean rice dish topped with vegetables and a fried egg. It also serves desserts, including ube waes, ube Oreo banana pudding and more. https://weh-asianfusiontx.square.site NEW OWNERSHIP 8 BBQ Ramen Tatsu-ya had its last day in business at 2027 Anchor Lane, Austin, on June 18. The restaurant served ramen dishes with slow-cooked meats inspired by Texas barbecue. The Ramen Tatsu-ya team plans to evolve the barbecue con- cept at a dierent location in the future; however, specic details have not been announced. www.ramen-tatsuya.com

dale General Complex on June 8. The store is owned by Shelley Moon of Shelley Moon Designs, Ryan Doo- little of Ryan Doolittle Glass, Bonnie Skulark of Sweet Cream Skincare and Elizabeth Hyman of The Gardener’s Wife. The store oers art and hand- made goods from over 22 local artisans. https://cloverandmaven.myshopify.com 3 A new speakeasy called Visitant So- cial Club opened behind Progress Coee at 3421 N. I-35., Austin, in late June. The speakeasy, owned by Gustavo Ortega Oyarzun and Pao Segovia, is located in- side a truck and serves a limited number of people Wednesdays-Saturdays from 6-midnight. Reservations are made via direct message on Instagram. Instagram: visitantclub COMING SOON 4 Tiny Minotaur Tavern —an immersive fantasy art installation—will open its rst brick-and-mortar spot at 2701 E. Cesar Chavez St., Austin, this fall after previously being a pop up. The tavern will double as a theater and community space for patrons to play table top and role-playing games. The space will have beer from Central Machine Works and baked goods from Abby Jane Bakeshop. www.tinyminotaur.com 5 Sprouts Farmers Market will open a new location at 1201 Barbara Jordan Blvd., Austin, on Sept. 22. The healthy grocery chain will serve produce from a handful of local Texas’ farmers, ready-to- eat meals and deli sandwiches, and doz- ens of organic and plant-based products. www.sprouts.com

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EAST AUSTIN NOW OPEN

ground, an on-site taco truck called Yellow Bell and about 120 parking spaces. In the coming months, an 18- hole disc golf course designed by Austin local Mike Olse will be open for guests. www.austinbeerworks.com 2 A new boutique store called Clover + Maven opened at 1023 Springdale Road, Bldg. 6D, Austin, in the Spring-

1 Austin Beerworks opened a new 64-acre taproom at 10300 Springdale Road, Austin, on June 14. The taproom includes a fenced-in dog park, a play-

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NORTH CENTRAL AUSTIN EDITION • AUGUST 2023

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TODO LIST

August & September events

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AUG. 1820

ROAM WITH DINOSAURS MOODY CENTER

SEPT. 30

TOUCH TRUCKS FOR CHARITY Q2 Stadium

Jurassic World Live will stop at the Moody Center for a live arena show featuring life- size dinosaurs, heroes and villains. The show features an original story that brings dinosaurs and people together and is appropriate for all ages. Times vary. $25-$65. 2001 Robert Dedman Drive, Austin. www.moodycenteratx.com

Kids can explore retrucks and other vehicles at the Safe Alliance’s Touch-a-Truck fundraiser. There will also be live music, face painting, a petting zoo, and access to air conditioning and indoor restrooms. 9-10 a.m. (VIP Hour), 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Prices vary. 10414 McKalla Place, Austin. www.safeaustin.org

11 HEAR CLASSICS BY CANDLELIGHT Candlelight Concerts will present 100 Years of Warner Bros. at the Historic Sanctuary at St. David’s Episcopal Church with music from classics such as “The Wizard of Oz,” “Casablanca,” “Singin’ in the Rain” and more. Admittance is for those age 8 and older. 6 p.m., 8 p.m. $40-$50. 301 E. Eighth St., Austin. www.feverup.com/125511 12 CELEBRATE PRIDE Over 400,000 people are expected to head down Congress Avenue for Austin’s 31st annual Pride Parade & Festival. The festival includes inatable games, carnival rides and hundreds of vendors. Festival: 11 a.m. -6 p.m. $10-$150. Fiesta Gardens, 2101 Jesse E Segovia St., Austin. Parade: 8-11 p.m. Free. Texas State Capitol Building, 1100 Congress Ave., Austin. DISCOVER VINTAGE TREASURES City-wide Vintage Sale, a woman-owned small business based out of Austin, will ll the Palmer Events Center with nds for those attending to purchase. 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. (Aug. 12), 11 a.m.-5 p.m. (Aug. 13). Free (age 12 and under), $9-$12 www.austinpride.org 12 THROUGH 13

AUGUST 05 06 & 27

(over age 12). 900 Barton Springs Road, Austin. www.citywidevintagesale.com 14 HEAD BACK TO SCHOOL Austin ISD students will head back to class after summer break. The full academic calendar for the 2023-24 school year is available on the district’s website. www.austinisd.org 26 SEE BATS Austin will hold its 18th annual Bat Fest on the South Congress Avenue bridge, featuring live music, 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 (under age 8), $25 (age 8 and over). 100 S. Congress Ave., Austin. www.roadwayevents.com/event/bat-fest 26 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 counties. 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 (individual), $3,500+ (per table). JW Marriott, 110 E. Second St., Austin. www.bigmentoring.org/ice-ball 26 THROUGH 27 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 oering end-of-the-season prices on items. 9:30-11 a.m. (VIP preshop Aug. 26), 11 a.m.-5 p.m. (general admission). $10 (general admission per day), $25 (VIP). Palmer Events Center, 900 Barton Springs Road, Austin. www.legaragesale.net 31 THROUGH SEPT. 3 EXPERIENCE ARTS AND CULTURE Music and lm festival The Front Fest will be held at Future Front Texas House, The Line Austin and The Contemporary Laguna Gloria for four days of music and lm showcases, creative experiences, and a “swim session” afterparty. $15 (presale single-day passes), $40 (presale weekend passes). Locations vary. www.thefrontfest.com

HEAL HOLISTICALLY Path Wellness will hold a series of weekend health and wellness workshops with various instructors at ToddPilates North including sessions about anxiety and a healing yoga class. Class sizes are limited. 1 p.m. $75-$125. 9029 Research Blvd., Ste. 200, Austin. www.pathaustin.com 09 THROUGH SEPT. 10 ATTEND A MUSICAL Zach Theater will put on “Head over Heels,” a Broadway hit that follows the story of a royal family as they ght to save their kingdom from the oracle’s prophecy of doom. The production includes music from The Go-Go’s, the all-female ’80s rock band, and musical direction from The Go-Go’s bassist Kathy Valentine, who will perform each night. There will be opportunities for active participation from the audience. Times vary. Tickets start at $25. The Topfer at Zach, 202 S. Lamar Blvd., Austin. www.zachtheatre.org/headoverheels

Find more or submit Central Austin 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.

NORTH CENTRAL AUSTIN EDITION • AUGUST 2023

WE ARE IN A DROUGHT This is a time for everyone to be mindful of their water use – every drop counts. It is important to know that despite the rainfall we’ve gotten this spring, our water supply lakes are still only half full. Things you can do right now to save water 6 Use outdoor irrigation only on your designated day and times. 6 Shorten shower times and run the washing machine or dishwasher only when they’re full. 6 Check all water heaters, faucets, showerheads, and pipes under cabinets for leaks and drips. 6 Set up your account in the My ATX Water customer portal to access your water use data, get custom notifications, and receive potential leak alerts. We’re in this together. We appreciate everything you are doing to conserve our most precious resource.

Austin Water continues to monitor conditions with the Lower Colorado River Authority. You can find out more about Austin Water’s drought response here.

austinwater.org

ENVIRONMENT Community responds as temperatures soar

HEAT-RELATED CALLS ON THE RISE

The United Way for Greater Austin has seen an increase in the number of heat-related calls to 211 seeking assistance. The number of heat-related 911 calls Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services has responded to has increased consistently over the past three years. United Way for Greater Austin service area 211 calls (non emergency)

BY AMANDA CUTSHALL

Medical Services public information ocer and captain. “We actually broke our all-time record for heat-related calls in the month of June as of June 29,” Stedman said, explaining ATCEMS responded to 174 calls through June. In June 2022—which was the previous record—ATCEMS had 159 total calls, Stedman said. ATCEMS responded to 125 calls in June 2021. Ashley Pierce, United Way chief marketing ocer, said the organi- zation had responded to nearly 100 heat-related calls to 211—a nonemer- gency line—as of the end of June. “Most of the needs are people seeking resources regarding cooling centers, air conditioners and fans,” Pierce said. Virginia Larson, team lead for Family Eldercare—an organization that gives free fans to those in need—said nearly 4,000 fans had already been distributed this year as of the last week of June. The organization distributed 7,200 fans in total in 2022.

Record-breaking heat has taken over Central Texas this summer, and weather experts predict this will con- tinue through at least September. As a result, ocials are oering residents resources to manage the heat. The National Weather Service issued the rst heat advisory of the year for Central Texas on June 13, and the area has been under a heat advisory most days since then. According to the NWS, the region reached a record heat index value of 118 degrees June 21, and experts sug- gested the future will be lled with an increasing number of heat waves. John Moore, a meteorologist for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, conrmed Central Texas has a 50%-60% probability of experiencing above-average tempera- tures well into September. The hotter-than-normal tem- peratures for Central Texas were also conrmed by Christa Stedman, Austin-Travis County Emergency

10 20 30 40 80 0 June 2021

June 2022

June 2023

Travis County

Williamson County

Hays County

Austin-Travis County EMS 911 calls

50 100 150 200 0

June 2021

June 2022

June 2023

SOURCE: AUSTINTRAVIS COUNTY EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES,UNITED WAY FOR GREATER AUSTINCOMMUNITY IMPACT

DMV DMV DMV ADDRESS: 1234 Sesame 34 Sesa St t r eet DMV ADDRESS: 1234 Sesame Street 123 Main Street 123 Main Street State law requires the Mobility Authority to use the address on file with Department of Motor Vehicles registration records. The Mobility Authority mails all bills and late notices via First-Class Mail as required by law. First-Class Mail is assumed delivered if not returned.

THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE Mobility Authority

Navigating the tolling landscape can be complicated. We’re the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority, and we’re here to help you understand important pieces of the tolling puzzle, like what we do and how your toll bill works.

The Mobility Authority is not the only toll operator

Late payment fees do apply

The Mobility Authority is not TxTag

We accept a variety of electronic tags

There’s a reason you might get a bill in the mail even if you have an electronic tag

There are payment options everywhere

Keep your electronic tag account in good standing

We use your address on file with the DMV for bills

Learn what to do when you sell your car

Using the Pay By Mail program costs you more

WE’RE ALWAYS HERE TO HELP

To learn more fast facts about paying your Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority toll bill, visit us at MobilityAuthority.com/tolling101.

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

CITY & COUNTY

News from Austin & Travis County

Austin City Council will meet Aug. 8, 10 and 16-18 at 10 a.m. 301 W. Second St., Austin www.austintexas.gov Dripping Springs City Council will meet Aug. 15 at 6 p.m. 511 Mercer St., Dripping Springs www.cityofdrippingsprings.com Travis County Commissioners Court will meet Aug. 8, 10, 15, 22 and 24 at 9 a.m. 700 Lavaca St., Austin www.traviscountytx.gov MEETINGS WE COVER for builders interested in improving the properties. AUSTIN Ocials voted July 20 to reduce the amount of land required to build a single-family home and to permit more housing units on such lots. Supporters of the change said it will help with aordability by allowing smaller and more diverse housing to be built in the city, while opponents worried it will lead to unintended consequences, TRAVIS COUNTY With an increased wildre risk across Central Texas due to dry and hot conditions, the county joined several of its neighbors and Austin in issuing a burn ban in mid-July. The ban applies for any res outside an enclosure. Travis County’s burn ban will expire Aug. 16 but could be lifted sooner or extended. HIGHLIGHTS AUSTIN The city’s homestead exemption for senior and disabled residents will increase by $11,000. The exemption allows eligible homeowners to lower the taxable value of their houses for some property tax relief. AUSTIN Ocials are considering a $5.45 billion scal year 2023-24 budget with funding for dozens of new sta positions and annual raises for city employees. A total city tax rate of $0.4242 per $100 of property value is proposed, and the city estimated its typical ratepayer could expect to pay about $95 more in taxes and fees over the next year. AUSTIN Plans to redevelop two city-owned properties located downtown and in Crestview fell apart after negotiations over the proposed projects ended this year, delaying hundreds of aordable housing units and other community benets. After city sta could not reach agreements with separate developers chosen to transform the sites, City Council on July 20 moved toward issuing new solicitations such as gentrication and other negative impacts on existing neighborhoods.

City manager search begins

SETTING UP THE SEARCH The council-driven search for Austin’s next city manager could wrap up next summer.

BY BEN THOMPSON

Oct.-Dec.: Recruitment, community outreach begin July: Request for search rm issued Sept.: Council chooses rm Jan.-March: Candidate pool cut to shortlist April-May: Three to ve seminalists named June-Aug.: Finalist selected; contract negotiated Sept.: New city manager starts work

AUSTIN City Council members initiated a search for Austin’s next permanent city manager and could pick a nalist before next fall. The unelected city manager is responsible for local government administration, such as fullling council policy directives and man- aging city departments. Interim City Manager Jesús Garza was appointed by council in February after Spencer Cronk was red. A tentative schedule laid out by Mayor Kirk Watson calls for a search rm chosen by council to begin recruiting later this year with a goal of onboarding a nalist by late next summer. The search will be paid for through the city’s general fund, per Watson’s

NOTE: TIMELINE AS PROPOSED IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

SOURCE: AUSTIN CITY COUNCILCOMMUNITY IMPACT

oce, at a cost to be nalized during negotiations.

BRING THIS IN & WAIVE YOUR INITIATION FEES WE WILL until 8/31/23

State troopers will continue patrolling Austin, now without local oversight.

Austin ends DPS partnership; state pushes back

BY BEN THOMPSON

partnership with DPS,” Mayor Kirk Watson said in a July 12 statement. Despite city leaders stating the partnership had ended, the DPS said it had no intention of halting its Austin operations. On July 13, Gov. Greg Abbott deployed 30 additional state troopers to Austin on top of the 100 already patrolling the city. A push to halt the program came soon after some council members cited local news reports about recent state trooper activity in Austin. The program has been criticized for concentrating law enforcement in areas with more nonwhite residents and disproportionately targeting Black and Hispanic drivers but also drew support from some residents.

AUSTIN City ocials announced the suspension of a law enforcement collaboration with the Texas Depart- ment of Public Safety on July 12, citing a break with local values. The update came several months after local and state leaders formed the partnership and 10 days after state troopers returned to Austin following a pause in eect since May. Troopers had been backing up Aus- tin’s short-staed police department and responding to violent crimes and critical trac incidents since March. “From the start of this partnership with DPS, I said I wanted Austinites to feel safe and be safe. Recent events demonstrate we need to suspend the

NORTH CENTRAL AUSTIN EDITION • AUGUST 2023

EDUCATION BRIEFS

CONTINUED FROM 1 TRANSPORTATION UPDATES Austin airport breaks new passenger record, sees 2nd-busiest day ever

News from Austin ISD

UPCOMING PROJECT

HIGHLIGHTS AUSTIN ISD The district is on track to install solar panels on 16 more schools thanks to a nearly $15 million federal grant. The U.S. Department of Energy will award Austin ISD the grant to help the district achieve its goal of having net-zero- emissions schools and increasing investment in disadvantaged communities within the district. AUSTIN ISD As temperatures in the Austin area remain high, Austin ISD ocials are beginning to address the heating, ventilation and air conditioning problems with money from the $2.44 billion bond package passed in 2022. The rst round of HVAC projects included in the 2022 bond package will begin this summer. The district is prioritizing projects that don’t require extensive permitting or engineering services and eliminate rental equipment expenses, such as chillers, which can each cost the district about $10,000 a month. Austin ISD will meet Aug. 10 and 31 at 6 p.m. at 4000 S. I-35, Austin. www.austinisd.org MEETINGS WE COVER

Austin ISD passes largest budget shortfall in 6 years AUSTIN ISD Trustees approved a scal year 2023-24 budget with a projected $52.25 million shortfall during a board meeting June 22. The shortfall—the largest approved since the 2017-18 school year—was approved to fund raises. BY AMANDA CUTSHALL PAY INCREASES Austin ISD approved a projected $52.25 million shortfall for the 2023-24 academic year to nance raises. The plan includes:

BUSIEST DAYS AT ABIA

PLAZA SALTILLO STATION

In case you missed it: Trustees approved a “historic” pay raise at a May 18 meeting, raising salaries for teachers and sta throughout the district. As a result, the district will spend about $53 million of its reserve funds to achieve the raise. The compensation package will begin in the fall semester. The breakdown: The district's $2.1 billion budget is determined based on enrollment numbers, daily attendance and taxes. As a result, Ramos said during the meeting the budget was made with the following assumptions for the upcoming school year: • Enrollment of 73,681 students • Average daily attendance of 67,786 students • Average daily attendance rate of 92% • Property value growth at 14% To alleviate some of the shortfall, Ramos and his team came up with a

The 2023 Fourth of July weekend is the only holiday on the list of the top six busiest days.

ONION ST.

BY ELLE BENT

airplanes and increase route frequen- cies. Compared to last summer, up to 7% more airline seats are for sale between May and July, according to a news release from ABIA. In 2021, ABIA launched Journey with AUS, an expansion and develop- ment program aimed at addressing increased passenger growth. This will include the construction of a new mideld concourse, the area in which travelers pass through to arrive at their gates. ABIA launched a survey June 28 to begin determining the design of the mideld concourse. ABIA settled two lawsuits June 1 for $88 million with South Terminal operator LoneStar Airport Holdings LLC to remove the terminal in 2025 to make way for the mideld concourse. Departing passengers should arrive at least 2 1/2 hours prior to their domestic ight departure. For international ights, ABIA ocials

Number of departing passengers

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport saw its second-busiest day ever July 1 with over 37,000 departing passengers. This is the rst time the Fourth of July holiday has been one of the top ve busiest days for ABIA. The last busiest Fourth of July travel date was July 1, 2022, with about 33,000 departing passengers, according to ABIA ocials. The previous second-busiest day for ABIA was March 10, the Friday before this year’s South by Southwest Conference & Festivals with over 36,800 passengers departing. May 2022 marked the busiest month in ABIA’s history with over 2 million passengers traveling through the airport that month. ABIA ocials anticipated a busy season this summer as airlines began to add new destinations, use larger

MATAMOROS ST.

43,177 October 25, 2022 Monday after Formula 1 Grand Prix June 30, 2023 Friday before 4th of July 37,192 March 10, 2023 Friday before South by Southwest 36,841 March 13, 2023 Monday of SXSW 36,265 April 17, 2023 Day after MotoGP 36,253 May 21, 2023 36,164

Rail line double tracking funded Federal funding will support Capi- tal Metro’s plans to double-track a portion of its Red Line commuter rail line, upgrade the Plaza Saltillo station, and bring other mobility and safety improvements to East Austin. The U.S. Department of Transportation on June 28 announced nearly $100 million in funding for Texas, including $18 million for CapMetro’s Austin project. The project will add a new rail track for the Red Line between Onion Street west of Plaza Saltillo and Matamoros Street to the east. Timeline: TBD-late 2026 Cost: $18 million Funding source: USDOT

$4 -per-hour raises for all classied employees 7% raises for teachers, librarians, counselors, instructional coaches and special education-related positions 5% raises for administrative professionals 3% increase for executive directors and above Above-market-level pay adjustments for licensed specialists in school psychology and educational diagnosticians $7,000 stipends for bilingual and special education sta SOURCE: AUSTIN ISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT

What’s happening: After grappling with alternative solutions since Chief Financial Ocer Eduardo Ramos’ budget presentation June 2, trustees made the decision to move forward in adopting the proposed budget with an adjustment to add $500,000 to add six athletic trainers to the district. Trustees alsodecided to circle back early this fall to approve an amended budget with the hope the state will approve more money for the district—ideally an increase in basic allotments. The basic allotment is the amount of money a district can keep per student.

GT World Challenge at Circuit of the Americas

SOURCE: AUSTINBERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

ALL INFORMATION ON THIS PAGE WAS UPDATED AS OF JULY 11. NEWS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE OR OTHER LOCAL TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS? EMAIL US AT CTANEWSCOMMUNITYIMPACT.COM.

$15 million reduction plan, including not immediately ll new or vacant positions.

recommend arriving three hours prior to departure.

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2023

REAL ESTATE DATA HOME EDITION

COMPILED BY DARCY SPRAGUE

2022-23 Central Austin real estate market data at a glance

78702 78704 78722 78752 78731 78757

78701 78703 78705 78751 78723 78756

360

183

While home prices in Austin are falling year over year after a historic spike, increased interest rates mean buyers’ purchasing power is limited. However, increased inventory means buyers have more choices and time when considering a home, according to the Austin Board of Realtors.

183

MOPAC

SOURCES: AUSTIN BOARD OF REALTORS, FREDDIE MACCOMMUNITY IMPACT

290

Median home sales price

Average days on market

June 2021-May 2022

June 2022-May 2023

June 2021-May 2022

June 2022-May 2023

$699,000

78701

+10.87%

$775,000

$712,500 $715,000

78702

-0.42%

$1,189,000

78703

+32.88%

$1,580,000

$842,500 $825,000

78704

+2.12%

$350,000 $350,000

78705

78701

78702

78703

78704

78705

78722

78723

78731

78751

78752

78756

78757

$685,000 $694,000

78722

-1.3%

Number of homes sold

June 2021-May 2022

June 2022-May 2023

$614,000 $620,000

78723

-0.97%

$1,064,500 $1,080,000

78731

-1.44%

$662,000

78751

+11.78%

$740,000

$515,000

78752

-6.78%

$480,101

$775,500

78756

+4.45%

$810,000

$702,125 $701,000

78757

+0.16%

78701

78702

78703

78704

78705

78722

78723

78731

78751

78752

78756

78757

National mortgage rate data After staying relatively at the rst two years of the pandemic, mortgage rates have sharply risen since early 2022, peaking Nov. 10 of last year before seeing some decline the last six months. 30-year xed-rate mortgage 15-year xed-rate mortgage

6.48%

3.22%

3.72%

2.65%

5.73%

3.16%

January 2020 0 2

2.16%

2.43%

January 2021

January 2022

January 2023

NORTH CENTRAL AUSTIN EDITION • AUGUST 2023

Join Us for a Fun Family Resource Fair! • Learn about valuable resources in our community • Interact with City of Austin departments • Enjoy free food, prizes and activities for the kids SATURDAY, AUGUST 26 11:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. DEL VALLE HIGH SCHOOL 5201 Ross Rd, Del Valle, TX 78617

Saturday, August 26 JW Marriott

Join Big Brothers Big Sisters for Austin’s brightest gem, the 2023 Ice Ball Gala. Come spend an evening that makes a lifetime of difference for a child.

#CCFair23 If you require assistance or would like more information, please contact us at 512-972-7929 or communityconnections@austinenergy.com .

Platinum Sponsor:

Crystal Sponsors:

Gold Sponsors: Jenn & Sam Bassett Cayetano Pamela & Will Hurley Love, Tito’s LoveJoy Gourmet Sarah & Albert Swantner Ice Ball Chairs Pamela & Will Hurley Ice VII Honorees Lori & Mark Ramseur

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

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