Austin Development Shorts
- A new mid-income housing subdivision in [Far] East Austin was approved by the Travis County Commissioners Court yesterday, paving the way for developers to construct the 1,343-home project that's identical to one already in Pflugerville. The so-called Villages of New Sweden would be so far out in the boondocks (FM 973 and New Sweden Church Road? We've no idea) that surrounding neighbors are worried this first wave of suburban sprawl might "hurt their property values and necessarily change their rural lifestyle." [Statesman]
- A spiffy new aviation and automotive museum was supposed to be built over at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, but the lengthy negotations fell apart after our city rebuked museum officials' requests for land next to the Airport Hilton, instead offering them far less viable spaces elsewhere in town. Despite an eleventh-hour plea for more time from Will Wynn himself, the nonprofit group decided to build the $25 million museum in Georgetown instead. [Statesman]
- Austin's downtown is getting bloated! A new report from local real estate company Colliers Oxford Commercial indicates prime rental spaces going at $23.46/sqft, about a 15% increase from last year. Overall office occupancy rates are also up nearly two percent. [Austin Business Journal]
- The Lower Colorado River Authority has begun construction of its new 35,000-sq ft "emergency operations center" at Red Bud Trail and Lake Austin Boulevard. The Red Bud Center, when complete, will comply with United States Green Building Council standards. [LCRA]
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