A new report from Moody’s shows that Austin and 78 other metropolitan areas (out of 384 cities in the U.S.) moved from recession to recovery during the month of August. The report labels cities on a four level scale indicating (1) Expansion, (2) Recovery, (3) At Risk, (4) In Recession. Austin was rated as (2) Recovery….
12-Floor “Capital Terrace” Development Proposed
A 12-story multi-use project near the Doubletree hotel on Lavaca and 14th street that was originally announced in 2008 is likely to rise next year. The developer, Palmco, is asking the city council on December 10 for a height variance to allow construction of the 163-foot tall building in an area zoned for construction of…
The Downtown Density Debate Resurfaces
Is downtown density a good thing?That’s the big question this month as the Austin City Council reviews proposals that would dramatically change the rules for downtown development.Over the last decade, the City has freely granted density variances in order to get more people downtown. During this period, downtown has been the one place where density…
A Tale of Two Unemployment Rates
In the last week, the following two stories were published on regional unemployment:”The unemployment rate in the Austin area dropped slightly in August as seasonally-expected hiring offset some of the significant job losses the region has endured.””California’s unemployment rate in August hit its highest point in nearly 70 years, starkly underscoring how the nation’s incipient…
Exclusive: Building-by-Building Condo Fees
One of the most common questions asked by first time condo buyers is how much individual buildings charge in monthly condo fees.Condo fees fund the daily operations and maintenance of most condo buildings. They cover security, landscaping, cleaning of common area, common area energy use, maintenance, and other key building functions. In addition — and…
New Federal Courthouse to Rise Downtown
A bold new federal courthouse is set to rise on the same prime downtown site that Intel abandoned earlier in the decade. With a recent groundbreaking, the project will be constructed on the Western edge of Republic Square Park.During the tough years of the tech bust, the City lobbied hard for the GSA (Government Services…