City Council is considering a proposal that would revise the zoning regulations on East 12th Street along the lines of the recent revisions to the zoning regulations on East 11th Street (item 44 on the agenda). The new regulations would apply between I-35 an Poquito St. and would generally allow for mid-rise construction along 12th Street. ...

The Austin Contrarian did a nice post yesterday on the Design Commission's Density Bonus Recommendations. A "density bonus" isn't quite what it sounds like - developers don't get a bonus for building more density. Instead, developers pay the city (generally to provide money for parks, affordable housing or mass transit) in exchange for the right to build more density. Parks, affordable housing and mass transit are all good things, but density is also a good......

The Northcastle Apartments (8100 North MoPac) have become the newest front in the affordable housing/density wars. Trammell Crow Residential is seeking a zoning change in connection with a plan to demolish the complex and replace it with a larger, denser, more expensive complex. The Zoning and Platting commission will be hearing the request at their meeting tomorrow (item 13). Some residents aren't happy to be displaced, but other residents don't seem to like living there......

Austin’s rising population and stagnant housing supply have resulted in increased housing prices. Even though there are a lot of condos under construction, few have hit the market. Our pal Wells Dunbar over at the Chronicle has a nice article discussing the complicated answers to the problem of affordable housing. One undiscussed simple answer would be to get people to stop moving to Austin. Despite our commenters efforts, that plan isn't working [ed: isn't......

The City of Austin has posted a survey seeking local input about the Downtown Austin Plan. The planning process is being led by ROMA Design Group and is supposed to address issues such as density codes, funding mechanisms, transit routes, and affordable housing. The survey is available in English and Spanish and will be up until Oct. 12 or until they get 10,000 responses. Questions include "If I had $100 dollars to spend on......

ACL Previews Interview: Midlake Interview: The National Preview: The Wonderful Harmonizers, Loretta Williams Gurnell Preview: JJ Grey & Mofro and Charlie Musselwhite Preview: Young Love and the Dynamites Featuring Charles Walker ACL Band Clash, Round 1: Spoon Vs. Queens Of The Stone Age Snapshots Lollapalooza 2007 Snapshots: Summer Extrav-O-Ganza 2 Weekly Features The Argyle Academy New Release Tuesday: Art in Manila, Flight of the Conchords & Marissa Nadler Feature Review: Okkervil River's The Stage Names......

Back on November 7, 2006, Austin voters approved Proposition 5, the issuance of $55 million in "tax supported General Obligation Bonds and Notes for constructing, renovating, improving, and equipping affordable housing facilities for low income persons and families, and acquiring land and interests in land and property necessary to do so, and funding affordable housing programs as may be permitted by law; and the levy of a tax sufficient to pay for the bonds and......

Between claiming that we need more highways no matter how we pay for them and promoting Smithville as an affordable alternative to living in Austin (commute to Austin, Houston or San Antonio!), it was easy to miss the Statesman's publication of a new rant by developer Ed Wendler, Jr., in which Wendler points out that downtown condos are expensive and says that "Austin should abandon the idea that it is encouraging downtown living to......

Several East Austin groups are asking the city to wait to implement the VMU ordinance until October 1. Their primary concern is that "East Austin is experiencing rampant gentrification ... and that the application of vertical mixed-use zoning will further speed the loss of affordable housing and locally-owned businesses." East Austin is certainly experiencing rampant gentrification. Property values (particularly in 78702) have risen faster than almost anywhere else in the city. However, VMU zoning......

So much urban development is happening in Austin, we barely have time to hit the highlights. We'd love to offer more fulsome coverage, but we need help. If you are interested in writing urban development posts for Austinist.com, email urban(@)austinist.com (remove the parenthesis) with a few sample posts and some information about yourself and why you want to write for Austinist.com. Villa Muse Development: Villa Muse (shown right) is a proposed 681-acre mixed-used development......

On Thursday, City Council will hear a presentation from city staff regarding land banks, land trusts and funding options under the Homestead Preservation Act (HB 525), which was passed in the State Legislature after being filed by East Side state rep Eddie Rodriguez. The details are "complicated," but from what we understand, homeowners in the designated district (Town Lake to Manor Road, and I-35 to Airport Boulevard) would be able to donate or sell......

Ardent Residential's plan to demolish the Stoneridge apartment complex on South Lamar is coming up against opposition from affordable housing advocates. The plan would replace the existing 141 unit complex with a new 300 unit complex. The new complex would make 10% of the units "affordable," as mandated by the city, but even those affordable units would cost nearly double the rent of the existing units. The new complex would comply with the new......

This one's the last one for this week. We'll finish up next week with the last two propositions. Remember, you can vote early through November 3. Proposition Five in ballot lingo:“The issuance of $55,000,000 in tax supported General Obligation Bonds and Notes for constructing, renovating, improving, and equipping affordable housing facilities for low income persons and families, and acquiring land and interests in land and property necessary to do so, and funding affordable housing......

Let's take a look back at a week that raised this Zen koan: if Kevin Federline got into a wrestling ring with a wrestler, who would you root for? Austinist was in an entertainment state of mind as they covered the dickens out of the Austin Film Festival, depicted all the Big 12 football coaches as South Park characters, and interviewed Jose Gonzalez. Chicagoist talked about the passion as they bid adieu to Bell......

Our favorite local posts this Labor Day week: Well, this post is actually from last week, but whatevs. Austin Contrarian posts on affordable housing quotas and how they don't work the way they should. Jette saw Idiocracy on opening night. Gregbueno is happy about the new Taco X-Press. Justin has set some music rules. Our favorite: "Rule #1: No bands with incorrect or surprising grammar. Reason the rule was created: Panic! At the disco-......

Austin Habitat for Humanity is starting their annual Women Build this Saturday. Women Build offers women a chance to use their power tool skills and is a unique opportunity to do good for the community with other women. In some chapters, every part of the construction process in a Women Build is done by women: framing, electric installation, plumbing, etc. Austin's Women Build will include some male crew leaders and subcontractors. Habitat for Humanity......

Winning auction bid for a Gibson Les Paul electric guitar custom painted with Butthead's face and autographed by Beavis and Butthead-creator Mike Judge: $3,550...

No sooner than we revealed the plans for a secret tunnel downtown, an Australian developer, Constellation Property Group, has announced their own plans to build a 30-story, twin tower, hotel/condo project right above the planned tunnel. Constellation is also building the Star Riverside condos at the northeast corner of Riverside Dr. and I-35. The architect is marchese + partners, which appears to be the design arm of the developer (Eugene Marchese runs both). This seems......

We got beat out by Eugene, Oregon in The Green Guide's list of the top ten green cities for 2006. That's cool; we'll take it. The Guide's criteria for the list include: air quality, electricity usage/production, green design, recycling, public health and other factors. What they think about Austin [from their article]:Austin . . . stands out for its commitment to solar power and green building. Offering its customers one of the highest solar......

Tomorrow night at City Hall, the city's bond advisory committee will hold their last public hearing before they make a presentation to the city council. If a new central library, affordable housing, drainage and "open space" are important to you, go and speak your mind. We filled out the online survey a while ago, and can't really tell if our input did anything to affect the committee's draft recommendation. We are glad that a......

In the next few weeks, it's going to get pretty damned chilly out. While you're nestled safely in bed, consider for a moment the plight of Austin's thousands of homeless or otherwise impoverished folks, forced to make their way in the bitter cold this winter. We were pleased to see that News 8 and Reid's Cleaners have teamed up this season for their third annual "Keep Austin Warm Blanket Drive," which is, well, a......

Some of Austinist's more sheltered friends are terrified of venturing to the Eastside. When we first moved here, we were innundated with warnings of how I-35 forms the border between the "good" part of town and the inner-city; to many of these aspiring suburbanites, venturing across the divide is to welcome certain doom. God, what twaddle. To our surprise and delight, we've found the Eastside to be a vibrant, culturally literate neighborhood that -......