City creates plan to keep downtown ‘vibrant' amid large-scale construction projects
AUSTIN (KXAN) – The Austin City Council has established the Downtown Austin Strategic Initiative so that downtown remains safe, accessible and vibrant while transformative projects are underway.
Large-scale downtown private and public projects – such as the I-35 Capital Express Central Project and the Austin Convention Center remodel – have already started or will start soon. The city unanimously approved Thursday the new office to oversee those projects.
'We have roughly $25 billion worth of infrastructure starting to be constructed roughly at the same time,' said Matt Geske, VP of public affairs for Downtown Austin Alliance. '[The program] is making sure we're planned and coordinated for the next 10 years of construction.'
The initiative will work to identify funding needed to minimize disruptions throughout downtown during construction, according to city documents.
The city said the needed projects may fall within the following areas:
Mobility and Infrastructure
Music and Arts
Cultural and Historical Assets
Economic and Workforce Development
Public Safety
Homelessness
The Austin city manager has been tasked with working with downtown partners and stakeholders – such as the Downtown Austin Alliance, Opportunity Austin and Visit Austin – to develop the scope of the new initiative.
'Downtown is about to see some major change, given the transformative infrastructure projects – both public and private – that are underway. That's happening now so we need to give Downtown some focused attention to be the welcoming, engaging, vibrant, safe, and accessible place that creates smiles,' Austin Mayor Kirk Watson wrote in his 'Watson Wire' newsletter.
'Our overarching goal is to ensure we're being strategic and smart with our resources as we manage the inevitable disruption and change that will ripple through just about every facet of the City,' he wrote.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
License plate reader vote postponed amid community, council concerns
AUSTIN (KXAN) — According to an email sent to Austin city council members and Austin Mayor Kirk Watson, City Manager TC Broadnax will postpone a vote on whether or not Austin police can continue to use license plate readers. The city manager wrote: 'While I appreciate the Austin Police Department's thorough presentation at today's work session regarding the Automated License Plate Reader technology and have confidence that APD can continue to use this tool in a responsible way focused on keeping Austinites safe, I am also sensitive to community concerns and outstanding questions from members of the City Council. Given concerns expressed today, I have decided to withdraw this item from the agenda at this time to provide more opportunities to address council members' questions and do our due diligence to alleviate concerns prior to bringing this item back to City Council for consideration.' It's unclear when license plate reader technology may come back to the city council for a vote. KXAN has reached out to APD for a response. During Tuesday's work session, APD explained to the dais why it finds the technology beneficial. 'This police department is 300 officers short. Currently, we do not have enough officers to [perform] the job that we would prefer to do without the use of technology to supplement [our] work,' said Assistant Austin Police Chief Sheldon Askew. 'Today we heard powerful testimony from residents, nonprofit leaders, privacy experts, and many others,' said Council Member Mike Siegel in a release. 'We are in an unprecedented time of authoritarian rule at the state and federal levels, and we should not be using City of Austin resources to fund a mass surveillance tool that can be used by private companies, immigration authorities, and other outside entities. I look forward to working with my colleagues on Council to support public safety strategies do not create such a risk of injury to our diverse communities.' You can read more about the contents of that work session and the discussion had here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Harrisburg Police officer on paid leave after being charged in domestic incident
YORK COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) — A Harrisburg Police officer is on paid leave after being charged in a domestic incident Sunday at his York County home, charging documents show. Lee Brown, 39, of Mount Wolf, is accused of grabbing and yanking a woman off a couch and injuring her, while they were at home, along Market Street in East Manchester Township, charging documents filed by York County Regional Police Department state. Harrisburg Police confirmed that Brown is an officer with them and that he was placed on paid leave following the incident. Police said the victim was able to text someone, 'please help me, call the police,' after Brown allegedly grabbed her. The woman came running out of the house after police arrived just after 12:30 a.m. She was soaking wet, crying and reported that she didn't feel safe. Police said they took her to a community park nearby to talk about the alleged incident. Charging docs show the victim related how Brown allegedly told her that if police got involved, there would be a shootout. Brown and the woman were out drinking at a members-only bar. While on their way home, police said, they reportedly started to argue. Police said when they got home, the woman went to lie down on the couch, and that's when Brown allegedly squirted her with a water gun and poured water on her. When she tried to get him to stop, that is when he allegedly grabbed her and pulled her off the living room couch, police said. The victim had scrapes on her leg, ribs and shoulder. Police said in the charges, she reported getting those marks from a coffee table made out of a slab of a large tree that still has bark on the edges. State Trooper injured after fleeing driver 'intentionally rammed' cruiser during I-81 chase Brown said he was 'just messing' around with the victim when he was squirting her with the water gun, and allegedly denied getting physical, but claimed that he was struck in the mouth. The charges state Brown showed officers a video he took on his phone that showed the woman crying and trying to cover her face while he was allegedly antagonizing her. Brown then reportedly told police to arrest both of them 'because he knows how domestic violence incidents get handled,' charging docs show. Arrangements were made for the alleged victim to stay elsewhere, and while she was packing her bags, she found that her underwear was all cut up, and her Apple watch was shoved in the trash can. Brown allegedly denied any involvement in that. A report from WellSpan Health showed the woman sustained multiple abrasions and a contusion to her left rib from the incident, police said. Brown faces a misdemeanor charge of simple assault and summary charges of harassment and criminal mischief. Brown was arraigned in front of Magisterial District Judge Thomas Reilly, who set unsecured bail at $15,000, which he posted. His preliminary hearing is set for July 30. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
‘Seen, celebrated and supported': Travis County raises Pride Flag at 5th annual ceremony
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Tuesday, Travis County Judge Andy Brown hosted the Fifth Annual Pride Flag Raising Ceremony at the Travis County Administrative Building. Participants raised the 'Progress Pride Flag' at the ceremony, a press release stated. The Progress Pride Flag featured a chevron of white, pink, light blue, brown and black to symbolize transgender rights, people of color and those living with or lost to HIV/AIDS, said the release. This was the fifth year the Pride Flag flew over Travis County. In 2021, the commissioners court voted for the first time ever to 'approve flying the flag over the Travis County Administration Building,' said the release. According to the release, this was part of a resolution that adopted 'comprehensive policies that prohibit contractors from discriminating against race, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity/ expression or veteran status.' Brown spoke on the importance of the flag's flight over Travis County. 'Now more than ever, we need to reaffirm our commitment to the LGBTQIA community,' Brown expressed. 'In raising the Progress Pride Flag, which is still legal in Texas, Travis County acknowledges the trailblazers, activists, friends and family who paved the way for inclusion and equality throughout history,' Brown added. Pride Month is observed in June. It is a 'time to honor the resilience and contributions of our LGBTQIA community members,' said Brown. Brown said raising the Pride Flag is a powerful reminder that every person is 'seen, celebrated and supported.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
