Austin’s Latest Skyscraper Project Broke Ground

Work is under way on Downtown Austin’s latest office project,Colorado Tower. (You can see Colorado from the roof…if you have a picture of Colorado with you.) The developer is no stranger to Austin—Cousins Properties also built Downtown’s last high-rise office 10 years ago and recently purchased 816 Congress.

We snapped Cousins SVP Tim Hendricks during last week’s groundbreaking at 3rd and Colorado. The 29-story property will be371k SF of Class-A office, designed by Duda/Paine Architects. Tim says DuBois, Bryant & Campbell’s Bill Bryant (whose firm inked a pre-lease in the building) named the tower for him. It’s been 10 years since Cousins built the Frost Bank Tower—Tim says the Second Street and Warehouse districts have changed so much since then and he’s excited to be part of it. He credits the Downtown Austin Alliance’s Charlie Betts (behind Tim—near the photobombing machinery) for waking up this area and being an important figure behind this deal.

Austin, Texas East Side Development Mueller Keeps Growing

Mueller invites the Austin community to “Fill the Square” on Saturday, June 1. The outdoor, family-friendly event will celebrate the unofficial start of summer and the grand opening of the newest Mueller park, Paggi Square.

Paramount Summer Classic Film Series 2013

ABOUT CELEBRATING A 38-YEAR TRADITION! The summer’s best films at Austin’s only Movie Palace. More than 125 classic films as they were meant to be seen! Featuring many new prints, restored foreign classics, 70mm spectaculars and a slew of special events. All films screening at the Paramount are presented in 35mm, and all films at the Stateside are presented in digital HD. Download the Full Schedule Here FILM FAN CLUB Become a Film Fan today! In addition to the quintessential Film Fan benefits like discounted or free admission,convenient parking, complimentary popcorn, and premium seating, we’ve added some exciting new benefits likeThe Movie of the Month Club with Vulcan Video and Film Programmer Stephen Jannise + much more. Click here for a complete list of Film Fan benefits. FLIX-TIX – THE BEST SUMMER MOVIE BARGAIN Flix-Tix gives you a book of 10 admissions for $50, good in any combination to any Paramount Presented Film(unless otherwise noted). You can buy Flix-Tix online, over the phone by calling 472-5470 ext 1, or in person at the Paramount Box Office.

Austin, Texas Set to Decide X Games Fate Tomorrow May 23rd

Circuit of The Americas is asking the city of Austin to endorse ESPN’s summer X Games so the sports facility can apply for money from Texas’ Major Events Trust Fund.

COTA President Steve Sexton estimates the circuit may seek about $800,000 a year from the fund, the Austin American-Statesman reports.

Mortgage Rates Will Rise Along With Housing Prices

Home prices and sales will continue to rise, but historically low mortgage rates will start to fade by the end of this year, according to the National Association of Realtors.

The D.C.-based trade group’s chief economist, Lawrence Yun, sees the gains in prices continuing at a rapid pace through at least next year.

8 Easy Ways To Pay Off Your Home Mortgage Early

Reblogged from Polly Sells Austin:

If you’ve decided to pay off your mortgage early, here are eight strategies for saving money and paying the balance quickly.
1. Refinance to a 15-year mortgage
An easy way to guarantee that you’ll pay off your mortgage twice as fast is to refinance your mortgage from a standard 30-year term to a 15-year mortgage.

If you refinance to a 15-year mortgage, you’ll typically pay a lower interest rate while making larger payments each month.

Read more… 726 more words

How To Grow Your Own Urban Summer Garden

Summer is the height of gardening season. Farmer’s markets and roadside stands are filled with fresh produce, while home gardens are at the peak of production. It’s a time when eating fresh and healthy is easy and enticing.

To reach this stage, you need to start early — in late winter and early spring. That’s the time to plan for those important first steps that need to be done before you even think about planting your first seeds.

Related Houzz guides: How to grow the top summer crops, plant by plant

Add to ideabook by Surrounds Landscape Architecture and Construction