AUSTIN, Texas — A new decision could pave the way for more high-rise buildings in North Austin.
City council leaders recently approved a zoning change to land near The Gateway and Arboretum shopping centers that would allow for buildings as tall as 35 stories.
The zoning changes would apply to 121 acres in the Gateway area, which is surrounded by the MoPac Expressway, U.S. Highway 183 and the Capital of Texas Highway. It would allow developers to build high-density housing and high-rise offices, along with retail and entertainment complexes.
However, city leaders only agreed to approve the changes to raise the maximum building height if developers dedicated some of the space to affordable housing. Developers would be required to offer rental units at 60% of Austin's Median Family Income for at least 40 years or at 60% of Austin's MFI for 99 years if they're housing units for sale.
The area is just southwest of The Domain in North Austin. Between 2010 and 2020, The Domain was one of Austin's areas that saw the greatest population growth. Several projects near The Domain are already underway including a multimillion-dollar renovation project expected to be completed in 2025, along with a new 500,000-square-foot campus that IBM will move into by 2027.
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