REGULAR MEETING OF THE URBAN RENEWAL BOARD MONDAY MARCH 23, 2026, AT 6:00 P.M. STREET JONES BUILDING, ROOM 400A 1000 EAST 11TH ST, AUSTIN, TEXAS 78702 Some members of the Urban Renewal Board may be participating by videoconference and a quorum will be present at the location identified above. Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely via telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once either in-person or remotely and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation by telephone. To register to speak remotely, call or email Hunter Maples, (512) 974- 3120 or hunter.maples@austintexas.gov. The Urban Renewal Board reserves the right to go into closed session to discuss any of the items on this agenda as permitted by the Texas Open Meetings Act, Chapter 551 of the Texas Government Code. CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS/COMMISSIONERS: Manuel Escobar, Chair Harrison Brown Amit Motwani Jacqueline Watson Darrell W, Pierce, Vice Chair Byron Davis Kobla Tetey AGENDA CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first 10 speakers signed up no later than noon the day before the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Urban Renewal Board’s (URB’s) regular-called meeting on February 23, 2026. 1 of 2 DISCUSSION ITEMS 2. Discussion related to updates on future development of Blocks 16 & 18 from Pleasant Hill Collaborative and Rally Austin, including project status and anticipated timeline (Pleasant Hill Collaborative) DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 3. Discuss, consider and approve the Board’s request as part of the budget process for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026-27 budget EXECUTIVE SESSION 4. 5. Discuss legal matters related to the purchase, exchange, lease, or value of an interest in Blocks 16 and 18 located on East 11th Street in Austin (Private consultation with legal counsel - Section 551.071 of the Texas Government Code) Discuss real estate matters related to the purchase, exchange, lease, or value of an interest in Blocks 16 and 18 located on East 11th Street in Austin (Real Property - Section 551.072 of the Texas Government Code) FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ADJOURNMENT The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to …
RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL URBAN RENEWAL BOARD Recommendation Number: 20260323-003: FY’26-27 Budget Recommendation Date of Approval: March 23, 2026 Recommendation: Approve the base budget for the Urban Renewal Board (the “Board”) consistent with the approved FY 2025-26 budget, including a 5% increase for inflation, and providing an additional $100,000 to support additional planning in connection with the proposed development project on Blocks 16 and 18 (the “Project”) and the achievement of the goals recommended in City of Austin Resolution 20210902-048 reaffirming the designation of the African American Cultural Heritage District and describing various arts-related uses requested to be considered for inclusion in the Project (the “Resolution”). There is very significant momentum for the Development Project as the Board has diligently continued its work alongside Rally Austin and Pleasant Hill Collaborative, the developer recommended by URB and approved by City Council. During the past year, predevelopment work has progressed under the Exclusive Negotiating Agreement, and City Council approved providing credit enhancement support to the Project that will improve its access to favorable rates of financing. The Board also has diligently continued its community engagement through the URB Stakeholder Working Group and directly with other area stakeholders. The Board also expects to adopt a name for the Project at its next meeting – SOUL on East 11th. This is the culmination of a naming process undertaken by our community engagement team and that received significant community input. As we continue predevelopment, we hope to engage in additional planning initiatives relating to: 1. The future of the Board beyond the completion of the Project; 2. The best use of predevelopment and activation activities to complement other planning efforts and projects being undertaken in the areas around the Project including without limitation the “cap and stitch” projects expected at 11th Street, the continued implementation of Project Connect and associated transportation improvements, and the continued development of the African American Cultural Heritage District; and 3. Connecting with other property owners both in the Urban Renewal Plan area and the larger surrounding area to fulfill the goals set out in the Resolution. We are requesting a total FY 2025-26 budget of $150,000 in part to engage with consultants for additional planning to ensure that we properly coordinate pre-development and development activities to connect with and enhance each of these other monumental efforts to improve our city and that we fully leverage the Project to achieve the goals …
