ATX-SCA: Impact 3/19/2026

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'Future of aviation': Air taxi testing coming to Austin under federal pilot program

Test flights for electric aviation services like air taxis will soon be taking off across the state, including in Austin, following the Texas Department of Transportation's selection for a Federal Aviation Administration pilot program this month.

The details: The federal initiative stems from a 2025 executive order from President Donald Trump to advance aviation systems including unmanned drones and electric vertical takeoff and landing, or eVTOL, aircraft. The FAA selected eight eVTOL pilot projects across the country under that order, including TxDOT's, which are now expected to kick off this summer.

TxDOT is partnering with four aviation companies to launch eVTOL air taxi flights and other services between Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, Houston and smaller communities. The phased project is expected to start this year.

What else: While Austin developed its own proposal spearheaded by locally based LIFT Aircraft, that outline wasn't selected by the federal agency.

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In Your Community

Martha’s Gallery promotes local artists in growing Texas art scene, beyond

Meredith Williams and her husband, Ricky Morales, established Martha’s Gallery in 2018 as a DIY studio collective. Today, the Hyde Park-based art space has transitioned into a professional gallery with two locations, empowering local artists to achieve wider recognition.

The history: Noticing a need for affordable studio space for Austin’s smaller artists, Williams and Morales opened the gallery’s original location on East 7th Street and Webberville Road eight years ago.

In September 2020, the original location closed, and the couple moved the space to Hyde Park, where it is still operating as a gallery today.

The inspiration: When people think of Austin, they usually think of live music and barbecue, Williams said. Her vision for her hometown includes a broader definition of art—a visual art scene that attracts tourists akin to galleries in New York or Los Angeles.

“Ricky and I, both being from here, just want to leave a mark on the city that to us is meaningful and is from the heart,” Williams said.

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Austin commission greenlights rezoning former Rosedale School site for apartment development

Austin ISD’s former Rosedale School site in North Central Austin is one step closer to becoming a six-story apartment building.

What happened: At a March 17 meeting, the city of Austin's Zoning and Platting Commission voted 9-2 to recommend that the Austin City Council rezone the property for multifamily units instead of single-family housing.

The big picture: The Rosedale School, which serves students with severe special needs, moved to a new campus in 2022 and has since served as a training facility for law enforcement officers. In October, AISD shared its plans to sell the former campus for $26 million to multifamily housing development OHT Partners as the district works to reduce a mounting budget shortfall.

Dozens of Rosedale neighborhood residents spoke in opposition of the rezoning, citing concerns about the proposed development being too large and negatively impacting traffic and safety. AISD has sued more than 100 Rosedale residents and Travis County District Court to determine whether a 1938 deed restriction would allow the development to move forward.