The city of College Station unveiled its proposed fiscal year 2026-27 budget July 6, outlining a $576.3 million plan that prioritizes capital improvements, public safety and employee retention while avoiding increases to some utility rates.

The big picture: The proposed budget is a 21.5% increase from the current fiscal year, according to city documents. Much of that growth comes from the capital budget, which would more than double to $181.6 million

The details: The proposal includes $169.4 million in council-prioritized capital projects.

• Public Works facility
• Northgate upgrades
• Investments into Midtown and city parks
• Street maintenance and upgrades

The Digital Transformation Lab at Texas A&M University has integrated biometrics, artificial intelligence and virtual simulations to help create hospitality experiences for research and data gathering.

The overview: Headed by the university’s Department of Hospitality, Hotel Management and Tourism, the lab creates hypotheticals for analysis of factors in hospitality, such as guest emotions and realistic, high-stress scenarios. With the use of AI and biometric scanning, the lab seeks to create “immersive environments to capture insights that traditional surveys often miss.”

Zooming in: The lab is centered around the PRISM Virtual Simulation room. Combined with AI voice analysis and skin-response sensors, the room can simulate various scenarios based on examples such as restaurants, hotels and tourist attractions.

Before you go: As one of the first of its kind in the United States, the Digital Transformation Lab can be used for a wide range of research and scenarios, all helping further tourism and service initiatives.

College Station City Council is set to review several construction and improvement projects worth more than $1 million around the city, along with possibly amending the Comprehensive Plan for the second time in 2026 for future land use.

Agenda material includes updated ordinances for areas of commercial districts and vehicle sales and repairs, as well as construction and other financial projects.

What you need to know: The hearing is expected to include land ordinances and possible amendment of the Comprehensive Plan for 7.2 acres on Harvey Mitchell Parkway South between Dartmouth Street and Earl Rudder Freeway South.

Items worth mentioning:

• Maintenance upgrades: a grant of up to $500,000 for maintenance activities associated with pavement marking applications for all street types
• Highway 6 electrical improvements: an electrical overhead crossing relocation and improvement related to the Highway 6 widening project, not to exceed $145,583.72. This is among the various expenses toward the improvement of Highway 6.

Core Spaces, a company focusing on the construction of student housing and rental homes, has announced a new Northgate housing structure coming within the next few years.

What you need to know: According to the Core’s Instagram post, the complex is looking to house 2,201 beds in 570 units along with the company’s “largest amenity package to date” which includes:

• Rooftop pool deck

• Fitness and wellness offerings

• Indoor half basketball court

• Yoga studios

• Putt-putt course and golf simulator

• Multiple indoor-outdoor social and study spaces

Before you go: Along with the company being excited to be in College Station, Core Spaces estimates that completion of the complex will be sometime in 2028. It will be among the many new additions to Northgate within the last few years, adding to the growing population of Texas A&M University and College Station.

• Construction expected to be complete in 2028

• 501 Nagle St., College Station