As a longtime skater for over 40 years, John Miller opened his own school and shop to make training accessible for everyone interested in the sport. At The Skate Gym in Leander, he’s blended the controlled environment of a gym with the natural creativity of skateboarding.

“People [ask] ‘Is skateboarding an art or a sport?’ Miller said. “It's both. It's creative, but it's also a discipline—just like a sport. Skateboarding is like a perfect marriage between the two.”

What they offer: Miller officially opened The Skate Gym at its permanent location last February, offering youth, teen and adult classes, private lessons and limited open skate hours.

Respecting the craft: One of the coolest aspects of The Skate Gym is that it has become a multi-generational practice for families, Miller said. Many times parents or siblings will watch their children during class and then want to learn how to skate. 

• 11880 Hero Way W., Ste. 704, Leander 

A new retail development, Shops at Ronald Reagan, is headed for the Leander and Cedar Park area. August Construction will break ground on Phase I of the project in late March or April, said general contractor Sravanth Poreddy.

The specifics: The 20,000-square-foot retail space will consist of two buildings, which are currently open for businesses to purchase or lease, Poreddy said.

Around 60% of units have been sold he said, including a dental practice and an Indian cuisine concept. Construction on the new retail development is slated to conclude in February 2027, Poreddy said.

Dig deeper: Phase II of the project will be constructed at 14601 Ronald Reagan Blvd., Leander, parallel to a 44,000-square-foot indoor sports club.

• 14651 Ronald Reagan Blvd., Leander

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.