Over 700,000 square feet of development is under construction across the city, with new projects including Leander’s second hotel, retail centers and industrial spaces.

City leaders previewed major projects coming across town during a Sept. 15 Leander Chamber of Commerce event. Find updates on four of these projects below:

1. ECHO Suites Extended Stay by Wyndham

2. Leander Tech Park

3. Leander Union

4. 29 Gateway

Liberty Hill is making progress on a downtown revitalization project that has been in the works for years.

The details: The city approved a $1.5 million contract with Griffin-Swinerton on July 8, allowing the firm to coordinate with the city to lead the downtown development’s strategy, create budget projections for infrastructure and provide preliminary cost estimates for the project.

Griffin-Swinerton has a portfolio of active projects that are collectively valued at $1.2 billion, including Pflugerville’s mixed-use Downtown East development.

The local impact: One potential financial impact city officials are eyeing is downtown’s potential to keep sales tax spending in Liberty Hill.

Check out six trending stories in the Austin area from Sept. 21-24.

1. Event center slated for site of old pharmacy at Parmer and Whitestone

2. Nana B's Country Kitchen showcases slow-cooked family recipes near Round Rock, Hutto border

3. Texas Roadhouse to open in November in Georgetown

4. Tacodeli plans new Dripping Springs location

5. ARA Diagnostic Imaging opens Leander location

6. Fritz Park holds grand opening in Hutto

Governor Greg Abbott and the Texas Department of Transportation recently announced a 10-year transportation plan that will invest almost $140 billion in roadway improvements across the state. 

The framework: The Texas Transportation Commission approved the 2027 Unified Transportation Program at an August meeting. The funding includes $95 billion for projects across the state and $43 billion for development and routine maintenance. The investment is expected to improve safety, reduce congestion and strengthen the supply chain.

Quote of note: “This 10-year plan reflects the scale and complexity of meeting Texas’ transportation needs in one of the fastest-growing states in the nation,” TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams said in a news release. “It is focused on practical outcomes—improving safety, preserving the system we have, and supporting reliable movement for people and goods.”

The big picture: The 2027 UTP includes over $1.5 billion for Austin-area projects, including improvements to I-35 in Travis County and SH 71 in Bastrop County.