Two major shopping centers off Research Boulevard in North Austin are under new ownership with plans to revamp the properties. Real estate investment firm Edens announced its acquisition of Gateway Shopping Center in January, while Asana Partners announced its acquisition of The Arboretum on Feb. 4.

The Arboretum: Asana Partners will make improvements across the 197,105-square-foot open-air property that are designed to reflect the surrounding neighborhood and reestablish The Arboretum as a "premier shopping destination." Improvements will include building on the center's park-like setting. Initial plans include reconfiguring common areas to support events such as live music, pop-up retail and community programming, and adding patios for outdoor dining.

Gateway Shopping Center: Edens plans to upgrade Gateway's gathering areas to enhance the overall consumer experience. Renovations will include improving public areas and creating communal spaces, and work is expected to begin this year. The group also plans to backfill key vacancies in the center, such as the former Saks Off 5th space, and bring in new retailers through existing space or as space becomes available. 

Indoor gym and playground franchise We Rock the Spectrum opened in late February in Northwest Austin. 

The details: The facility is designed to support children with autism, sensory processing disorders and other developmental needs, featuring specialized sensory gym and playground equipment that helps improve motor skills, strength, coordination and social interaction. 

We Rock the Spectrum has other locations in Houston, San Antonio and Dallas-Fort Worth. 

• 6001 W. Parmer Lane, Ste. 430, Austin

Austin Community College announced a new partnership with the Round Rock-based Trellis Foundation to create an AI-driven system connecting students to support services, personalizing interventions and preparing students for an economy more prominently featuring AI technologies in day-to-day life. 

What you need to know: ACC Chancellor Russell Lowery-Hart said March 11 that this initiative, spearheaded by the community college and Trellis Foundation, will "lean in" to the AI-driven changes in the economy, seeking to meet the moment similar to that of previous large-scale changes, such as the Industrial Revolution or the introduction of computers. 

The initiative is supported by a $3 million federal grant to the ACC Center for Digital Innovation and eEntrepreneurship, which U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett said will be secured by a direct federal appropriation. 

What they're saying: "The question isn't whether AI will shape our future," Lowery-Hart said. "The question is whether higher education will lead in shaping how it's used. We can shape how it's used ethically with humans at the center of it, not in replacement of it."