Austin Padel Center opened its first three padel courts in North Austin on March 7. 

The details: The pop-up currently features three indoor climate-controlled padel courts, a recovery area with a sauna and cold plunge, and a full bar with food and beverages. 

The 22,000 square-foot facility is slated to open six more padel courts by fall including three outdoor climate-controlled courts. Other amenities will include locker rooms, a pro shop and private meeting rooms. 

The facility took over the interactive art exhibit Wonderspaces building, which closed in November. 

• 1205 Sheldon Cove, Ste. 2-A, Austin 

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.

Travis County is one step closer to launching a 10-year plan to expand its parks system.

County staff presented their final draft plan to expand, strengthen and increase access to county parks over the next decade at a Travis County Commissioners Court meeting March 10. The countywide effort comes after voters approved a $276.44 million parks bond proposition in 2023.

The big picture: Overall, the Travis County parks department has developed a list of 35 recommended projects. Some projects may be short-term, completed in three years or less; medium-term, completed in four to six years; or long-term, taking seven to 10 years. Nineteen of these projects are recommended to be completed in the short-term.

The background: Proposition B included more than $200 million in bond funding for parkland acquisition along with funding for new trails and facility additions at the Gilleland Creek Greenway, Southeast Metropolitan Park, Onion Creek Greenway, Bee Creek Sports Complex and Arkansas Bend Park.

The county has been acquiring land to create a 70-mile trail system from Pflugerville to Manchaca.