The Code, a luxury hotel and residence hybrid, opened in the Zilker area in South Austin in early March.

The details: The new development features 178 residences available for short or extended stays. Guests may choose from studios as well as one- and two-bedroom units that are designed to feel like apartments with full kitchens, dedicated living areas and in-unit laundry.

What else? The Code offers the following amenities:

• a temperature-controlled pool with a tanning ledge
• a rooftop terrace
• an outdoor kitchen
• 24-hour concierge and check-in
• secure parking
• a dog wash and pet park
• ground-floor lobby lounge serving coffee and cocktails by Cuvée Coffee

• 2323 S. Lamar Blvd., 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."

Austin leaders say the city is prepared for a slew of major events this spring, including a reimagined South by Southwest Conference & Festivals, and advised residents to be aware of impacts from traffic to public safety over the weeks ahead.

The details: Austin's Spring Festival Season kicks off this month with the official start of SXSW on March 12. The 40th edition of the festival will be spread across multiple hubs and venues in and around downtown, a change partially prompted by the multiyear redevelopment of the Austin Convention Center.

This year's spring season begins soon after a deadly mass shooting on West Sixth Street. Officials noted that incident left a different feeling for planners and attendees this month. Still, Austin's police, fire and emergency medical services departments remain ready to work and respond to the upcoming major events as usual.