A mixed-use 71-floor, 993-foot tower is proposed on Congress Avenue in downtown Austin.

The overview: As detailed in new city historic review materials, the Austin Lineage hotel and residential building would be located at 400 Congress Ave. on a site currently home to a parking lot and former restaurant space. If built, the tower would become the city's second-tallest building, ranking just behind the 1,025-foot Waterline.

The details: As proposed, the Austin Lineage project would feature:

• Ground-floor cafe and bar spaces

• A hotel spanning roughly 30 floors with 221 rooms and a fifth-floor pool deck

• Nearly 30 floors of condominium residences with 87 units, including penthouses and a 34th-floor amenity level

• A multi-story decorative crown feature

Chistā, a Persian restaurant led by executive chef and partner Mojdeh Eghbal, opened to the public Nov. 11 at 44 East Ave., near Rainey Street, a spokesperson for the restaurant said.

What’s on the menu: The menu draws on regional Iranian cuisine and Eghbal’s family recipes and travels, the spokesperson said.

Dishes include ghalieh mahi, a whitefish stew from southern Iran’s coast; a grilled peach labneh; fesenjoon chicken; and charcoal-fired kebabs. Entrees range from $23 to $85, according to the website.

What to expect: Chistā is open 5-10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 5-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and reservations are available online.

Travis County will spend up to $67.8 million on three new STAR Flight helicopters, about $7.8 million more than the county had planned.

Commissioners voted unanimously Nov. 10 to approve a contract with Bell Textron for three Bell 412EPX helicopters, with the option of a fourth. The first is due by the end of 2027.

Why it matters: STAR Flight provides air ambulance service, search and rescue, and aerial firefighting. Its current fleet has two helicopters available only about 75% of the time, and the program uses its third helicopter for parts because replacements take so long to arrive, STAR Flight officials said.

The cost: The county will pay from its reserves for now and repay itself with debt it plans to issue in spring 2027. The total does not include money from selling the current fleet.