Lakeway City Council approved over $2 million in grant funds to go to Lakeway Marina and Trestle Studio, at a July 20 council meeting.

The overview: Trestle Studio purchased Lakeway Resort and Spa in May and is planning $29 million in improvements throughout the property.

These improvements will include refreshing more than 24,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor gathering spaces, redeveloping locally driven food options, expanding wellness and recreational programming, and modernizing guest rooms and other amenities, according to prior reporting from Community Impact.

Trestle Studio requested $2 million from Lakeway’s hotel occupancy tax fund for rehabilitation and renovation costs, developing signage to guide tourists and staging a “reintroduction” marketing campaign, according to city documents.

The details: Lakeway Marina, located a 3-minute walk away from Lakeway Resort and Spa, also requested over $1.1 million from the HOT fund.

The request is meant to fund renovations on the building, parking lot and boat ramp, along with updated signage and marketing materials to match the branding of Lakeway Resort and Spa.

The Lake Travis ISD board of trustees authorized the sale of approximately 17 acres of surplus land near Lakeway Elementary School to support staff retention and build up the district’s fund balance.

The big picture: The parcel of land at 1701 Lohmans Crossings Road will be sold to HSD Lohmans Partners LP for $5.3 million following board approval at a July 15 meeting. HSD Lohmans Partners LP’s offer exceeds the fair market value of the property, based on an appraisal that the district received in February.

Assistant Superintendent for Business Services Pam Sanchez said approximately $1.2 million of the sale will be used for the retention incentive for all staff that the board approved in May.

The background: In November, the board declared the land was no longer necessary for district operations after the strategic resources committee identified it as a potential financial resource, according to previous Community Impact reporting. The district then listed the property for sale and solicited bids from interested parties.

Looking ahead: The sale is expected to close by Aug. 17.

Thinking about an e-bike? Austin Energy customers can get up to $600 back through the utility's E-Ride rebate program—and income-qualified customers enrolled in the Customer Assistance Program can receive up to $1,300.

Learn more about the rebate tiers, application requirements and what riders should know about battery safety after a fire suspended CapMetro's Bikeshare service.

A new subdivision in Leander, off-campus student housing in Austin, and a pair of oil change spots are among the five most expensive projects filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation in the Austin metro this week.

1. 900 West 23rd: This project involves the new construction of off-campus student housing.

2. Glory Hill Subdivision ($3.5 million): Glory Hill Subdivision is a new construction project in Leander for 43 single-family lots on 15.45 acres.

3. Brushy Creek MUD Sewer Capacity Project ($1.9 million): This project involves the installation of 3,000 linear feet of 12" sewer line, crossing through an existing accessible parking space located at Brushy Creek North Park.

4. Jiffy Lube ($1.8 million): This project includes the construction of a commercial building for use as a 2,226 square-foot Jiffy Lube.

5. Valvoline ($1.4 million): A 3,447 square-foot Valvoline Instant Oil Change is planned for Austin.

Sandy Creek resident Georgia Bishop was out of town when 22 inches of rain fell on parts of northwest Travis County over the July 4, 2025, weekend. When Bishop returned home days later, her community was significantly changed.

What happened: Residents of the hard-hit Sandy Creek neighborhood described a “wall of water” that tore through their community last July, washing away homes, cars and roads. Nine people died in the flooding, including Bishop’s best friend, 16-year-old Felicity Jarmon.

The context: One year later, residents of the unincorporated Travis County community are still working to rebuild from last July’s catastrophic flooding. Central Texas has seen two straight years of intense, deadly flooding in July, leaving some residents on edge as they recover from last year’s disaster and mourn lost loved ones.

Community Impact spoke with Bishop and Kylie Nidever, whose neighborhood in Hunt flooded last year, on July 13, days before heavy rainfall hit large swaths of the state once again. Officials confirmed two deaths due to this year's floods, while 137 people died last July.