Mary Lynne Gibbs

Jon Snyder of International Development Management gave a sneak peek into the future of The Backyard and The Terrace development projects at the LTCAD meeting on May 13th! The $250 million development proposed for the Backyard music venue property received approval from Bee Cave zoning and planning officials last Fall. According to Snyder’s presentation, the development timeline now shows Site Plan Approval in Q4 of 2015, Groundbreaking in Q1 of 2016, and the 1st Building Deliveries in Spring 2017!

Site plans for the project describe The Backyard being redeveloped to house four movie and television sound stages to be known as Supernature Studios, three four-level class A office buildings for a total of 335,000 square-feet of office space, a 125-room hotel, a 500-person capacity private party venue, a 3,410-person capacity Live Oak amphitheater, 16,000 square-feet of restaurants/ meeting space/ retail, a trail system and parking garages.

The Developer told the Austin Business Journal that the first phase of the project would likely be delivered by mid-2017. The second piece – on property adjacent to the Backyard known as The Terrace – would be completed two to three years afterward.

The Terrace property is planned to hold two four-level class A separate office buildings for a total of 250,000 square-feet of office space, three residential condominium buildings with parking for a total of 120 single-family condominiums called “Ethan’s View”, and 6,500 square-feet of assorted restaurants/ retail.

They are expecting Condo Sales Center Grand Opening as early as August 2015!

Regarding the proposed sound stages – Milam said the growth of television, commercial and music recording work in Central Texas will be enough to generate business for the sound stages to keep them booked without having to aggressively market the facility to West Coast studios and film projects. The U.S. Media and Entertainment Industry market reached $546 Billion in 2014. The industry includes: motion pictures, television and commercials, music and audio records, radio, and games and publishing.

To learn more visit: http://www.thebackyard.net/

Source: Jon Snyder, International Development Management, Director of Planning & Development

Mom deserves the absolute best! Time to put your thinking cap on and think of something special for Mother’s Day ~ this Sunday, May 10! There’s something for every kind of mom! We’ve done the research to help get you started! If your mom is a…

• Gal who loves a picnic, Pack up some lunch (or get take-out) and head to a picture-perfect spot where the kids can play and mom can enjoy some fun, outdoor time. Here’s our top picks for Best Places to Picnic in Austin.
• Lady that loves to be pampered (I mean, who doesn’t?!), Viva Day Spa and Milk + Honey are offering great specials on massages, facials and other treatments!
• Foodie, brunch is always a tried-and-true favorite way to celebrate Mother’s Day. Check out the Austin360 blog for a list of the hottest spots for brunch in Austin!
• Foodie who enjoys new experiences & places, enjoy a special Sound of Music brunch at the Alamo Drafthouse Slaughter Lane on Sunday, May 10 at 11:55 a.m. Or a Mamma Mia! brunch at Alamo Drafthouse Lakeline on Sunday, May 10 at 11 a.m. Mom will love either classic musical on the big screen while enjoying some delicious food and drinks. For ticket info, click here.
• Culture lover, Ballet Austin is presenting the classic tale of love and loss, Swan Lake, at 3pm at the Long Center. Featuring live accompaniment from the Austin Symphony Orchestra and some of Ballet Austin’s most promising stars.
• Craft beer lover, check out the Craft Beer Austin calendar for a list of breweries and tap rooms with tours and tastings.
• Adventurous type, we love this list of different experiences to do in Austin (source: Cloud9 Living). There is such a variety of things to do in Austin – rent a standup paddleboard or water bike, go on a zipline adventure, or spend the afternoon at Barton Springs!
• Art enthusiast, let Mom immerse herself in Austin’s artistic community with some time on the West Austin Studio Tour, a free self-guided tour of working artists’ studios. The Tour is taking place on May 9-10 and May 16-17. This free, annual, self-guided event introduces participants to local Austin artists and artisans and gives them access to working studios and exhibition spaces.
• Music fanatic, the great Boz Scaggs will be performing at ACL Live at the Moody Theater. Also, there will be a free concert at the Texas State Capitol on Sunday, May 10 from 7-8 p.m. The band will perform well-known tunes, including marches and musical numbers, that you and your Mom are sure to enjoy! 
• Mom who wishes she was still a kid, Blazer Tag is offering $5.50 laser tag games all day on Sunday, May 10 from 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.
• Ice Skater, Lace up those ice skates and head over to Chaparral Ice where Moms can skate for free on Sunday, May 10 with any full-price paid admission from 12 – 4 p.m.
• Gal who loves crawfish, on Sunday, May 10, Spider House is having a Mother’s Day Crawfish Boil from 3-6 p.m., featuring music from Mike and the Moonpies. The event is free and all ages, so grown up kids can invite their mamas and mamas can invite their young’ns. Dancing is not mandatory, but dancing shoes (i.e.cowgirl boots) are advised. $12 per 3 lb plate (while they last!).

And if all else fails, no Mom could be disappointed with Printable Mother’s Day Coupons! Fill these out with promises to wash the car, clean up their toys without complaints, water the garden, etc.: Click here for printable coupons.

~ For even more Mother’s Day ideas, click here! ~

As long as she’s spending it with you, she will love whatever you choose. Happy early Mother’s Day to all the amazing Mom’s out there!

Georgetown, Texas has plans to become the next city powered by 100 percent renewable energy — thanks to construction of solar plants in West Texas by SunEdison, Inc. 

SunEdison will be constructing the plants to provide the City of Georgetown with 150 megawatts (MW) of solar power for at least the next 25 years. According to the company, the plants are scheduled to be interconnected by 2016, and will provide more than 9,500 gigawatt-hours (gWh) of energy to the city — enough to power more than 24,000 homes until 2041.

“SunEdison is very excited to be working with Georgetown Utility Systems to provide their customers with 100 percent renewable, clean energy,” Paul Gaynor, Executive Vice President of North America Utility and Global Wind at SunEdison, said in a statement. “Georgetown is an exceptional city, and by going 100 percent renewable they will cut down on pollution, save water, and enjoy stable energy prices. They’re able to accomplish all of this without spending a penny up front with SunEdison’s power purchase agreement. Georgetown is a model for other cities that hope to become powered by clean renewable energy.”

The project makes Georgetown the latest U.S. city to make the move to 100 percent renewable energy. Earlier this year, Burlington, VT announced they had converted to 100 percent renewable energy — although their city is powered by a combination of hydropower, biomass and wind. The state of Hawaii is also looking to be 100 percent renewable — with two bills currently being considered by the state legislature to receive 100 percent of their energy from renewable sources by 2040. Their current target is 70 percent by 2030. The city of Georgetown’s renewable energy comes from both solar and wind energy.

SunEdison will provide financing and construct the plants, and SunEdison Services will operate and maintain the plants.

According to the company, the power purchase agreement between SunEdison and Georgetown will be one of the largest in Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) territory.

“When Georgetown Utility Systems opted to seek new sources of power in 2012, we were charged with a mission to secure the most cost effective energy that balanced risk and reward,” said Jim Briggs, interim city manager for Georgetown, said in a statement. “Georgetown Utility Services isn’t required to buy solar or other renewables — we did so because it will save on electricity costs and decrease our water usage. This power purchase agreement makes Georgetown Utility Systems one of the largest municipal utilities in the nation to be 100 percent renewable powered. It also provides a hedge against future fuel and regulatory risks.”

Source: http://www.fierceenergy.com/story/georgetown-tx-next-line-be-powered-100-percent-renewable-energy/2015-03-19

Most people don’t think about their water heaters until there’s a problem or they run out of hot water. If that happens in the next few months, you should be aware of new federal regulations that require water heaters to be more energy efficient. While this may be good for your wallet, it could make choosing a new water heater a bit confusing. Here are the details.

As of April 16, water heaters must comply with new Department of Energy efficiency standards. The water heaters used in most homes won’t seem that different and will get a modest boost in efficiency, according to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. But larger units — those 55 gallons or more — will need to shift to new technologies to achieve the efficiency gains. Doing so can cut utility bills by 25 to 50 percent depending on the technology used.

While this may seem like a bit of governmental gobbledygook, it’s good news for homeowners because water heating amounts to nearly 20 percent of a home’s energy costs. The new standards apply to gas (50 percent of U.S. households), electric (41 percent), and oil residential tank water heaters. Most tankless water heaters already meet efficiency standards.

The typical home has a water heater that holds 55 gallons of water or less. For such units, the new standards will increase efficiency by an average of 4 percent. According to the ACEEE, water heaters that comply with the new standards are already on the market, including models from A.O. Smith,Bradford White, and Rheem.

Water heaters that hold 55 gallons or more will see bigger efficiency gains. But this is where it may get a little confusing since to attain those gains the larger water heaters will need to use technologies that are less familiar to consumers including electric heat pump and gas condensing technology. Also known as hybrid waters, heat pump water heaters transfer heat from the surrounding air to the water. The ACEEE says that condensing water heaters are designed to reclaim escaping heat by cooling exhaust gases below 140 degrees F, where water vapor in the exhaust condenses into water.

So what does this mean for homeowners? Simply put, if you’re replacing a water heater that holds less than 55 gallons, the new one may be an inch or two larger and can likely be placed where the old one was unless it was in a very tight spot such as a closet. But if you’re replacing a larger water heater, you’ll have to do your homework as the new units may need more space. Before making a purchase, consult your plumber or contractor.

For more information, check the websites of the ACEEE and the DOE as well as the manufacturer of the water heater you are considering. And for more information on water heaters, check Consumer Reports’ water heater buying guide.

– Mary H.J. Farrell (@mhjfarrell on Twitter)

Source: http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2015/03/read-this-before-replacing-your-water-heater/index.htm