[KevinFromTexas]

https://www.austinmonitor.com/storie...urthouse-site/

County prepares to strike lucrative deal for failed courthouse site

Tuesday, July 11, 2017 by Caleb Pritchard

Instead of a new civil courthouse, how about a massive, privately financed mixed-use development that will pour millions of dollars into public coffers?

The Travis County Commissioners Court will vote today to approve a deal with two firms – Lincoln Property Company and Phoenix Property Company – that will give them a 99-year ground lease on the land.

The Lincoln-Phoenix proposal envisions a titanic mix of office, residential, retail and parking. Per the county’s stipulations, the developer must adhere to stringent construction worker protections that align with the city of Austin’s Better Builder Program, a set of conditions endorsed by the Workers Defense Project. The firms will also ensure that 10 percent of all housing on the site is reserved for “low-to-moderate-income residents, based on the city’s Density Bonus Program,” according to a county press release. Furthermore, Lincoln-Phoenix will make a “major donation” to the Austin Parks Foundation to support the restoration of Republic Square Park just to the property’s north. The amount of that donation has not yet been revealed.