Google is positioning itself to take advantage of the local talent residing in and around Austin.

Shonda Novak reports that Google has signed two major leases that signify an effort to establish a larger footprint in the city of Austin, Texas, where the company already employs 1,100 workers.
"One of the Austin leases is for a 35-story building that Google will occupy in its entirety downtown at West Cesar Chavez and Nueces streets, on what is known as Block 185. The other lease is for all seven stories in a building at the Saltillo mixed-use project that Austin-based Endeavor Real Estate Group is developing in East Austin," according to Novak.
Andrew Silvestri , head of public policy and external affairs for Google in the Central U.S., is quoted in the article discussing Austin's attraction to the company as a hub of local tech talent.
So far, Google's plans to hire the workers to fill those office spaces aren't clear.
FULL STORY: Google says it plans ‘significant’ expansion in Austin

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

The French Solution to Congested Tunnels: Make Them Car-Free
Bay Area transportation officials keep expanding car capacity. Lyon’s Croix Rousse Tunnel offers a different way.

Missouri Governor Reverses Anti-Discrimination Housing Policies
A new state law bars cities from prohibiting source-of-income discrimination against tenants using Section 8 housing vouchers.

USDOT Launches Unfunded 'SAFE ROADS' Program
The program targets “distractions” and “political messages or artwork,” and paves the way for autonomous vehicles.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Fort Worth
planning NEXT
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie