Austin Signal

We now know which Fortune 100 company is behind the Dog’s Head project in East Austin. The venture moved through the Austin City Council with some urgency this year. We’ll have more on the week’s developments.

The city is also set to begin construction on a years-long major project in Northeast Austin. We’ll dig into what’s happening at the site of the old Home Depot at St. Johns.

No summer BBQ is complete without the perfect playlist. We’ve got the best tunes of July from our sister station KUTX. And if tranquility is more your jam, we’ve got more books to dive into.

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The full transcript of this episode of Austin Signal is available on the KUT & KUTX Studio website. The transcript is also available as subtitles or captions on some podcast apps.

Jerry Quijano [00:00:08] We now know which Fortune 100 company is behind the Dog’s Head project in East Austin. That venture moved through the Austin City Council with some urgency this year. We’re going to tell you more about this week’s developments. And the city is also set to begin construction on a years-long major project in Northeast Austin. What’s happening at the site of the old Home Depot at St. John’s? We’ve got the latest coming up on today’s show.

KUT Announcer: Laurie Gallardo [00:00:32] The Austin Signal is a production of KUT News, hosted by Jerry Quijano.

Jerry Quijano [00:00:38] No summer barbecue is complete without the perfect playlist. We’ve got the best tunes of July from our sister station, KUTX. And if tranquility is your jam, well, we’ve got more book recommendations to dive into. Plenty more coming up on today’s show. That is up next, right here on Austin Signal. Howdy out there, this is Austin Signal. I’m your host, Jerry Quijano, thank you for joining us. It is Wednesday, July 22nd, and it is a hot one out there. The National Weather Service has the Austin area under an extreme heat warning until eight tonight, saying to expect dangerously hot conditions. While temperatures are currently projected to peak at 104 degrees, that’s air temperatures, the heat index, or feels like temperature, could reach 115, so stay hydrated. As stay in some cool areas and take some breaks. We have more coverage and a list of city resources to stay cool over at kut.org.

Bridgette Bandit [00:01:46] The reason why we have less representation in the state of Texas, the reason why they continue to lose our rights in the State of Texas is because of Greg Abbott. Greg Abbot.

Jerry Quijano [00:02:01] You just heard from Bridgette Bandit, the drag performer behind a vigil hosted last night at the intersection of 4th and Colorado Streets. That’s the site in the city’s LGBTQ plus district where rainbow crosswalks were once painted. That art was removed over the weekend following a directive from the state to remove murals on roadways or else risk losing state and federal transportation funding. Dozens gathered around 8 p.m. Last night where the colorful art crosswalks once were to condemn the removal of the art… And to call for more representation. And while the city of San Antonio responded to the state directive by painting sidewalks in their LGBTQ plus district pride colors, Austin LGBTQ quality of life commissioner Stephen Rivas told KUT News that the city has no plans to do something similar right now due to upcoming construction on Austin’s light rail system. We will continue following this story later this week, right here on Austin Signal. After years of planning and discussion, the City of Austin is set to begin construction this week on a major project at I-35 and St. John’s Avenue. As KUT’s Luz Moreno Lozano reports, the property in northeast Austin has long sat vacant.

Luz Moreno-Lozano [00:03:20] The St. John’s Pocket Park is quiet on a recent Tuesday morning. Swings aren’t swinging, slides are empty, and there are no picnic tables underneath the pavilion. I’m looking at the entire property completely surrounded by fences and signs that say danger and no trespassing. The park closed earlier this month to make way for a redevelopment project. The property, owned by the city of Austin, is set to become a mixed-use community with more than 500 housing units, retail space, and a four-acre park. It’s part of a 2020 vision plan the city of Austin adopted after years of community input. Christine Frendle is overseeing the redevelopment.

Christine Frendle [00:03:59] I think being able to see it, to see it come to life over the next two years is going to be kind of amazing, right? You set a community of vision in 2020, and council adopts it. And then in 2028, it’s built. And so I think that’ll be an amazing process to watch.

Luz Moreno-Lozano [00:04:14] The redevelopment of the site, which used to house a home depot and car dealership, is a long time coming. In 2006, Austin voters approved bond money to purchase the site. The city originally thought it could be used to expand public safety facilities, but Friendel says the location wasn’t ideal. So city leaders, in conjunction with the community, began creating a vision plan in 2017. The goal was to meet the community’s needs while respecting the history of the neighborhood. St. John’s has been a hub for Austin’s black community since at least the late 1800s. That’s when a group of pastors with the St.John Regular Baptist District Association purchased about 350 acres of land to open an orphanage and school. Later, they sold the land to individual black families to build their homes. Frendle says the city plans to honor that history with a community art piece.

Christine Frendle [00:05:05] So we’ll be working with Art in Public Places over the next two years. We have an artist on board, her name is Jessica Bell, who comes from a long history of community making. So working with the community to create concepts and bring them to life. The project is set to be full-

Luz Moreno-Lozano [00:05:20] functional by 2028. Frendel says the hope is that the housing units can be ready to accept tenants by the end of next year. I’m Luz Moreno Lozano in Austin.

Jerry Quijano [00:05:36] Well, the secret is out. After months of speculation, we now know the identity of the Fortune 100 company behind the Dog’s Head project in East Austin. During an Austin City Council work session this week, Assistant City Manager Eric Johnson revealed that Amazon Robotics is the big tenant being courted by developers for the mixed use development that’s being planned along the Colorado River. Luz Moreno Lozano is KUT City Hall reporter. She has been following the latest developments on this project and she’s here with us for more. Hello, Luz.

Luz Moreno-Lozano [00:06:05] Hi, Jerry.

Jerry Quijano [00:06:06] So, first off, let’s back up a few months to when the Austin City Council first voted to approve the annexation of this area. There was a bit of controversy around how quickly it moved, we talked a little bit about that on this show, but in case folks aren’t familiar, can you give us a recap of the plans for this development and how quickly it all went down?

Luz Moreno-Lozano [00:06:23] Yeah, you know, this happened back in like late May, the City Council put on the agenda this annexation of 2,600 acres along the Colorado River, which they were calling the dog’s head tracks. And we didn’t really know much about it. Like the City council didn’t go through some of its normal processes like the environmental commission or planning and zoning commission that it normally would for this kind of And they kind of fast-tracked it. And they didn’t give us a lot of details about why, but it was this like 45-year deal that would allow this like mixed-use development and there would be housing and, you know, potentially a park and a couple of other amenities as part of it, including commercial uses. And so it kind of took a minute to really get down to the bottom of what was happening until later this week.

Jerry Quijano [00:07:12] Yeah, we didn’t know that much about it when we talked to Andrea Ball from the Austin Current. She told us and her reporting showed that the residents and neighbors around this area also knew very little about what was going on there. So what do we know so far about what Amazon potentially has planned for this project?

Luz Moreno-Lozano [00:07:29] Well, so this is their this is a what they’re calling the robotics division that is it that is proposing on this project. I don’t think we know too much about like what they would do. I think that I did some research just about what the robotics Division even does. And they do like a lot of like robotic building for their for their distribution facilities. So robots that help with packages and those kinds of things that are working alongside humans. I think there’s potential for a data center that I’ve heard a lot of, you know, I think there’s a lot things that this property could do and this developer could do, and so I think in the coming weeks and months we’re going to learn a lot about what kind of industrial manufacturing facility is actually going to be there.

Jerry Quijano [00:08:13] What do we know so far about what Amazon’s role was, if anything, in fast-tracking the approval of this entire development?

Luz Moreno-Lozano [00:08:20] You know, I don’t, that part of the conversation, I haven’t had a lot of time to dive into. I think that like Amazon has been looking and courting this particular property for a couple of years. I think we heard Eric Johnson say yesterday that this has been in the works for like three years. So I don’t think it’s a surprise to the city council that this is coming forward, but I do think that, yeah, it was quick. That this whole process has been really quick and there hasn’t been a lot of public discussion about this as we’ve heard from Andrea and from Andrew who’s been covering this as well. This has just been really fast and what we’re learning about it is literally in real time. I think we’ll learn a lot tomorrow as the city council kind of lays out their next decision process.

Jerry Quijano [00:09:10] Well, as you said, there hasn’t been a terrible amount of time for public feedback on this development, but there is, has been plenty of time, for public reaction after this week’s news. What have you heard so far?

Luz Moreno-Lozano [00:09:21] You know, I think residents are concerned. There’s a lot of environmental concerns about like where they’re developing, especially since it’s so close to the river. I think there’s a of residents who live in that area who would be significantly impacted by what this development could bring. I mean, this is a 2,600 acre project. I mean that’s bigger than the domain. That’s bigger then Mueller. I mean this is really large project and it’s gonna have. Thousands of homes, including apartments, commercial businesses, and so I think people who live out there are rightfully concerned about what that would mean for them.

Jerry Quijano [00:09:56] And you mentioned finding out more tomorrow, what’s happening tomorrow.

Luz Moreno-Lozano [00:09:59] Yeah, so the City Council tomorrow has to create a what they call a TURS, which is a Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone. It basically allows the city to use a portion of tax dollars to reinvest in things like roads and utilities. And the project basically can’t move forward without it. I think the developer could build on it and the City council will decide what that looks like. But yeah, this is a really big vote for the city council tomorrow.

Jerry Quijano [00:10:27] OK, so it sounds like what happened on Tuesday was kind of the first step, but there is still a bigger step to come tomorrow.

Luz Moreno-Lozano [00:10:33] Yeah, I do think that with the vote of the TURS, it’ll kind of move that project forward. And then in the coming months, we’ll learn more about what this plan includes, including the number of houses and what kinds of businesses are going to be there and exactly what Amazon is planning to put there.

Jerry Quijano [00:10:47] All right, that is Luz Moreno Lozano. She is KUT City Hall reporter, and when we have more about the dog’s head development, we will bring it to you right here on Austin Signal. Luz, thank you.

Luz Moreno-Lozano [00:10:58] Thanks, Jerry.

Jerry Quijano [00:11:04] Alright a couple more headlines that you need to know for your Wednesday as we mentioned at the top of the show there is a heat advisory for most of central Texas until 8 o’clock tonight. That includes Bastrop, Burnett, Caldwell, Comal, Hayes, Travis, Williamson Counties. The forecast high is just going to hit over 100 degrees that’s just the air temperature though because of all the rains that we have been experiencing we are expecting high humidity. Could make it feel as hot as 112, 115 degrees out there. So please take a break and stay cool. There are places to stay cool, we have more resources over at kut.org. The deaf community is morning a rising star today. 18-Year-old actress and Texas school for the deaf student Kaylee Hoddle died in a car crash yesterday while visiting friends in Maryland. In American Sign Language, her father, Joshua, confirmed her passing in a video on social media, holding back tears. She’s best known for her role in Godzilla vs. Kong and its 2024 sequel, where she used ASL to connect with Kong, earning her praise for her representation in her community. We have more Austin Signal coming up after this break. Stay with us.

Stephanie Federico [00:12:30] You’re listening to Austin Signal. My name is Stephanie Federico, and I am the editor of KUT’s Art Beat. We’re in the middle of the Field Guide Austin Summer Reading Bingo Challenge. If you need a few book recommendations to cross out those boxes on your bingo card, here are two. First up is Health and Safety, a breakdown by Emily Witt. This memoir chronicles the author’s personal life in New York’s rave scene during the pandemic as she navigates a turbulent relationship. It pairs Witt’s experiences with her reporting for the New Yorker during the first Trump administration, stories on his family separation policies and COVID-19, school shootings and the murder of George Floyd in Witts’ hometown, Minneapolis. This was my first audiobook and I listened to it every chance I got. Witt narrates the book and it really captures the fear and anxiety of the time with a painful personal story. The next book on my list is Juliet the Maniac by Juliet Escoria. This is a dark yet funny novel narrated by a teenager who goes from being an honor student to one who is struggling with toxic friendships, addiction, and self-harm. Juliet is sent to an alternative boarding school where she meets a bunch of fellow misfits. The book is kind of written like a journal, with each chapter recapping an incident or cycle analyzing a peer. Some chapters include documents from doctor’s visits and notes from therapists. It’s a seemingly audio-biographical coming-of-age story about the search for one’s true identity. To get your own bingo card and find out more about the Field Guide to Austin bingo challenge, go to KUT.org or click on the link in today’s podcast show notes. I’m Stephanie Federico and this is Austin Signal.

Jerry Quijano [00:14:43] It’s the season for barbecues and pool hangs, and of course you need some music to tie it all together. And today we’re talking the best songs from July, and here to help us out is Joel Aguillon Lafargue from our sister station KUTX. Joel, welcome back to Austin Signal. Hello, thank you for having me. So let’s start with the most recent artist of the month. That is the artist of month for July. Who are they and what’s the song?

Joel Aguillon LaFargue [00:15:06] Well, Quinton is originally from Corpus Christi, and is now based in Austin, and brings pop rock swagger to their latest track, Lucy in Disguise. Off their album.

Jerry Quijano [00:15:17] And Quinton was actually in Studio 1A recently. You got a chance to check out their performance. What did you think? Awesome, sick. It was…

Joel Aguillon LaFargue [00:15:24] My first time seeing them. Oh really? Okay. Our South by Southwest showcase back in March.

Bridgette Bandit [00:15:31] I wanna be that girl When you’re walking down the street You’ve got some power, girl

Joel Aguillon LaFargue [00:15:48] They call their music and this latest album like a love letter to the 20s. And as someone entering their 20s and just starting off my 20s, I definitely connect with all of this music that they’re putting out, especially this last track where they’ve like they dedicated to their identity, to their own self acceptance and the city of Austin. Just awesome stuff, awesome stuff coming out of this artist. They also got to go to South by Southwest London.

Jerry Quijano [00:16:13] Oh, really? Yeah. Oh, and now I think that’s sort of striking a chord now, because they talked about that during their Studio 1A performance, correct? Yes. OK, OK, cool. That Studio 1a performance, that was last week. It’s not yet up on the KUTX YouTube page, but you will be able to check that out very, very soon. Let’s talk about another artist of the month who has another great single out ahead of their album release, the Any Medals. It seems like they’re releasing banger after banger. What’s this latest one?

Joel Aguillon LaFargue [00:16:39] The Anymaros! Every one of their singles, as you said, has been bangers and has been played on KUTX and been in rotation, and this track, La Camita, is a cover of the early 70s Peruvian rock band Traffic Sound. It lands somewhere between trippy and traditional.

Jerry Quijano [00:16:57] Okay, well we have some of their music from their Studio 1A performance, whatever, however many months back it was. Let’s take a listen to some of it right here. Alright, you can check out that full performance on the KU-TX YouTube page. A few more artists and songs featured in this month’s list. What stands out to you? Well, Montev…

Joel Aguillon LaFargue [00:17:31] Warden and the Wagoneers released their track, Doghouse Flowers. They actually performed at the very first South by Southwest, so I guess a lot of artists with prominent South by southwest connections. Wow, the first South-by-ever-ever?

Jerry Quijano [00:17:44] Ever. Oh, dang. Okay.

Joel Aguillon LaFargue [00:17:45] Ever, and that led to them walking away with a record deal, which also led to the defining album of contemporary Honky Tonk, Stout and High. They’re back at it with an absolute ripper of a rockabilly number, Doghouse Flowers.

Bridgette Bandit [00:18:00] She’s getting angrier by the eye Mmm, I’m getting beautiful There ain’t no one way out Or I’ll never…

KUT Announcer: Laurie Gallardo [00:18:10] You’re underestimating the power of the doorknob, well, get it!

Jerry Quijano [00:18:15] Okay, those are just some of the few tracks that are featured in this month’s list. But you have been very busy here at KUTX over the summer, and really all of 2026. So we heard the best songs that KUTx as a group thought rose to the occasion in the month of July. What are some of songs that are staying in your rotation this summer? Well, I’m personally keeping it eclectic.

Joel Aguillon LaFargue [00:18:34] It this summer with some good old shoegaze and dream pop. My favorites are BattleBots by Keepsake, an awesome bass band, and the vocalist has some belts just like to die for. So good, so awesome, gonna see them live soon. Excited for that. Okay, where’s the other one? The other one is Sundown by Starflower59. They emerged in 1993, so we’re taking it back. The track is somber and groovy and it makes me feel like a cowboy for some reason

Jerry Quijano [00:19:15] What’d you say? All right, I guess I can sort of feel you. I feel like we’re riding off into the sunset together. And you are a classic KU-TX intern to pick something from right now and 1993 as well. You did say that you were going eclectic, though. So thank you for bringing your eclectics taste today. Oh, yeah. That is Joel Aguillon Lafadge from our sister station KUTX. We’re going to have more of their best songs from this month in today’s podcast, Show Notes. And that is it for us today here on Austin Signal. We’re gonna have more from today’s stories in the podcast show notes in a KUT.org slash signal. Rayna Sevilla is our technical director. Alexandra Hart is our producer. Kristen Cabrera is our managing producer. And I’m your host, Jerry Quijano. Austin Signal’s gonna be back at the same time tomorrow. We’ll talk to you then. Stay cool out there.

This transcript was transcribed by AI, and lightly edited by a human. Accuracy may vary. This text may be revised in the future.