Community Voices

Austin to host open house for transit and housing planning in Riverside

River Park mixed-use development on East Riverside

Mixed-use plans similar to the River Park development (elsewhere in Riverside) could end up reshaping the area.

Rendering courtesy of Presidium and River Park

Austinites who live in the East Riverside area are invited to get together for an open house that will introduce residents to city projects in the neighborhood, while gathering feedback for a big new development spanning 125 acres.

The East Riverside Open House will take place January 24 from 10 am to 1 pm at 2400 Grove Blvd. The City of Austin, Austin Transit Partnership, and CapMetro will all be in attendance.

A city newsletter says guests will be able to "ask questions, talk to the project teams, share ideas and provide feedback that will help guide investments in this vital corridor."

“We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to shape what’s next for the East Riverside Corridor in a way that serves the people who live here now,” said Austin City Council Member José Velásquez in the newsletter. “I’m excited about this chance to introduce these projects to our community and to bring together staff from across the City and our partners at CapMetro and ATP.”

Some projects the open house will discuss include:

The East Riverside Corridor Planning Initiative: A general project organizing the area to determine how it grows. It will update the East Riverside Corridor Vision Plan and Regulating Plan. Technically two plans, they were adopted in 2010 and 2013, and a City Council vote in 2024 directed staff to ensure the corridor plan aligns with planned new transit lines.
The Grove-Riverside Site: A three part, 125-acre development that will later contain the Grove Station on the Austin Light Rail. The light rail is scheduled to be completed in 2033. One idea taking shape is a mixed-use development with affordable housing.
CapMetro’s Transit Plan 2035: A five- and 10-year plan for expanding Austin's bus and commuter rail system. The long-term plan entails 41 "realigned" bus routes, 19 route improvements, and six brand-new routes.
New pedestrian and bike paths: The newsletter does not detail which paths the open house will discuss.

Although many of the projects discussed are more than a decade old, the Grove-Riverside Site is still relatively new and the city hasn't decided on any construction or developer. Austinites still have a chance to input high-level feedback.

The city is collecting RSVPs for the East Riverside Open House via Google Forms.

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Here In The Present

New yoga studio brings café and 14 classes a day to downtown Austin

Photo by Luisa Pineda

Present Practice Austin founders Ryan and Morgan O'Hare (left to right).

An Austin yoga studio is entering the new year with a rebrand and a well-known, much larger space. Present Practice, formerly Yoga Hōm, is now open at 206 East 4th St. with spaces for yoga, Pilates, retail, and a café.

The downtown space formerly belonged to Wanderlust Yoga, which later became YTX Yoga and moved to the corner of West Seventh and Colorado. Present Practice co-founder Morgan O'Hare felt connected to the space since it's where she practiced as a student at the University of Texas. Plus, she later returned to completed some of her own teacher trainings there and taught in the space for three years.

Present Practice Austin interior The space by Gabrielle Elizabeth Designs is internationally inspired, with items from around the world, including doors from Morocco.Photo by Luisa Pineda

The full venue spans 6,000 square feet, which is more than three times the size of Yoga Hōm's prior space. It makes room for both vinyassa yoga and mat Pilates; a larger room accommodates up to 100 guests, while the smaller room can hold 40. There will be 40 teachers — including O'Hare, Leah Cullis, Kaley Klasson, Gioconda Parker, Ferny Barcelo, and Carter Miles — leading 14 classes per day.

A stage in the larger room makes it a good place to host half-day retreats, live music, and "unique activations," according to a press release. Temperature controls will accommodate a range of class types. The smaller room is specifically for heated classes, which will be more physically challenging, including Hot Power Vinyasa, Hot Sculpt, and Hot Mat Pilates.

Present Practice Austin interior Classes here look dark, warm, and tightly packed.Photo by Luisa Pineda

The spaces not reserved for yoga are used in part for retail, including local clothing, ceramics, perfumes, crystal necklaces by Sheree Jordan, equipment from Jade Yoga, and palo santo by Maison Palo Santo (which purchases its product from and works with a single community in Ecuador).

Then there's Tiger's Nest Café, which is not quite open yet. It will serve Desnudo Coffee, matcha, cacao, and tea. The menu will later expand to offer snacks, kava, and smoothies that were carefully developed by O'Hare, who has a master's degree in nutrition.

$Present Practice Austin Tiger's Nest Caf\u00e9 interior$ The café's red tiles pay tribute to painted roofs and temple walls in Bhutan, and the pendant lights recall golden temple rooftops.Photo by Luisa Pineda

Although Present Practice contains what used to be Yoga Hōm, it is not exactly the same business. Yoga Hōm was founded in 2024 and belonged to O'Hare and teacher Carter Miles. O'Hare and her husband, Ryan O'Hare, had a business called Present Practice that led retreats around the world and taught teachers. The current present practice represents a merging of the two, and Miles remains involved.

The team thinks of this studio as the brand's flagship. O'Hare has certified more than 100 students, led retreats on five continents, and maintains a library of online content. The new space is a catch-all for everyone who has been involved with Present Practice, a "local sanctuary for self-discovery and a container for connection."

Present Practice is open from 6 am to 9 pm Mondays through Thursdays, 6 am to 6 pm Fridays, 8:30 am to 1:30 pm Saturdays, and 8:30 am to around 6:30 pm, with some time to enter or leave classes. A single-class drop-in costs $35, and a unlimited monthly membership is $199. More information on pricing is available at presentpracticeyoga.com.

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