Austin's first toll roads will open November 1—a year ahead of schedule—amid a firestorm of speculation. Will commuters actually use the toll roads? Will the new roads help extend Austin’s real estate boom?

  The first section of toll roads to open is along north MoPac, from Parmer to the new SH-45 toll road, then east on SH-45 to SH-130. From there commuters will be able to access Highway 79 to the north or Highway 290 to the south.

   During the five-plus years it has taken to plan and build these toll roads, there has been a lot of rhetoric—some of it quite heated—as to whether or not local commuters would use the roads or whether they should even be built at all. The answer to both is yes!

NEW WEB-BASED SERVICE COMPANY iTAGGIT LEASES

FIRST LOCATION

Commercial Texas recently represented iTaggit in the lease of its first official location at 9430 Research Blvd., Austin, Texas.
   iTaggit soon will provide Web-based services and products designed to help individuals manage their personal assets. The company's founders include four Austin high-tech executives.
    "We look forward to launching iTaggit and sharing more about the company's solutions and benefits in coming months," said David Altounian, CEO. "We need a commercial real estate strategy that allows for future growth and offers flexibility. Commercial Texas understands the needs of emerging companies and helped us create a solution that fit."
    Russell Young and Michael Kennedy with Commercial Texas represented iTaggit. Kevin Kimball represented KVA. Inc.

VOLUNTEERING IS A JOY FOR COMMERCIAL TEXAS EMPLOYEES

Commercial Texas has joined forces with more than 3,000 volunteers who help Meals on Wheels provide hot, nutritious meals to people who are homebound or who can no longer cook for themselves. These volunteers serve over 1,800 worthy Austinites on a daily basis.
   As the late Ann Richards, former governor of Texas, once said, "Meals on Wheels brings not only food but proof that we live in a caring community." The management and staff of Commercial Texas are honored to be part of such a caring organization.

  "It just makes us feel good to help," said Broker Assistant Aimee Kirkconnell. "It's nice to take some time out of our hectic schedules and do something meaningful and worthwhile."
    Meals on Wheels makes it convenient for companies to participate by allowing volunteers to take turns delivering. Every Friday two or three staff members, from brokers to interns, leave the Commercial Texas office to deliver meals, following a convenient route that allows them to complete their mission during their lunch hour.

   Intern Seth Koschak said, "It's a great feeling to see how appreciative the recipients are. I enjoy hearing their stories and making them laugh."
   The volunteers say they have all become very fond of their "regulars," and enjoy recounting their Meals on Wheels experiences with coworkers. Intern Max Reinbach has even been known to take time to feed Ms. Mattie's cats.
   "Simple gestures of kindness are cherished by these seniors," Kirkconnell said, "and helping them gives us a sense of pride."
   The Meals on Wheels program came to Austin in 1972 with eight volunteers who cooked and delivered meals to 30 elderly homebound people. Today they deliver approximately 880,000 hot meals per year.