Downtown Austin planetarium moves forward
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Austin is closer to getting its own planetarium.
The Texas State Facilities Commission approved moving forward with the proposal Wednesday, according to long-time Austin Planetarium advocate Torvald Hessel.
Hessel says the board's decision clears the way for a public-private partnership that will build the planetarium on state owned property in downtown Austin.
The proposed site is a parking lot known as State Lot Number Seven, which sits in front of the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum.
The current plan calls for a mixed-use building in place of the parking lot. It would include an underground parking garage, a residential tower, retail space and the planetarium.
The estimated price tag for the entire project is $240 million.
To see more on the plan to build the Austin planetarium, click here.