Adopted in 2012, the Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan is a guide for prioritizing Austin's growth over the next 30 years. The Plan encourages development and infrastructure investment in activity centers and corridors in support of the creation of complete communities. While the City has not established a target for this measure, 55.3% of the total number of commercial building permits issued were for projects located in Imagine Austin Activity Centers and Corridors in fiscal year 2022. This equates to 759 commercial building permits out of a total of 1,372. It is important to note that the data as collected does not distinguish between commercial and mixed-use, and includes multi-family development permits.

In fiscal year 2022, the number of commercial building permits issued in Imagine Austin Activity Centers and Corridors resumed its upward trend following a dip in fiscal year 2021. Since fiscal year 2012, the percentage has remained over 50%, from 50.4% in fiscal year 2012 to a high of 66.3% in fiscal year 2018.

Between fiscal year 2012 and fiscal year 2022, 58% of all commercial building permits issued have been in Imagine Austin Activity Centers and Corridors, which equates to a total of 6,765 permits out of 11,638.  The map below demonstrates the location of the referenced permitting activity beginning October 1, 2011, with the largest concentration in the downtown area. Each red dot represents a commercial building permit issued inside an Imagine Austin Activity Center or Corridor.