Convention Center Expansion

[We vs us]

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

I would assume that a good chunk will be under ground, some may be above in higher levels, plus they could connect the grid and still have a section built over the street.

This is the general plan as I understand it. Sink the new exhibit halls below street level, connect the grid and offer more open space and retail on surface level, and then build up a few floors, connecting the building again on levels 2+.

Everything I've seen has also incorporated additional towers on the site, all of which are unrelated to the CC itself but which might house city of Austin offices, etc. The collapse of DT office space demand, though, might change these plans in a major way. either way there are currently no concrete plans to look at yet. Hopefully they'll release this RFQ ASAP so we can see the expectations up close.

[drummer]

Yeah, that's what I was about to ask - if there are any plans. I couldn't find any but I know we have some pretty amazing sleuths on here for that stuff.

[freerover]

I would re-read the UT report if you want a preview of what’s to come.

[zrx299]

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

I would assume that a good chunk will be under ground, some may be above in higher levels, plus they could connect the grid and still have a section built over the street.

Isn't the whole selling point of top tier convention centers contiguous space?

Certainly not advocating for mowing down more city blocks, but this plan seems more like a nod to developers adding units than an actual convention center, at least as their selling it...

Maybe I'm wrong and people prefer a new layout with aircraft carrier style elevators to get mass people and their gear to the different floors.

I guess I'll just wait until plans are released.

[FrankLloydLeft]

My biggest hope with this is that they follow through on the reports concepts for a semi public park on the roof. If we could get something akin to Salesforce park in SF, that section of downtown would be such a hub of activity during the day with park goers and tourists.

If they put in a lawn for events, I could see it being the top spot for activations during sxsw and cool concert series. Hell if big enough they could do a smaller version of Blues on the Green downtown.

[Novacek]

Item 27 for the next council meeting is a 65M design/engineering contract for the expansion. Item 28 is 1.2B for construction.


Also includes a bunch of resources, including a phasing proof of concept I'm not sure we've seen before.

https://www.austintexas.gov/departme...231019-reg.htm

[H2O]

Originally Posted by Novacek

Item 27 for the next council meeting is a 65M design/engineering contract for the expansion. Item 28 is 1.2B for construction.


Also includes a bunch of resources, including a phasing proof of concept I'm not sure we've seen before.

https://www.austintexas.gov/departme...231019-reg.htm

Neither the convention center nor light rail plans seem to acknowledge the existence of the chilled water main in 3rd Street below the convention center. I also think they got the BOH and prefunction assignment backwards in Phase II. The active areas should face Brush Square and the Downtown Station, not a dead zone.

[WestAustinite]

This was approved by Council last night:

Authorize negotiation and execution of a contract for preconstruction and construction services for the Austin Convention Center Redevelopment project with JE Dunn/Turner, a joint venture, in an amount not to exceed $1,200,000,000. [Note: This contract will be awarded in compliance with City Code Chapter 2-9A (Minority Owned and Women Owned Business Enterprise Procurement Program) by meeting the goals with 10.30% MBE and 2.38% WBE participation].

Originally Posted by H2O

Neither the convention center nor light rail plans seem to acknowledge the existence of the chilled water main in 3rd Street below the convention center. I also think they got the BOH and prefunction assignment backwards in Phase II. The active areas should face Brush Square and the Downtown Station, not a dead zone.

Who could ever have foretold that there would be a water line buried deep below 3rd Street?

[StoOgE]

The contract was signed last night as well this will be happening.

[We vs us]

Originally Posted by StoOgE

The contract was signed last night as well this will be happening.

I attended a conference with some of the ACC sales leadership this week, and they are STOKED. This was the last hurdle and to your point, things will definitely be moving now, quickly.

I still have a deep dislike for the underground exhibit hall approach, and think we may have tipped into the "too much compromise for our own good" space. But it is what it is. It's going to be a trailblazing building, that's for sure.

[Jdawgboy]

Originally Posted by We vs us

I still have a deep dislike for the underground exhibit hall approach, and think we may have tipped into the "too much compromise for our own good" space. But it is what it is. It's going to be a trailblazing building, that's for sure.

I'm curious as to why the underground hall is an issue? I mean this would be the best way to get open contiguous space over a large area while reintegrating the street grid. It's a win win Imo.

[We vs us]

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

I'm curious as to why the underground hall is an issue? I mean this would be the best way to get open contiguous space over a large area while reintegrating the street grid. It's a win win Imo.

For me there's a big guest experience question. Putting this stuff underground drops attendees down away from the sunlight (which is usually a huge reason why people choose Austin for conventions); forces you into a place that's sort of timeless and contextless, and ignores what the humans attending these meetings prefer, which is a more holistic and natural environment.

It's not the end of the world, per se, but we have a chance to make something fantastic and iconic -- a facility that breaks molds around the country. Instead, we're hiding all the important stuff in the basement.

I'll also admit that it's also my personal pique at the idea that this important building somehow needs to be completely invisible, and treated functionally as if it doesn't exist. I'm an urbanist, and support reconnecting the grid, trying to reactivate the street with retail, etc. All those things the UT study pointed out. But having now lived through years of public discourse about what should be done, it's clear that a significant group of people just want it (and by extension my industry) to disappear completely.

Think of it this way -- remember the rendering of the westward expansion? With the green park on the roof? We have no problems approving parking podiums that roughly match that height throughout the CBD -- and these create, as we've noted, huge dead zones right above street level. But somehow a convention center of that height -- well lit, full of conventioneers -- is a huge blight on the neighborhood.

Anyway, I'm hopeful we'll get something nice in the end, but I'm also a casualty of the process. Not feeling very nice about certain of my fellow Austinites after decades of argument and ignorance. /rant off

[Jdawgboy]

Originally Posted by We vs us

For me there's a big guest experience question. Putting this stuff underground drops attendees down away from the sunlight (which is usually a huge reason why people choose Austin for conventions); forces you into a place that's sort of timeless and contextless, and ignores what the humans attending these meetings prefer, which is a more holistic and natural environment.

It's not the end of the world, per se, but we have a chance to make something fantastic and iconic -- a facility that breaks molds around the country. Instead, we're hiding all the important stuff in the basement.

I'll also admit that it's also my personal pique at the idea that this important building somehow needs to be completely invisible, and treated functionally as if it doesn't exist. I'm an urbanist, and support reconnecting the grid, trying to reactivate the street with retail, etc. All those things the UT study pointed out. But having now lived through years of public discourse about what should be done, it's clear that a significant group of people just want it (and by extension my industry) to disappear completely.

Think of it this way -- remember the rendering of the westward expansion? With the green park on the roof? We have no problems approving parking podiums that roughly match that height throughout the CBD -- and these create, as we've noted, huge dead zones right above street level. But somehow a convention center of that height -- well lit, full of conventioneers -- is a huge blight on the neighborhood.

Anyway, I'm hopeful we'll get something nice in the end, but I'm also a casualty of the process. Not feeling very nice about certain of my fellow Austinites after decades of argument and ignorance. /rant off

Okay I can see your points. Couldn't they still build park space on the top of the new above ground sections?

[paul78701]

Originally Posted by We vs us

For me there's a big guest experience question. Putting this stuff underground drops attendees down away from the sunlight (which is usually a huge reason why people choose Austin for conventions); forces you into a place that's sort of timeless and contextless, and ignores what the humans attending these meetings prefer, which is a more holistic and natural environment.

The current exhibit hall is internal to the building and has no windows. When I think of the convention centers I've been in, I don't really recall any of their exhibit halls having windows or whatnot. I could be mis-remembering though.

I think we'll have to wait for the design process to proceed and see what they produce. I could see them designing it so that some of the street level space opens to below and brings in some sunlight.

[StoOgE]

The only convention hall I've been in with windows is Javitz.

Generally these things are dungeons anyway

[The ATX]

I've only ever been to Austin's in the '90s before the last expansion and Detroit's. They were/are both dungeons.

[davidtexan]

I'd like to see something like this, the Washington DC convention center takes up 3 city blocks but preserves the grid by going above the street. Lots of escalators up and down, and nice natural light from the plentiful windows. The actual exhibit hall is windowless.

[sammyk]

Originally Posted by StoOgE

The only convention hall I've been in with windows is Javitz.

Generally these things are dungeons anyway

Even with Javits, much of the convention space is windowless and even underground. However, I haven't been there in 20-25 years.

[KevinFromTexas]

San Antonio's was nice, at least, the glass bridge over the river was. I don't think that section is there anymore.