AUSTIN | 405 Colorado Street | 356 FEET | 25 FLOORS | Completed - Page 34

Echostatic · #**661** Posted **Jul 27, 2020, 1:31 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by We vs us

North will eventually be blocked by 5C, no?

Yeah, and I'm assuming the developers of 405 knew about 5C when they designed it that way. But, for a few years, it'll be a mild scar on the skyline. Only from a few angles, though.

lonewolf · #**662** Posted **Jul 27, 2020, 2:06 AM**

well that may be quite the view in 3 months

gillynova · #**663** Posted **Jul 29, 2020, 1:05 AM**

Somehow this went from my most hated project to quite possibly one that I am most excited for

the Genral · #**664** Posted **Jul 29, 2020, 2:41 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by gillynova

Somehow this went from my most hated project to quite possibly one that I am most excited for

I don't mean to brag, but I think I used to hate this one more than anyone else here. Back when the first renderings came out, I even said it went against the 11th Commandment of what thou shalt not do. With the help of Indy's crown and 3rd and Shoal's parking pedestal causing an aesthetic eyesore distraction, throw in the ugly fence around the electric substation and the turd sculpture keeping guard in front of it, I realized that this building, although heavy on the parking and skewed parking to office ratio, is not nearly offensive, to me, as those other infractions. (That was a 62 word sentence, woo hoo!!)
While I may not be as excited as you are about this one, I am willing to concede that I may have over reacted in the beginning by tearing this a new one. I now think this is going to be pretty cool. I always thought it looked more like an old school TV on a stand rather than a molar though. No biggie, I like TV. But most importantly, they are not going the cheap route. You can see the quality they are putting into this building.

We vs us · #**665** Posted **Jul 29, 2020, 4:02 AM**

In some ways it goes to show how quickly a shitty rendering will help solidify negative opinions. Those first few drawings were really simplistic and really DID make it look like a tooth. There's a world of difference between what we first saw and these last few renderings. Night and day, in my opinion. In some ways the design of the building itself lends itself to strong opinions, but I really think what we were first presented with didn't represent the final product well.

mercury6 · #**666** Posted **Jul 29, 2020, 2:23 PM**

One thing is certain, this will be the best looking parking garage in town, high quality

Sigaven · #**667** Posted **Jul 29, 2020, 3:54 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by the Genral

You can see the quality they are putting into this building.

Isn't this a Duda/Paine building? Same folks who designed Frost Bank Tower and Republic Tower. They do quality stuff.

the Genral · #**668** Posted **Jul 29, 2020, 4:02 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sigaven

Isn't this a Duda/Paine building? Same folks who designed Frost Bank Tower and Republic Tower. They do quality stuff.

Yes they do, even though they mossed the mark on Frost, at least by not making it taller, their choice on the glass and the crown were top notch. The Republic would be iconic and beautiful if built. Not sure about Duda / Paine, I'm too lazy to look it up and verify but I am sure whoever designed Frost, designed 406.

Sigaven · #**669** Posted **Jul 29, 2020, 6:30 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by the Genral

they mossed the mark on Frost, at least by not making it taller,

I don't think height is the architect's choice

Vexal · #**670** Posted **Jul 29, 2020, 7:23 PM**

Someone mentioned the north side will just be an orange slab, but I haven't seen any renderings from that direction -- they're all from what I assume to be the 'good' side. Does anyone have a picture?

the Genral · #**671** Posted **Jul 29, 2020, 8:23 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sigaven

I don't think height is the architect's choice

I want to say the CoA had something to do with the height, or maybe there was low demand for office space, either way, I'm glad the sky's the limit today unless the FAA has something to say about it.

Echostatic · #**672** Posted **Jul 29, 2020, 8:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vexal

Someone mentioned the north side will just be an orange slab, but I haven't seen any renderings from that direction -- they're all from what I assume to be the 'good' side. Does anyone have a picture?

There haven't been any renderings, obviously.

Here's an elevation:

Here's a recent photo:

Vexal · #**673** Posted **Jul 29, 2020, 11:22 PM**

Cool. I like how it reminds me of my time in prison in the 90's.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Echostatic

There haven't been any renderings, obviously.

Here's an elevation:

Here's a recent photo:

H2O · #**674** Posted **Jul 30, 2020, 2:41 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by the Genral

I want to say the CoA had something to do with the height, or maybe there was low demand for office space, either way, I'm glad the sky's the limit today unless the FAA has something to say about it.

The CoA had nothing to do with it. CBD zoning has no height limit, and CBD-CURE allows greater than 8.0:1 FAR (I believe Frost is actually less than that). Frost was actually the tallest building when it was built, and the first office to be built downtown in almost 20 years. It was really just an entirely different market back then. In many ways, Frost was the bold first move that has led to the skyscraper boom we have today.

MichaelB · #**675** Posted **Jul 30, 2020, 3:28 PM**

I just love this last round of bashing on this building ! LOL!. We all know that when you build up to a property line, there are codes about what the surfaces are like and how the buildings interact for fire blah blah. ( someone with technical knowledge please add in) There would, in all likelyhood, have been a building right up to that wall.... I mean who knew that the one small building Franks was last in would get spared in the razing of warehouse district. I love the spoiler of it all.

AusTxDevelopment · #**676** Posted **Jul 30, 2020, 3:39 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vexal

Someone mentioned the north side will just be an orange slab, but I haven't seen any renderings from that direction -- they're all from what I assume to be the 'good' side. Does anyone have a picture?

Not a rendering per se, but a full color massing showing the backside. I'm still not a fan of the Molar, but at least it's not a square glass box.

the Genral · #**677** Posted **Jul 30, 2020, 3:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by H2O

The CoA had nothing to do with it. CBD zoning has no height limit, and CBD-CURE allows greater than 8.0:1 FAR (I believe Frost is actually less than that). Frost was actually the tallest building when it was built, and the first office to be built downtown in almost 20 years. It was really just an entirely different market back then. In many ways, Frost was the bold first move that has led to the skyscraper boom we have today.

Ok, CoA had nothing to do with it, but how 'bout partial credit for at least my suggesting that it might have been low demand for office space at the time.

Just looking for someone to blame for coming up 10 floors short. I wonder what would happen if they filled a dump truck full of Extenze and dumped it in the basement if that would give it a few more floors, ok don't tell me there's no basement in the Frost Tower, otherwise my plan would never stand a chance.

Ok....where were we? Oh yeah, 405 Colorado...

papertowelroll · #**678** Posted **Jul 30, 2020, 6:21 PM**

Frost was not "too short" when it was built. It would have looked weird if it was taller, IMO. Austin's skyline has simply grown a lot in the 16-17 years since.

This link has some good pics from when Frost was built: https://www.camaroz28.com/forums/f-b...-years-777478/

gillynova · #**679** Posted **Jul 30, 2020, 6:51 PM**

After seeing that back side... I'm going to retract what I said about this being what I'm most excited for and I'll give that title to Sail & 44 East lmao

At least have a mural set up for the blank, orange wall!

eguidry · #**680** Posted **Jul 30, 2020, 7:02 PM**

That hideous slab of a wall will get blocked when 5c gets built though. Still dig this building just because it has color and isn't a plain cuboid. This is, I think, what we were clamoring for with Third and Shoal, make the least appealing side "hidden"