AUSTIN | Aloft Austin & Element Hotel Downtown | 328 FEET | 31 FLOORS | Complete - Page 7

austlar1 · #**121** Posted **Apr 9, 2014, 10:54 PM**

Are there any published renderings of the east side of this building? I would love to see a rendering showing the southeast corner with both the east and southern walls detailed.

KevinFromTexas · #**122** Posted **Apr 10, 2014, 2:36 AM**

Still, the windowless argument is kind of dumb. Do windows on a facade really make it that much better? I refuse to believe the owners of those businesses are any sort of architectural critics in the way we are. But who knows. I suspect it's because of meism, the idea that whatever effects one in any sort of way that the person can construe as negative, that they throw a fit and try to highlight the issue to others to gain sympathy/support. But back to the windows, do they really make that much of a difference? Even the Littlefield Building has few windows on its north facade on the same block. And there are some buildings that you can't even make out the windows. Bank of American Center is just a black box. And even the glass towers are basically just blank walls when you think about it. From a distance this won't even be an issue since other buildings will block the view of that wall. It's only when you're up close and probably on foot that you'll notice it. And from considerably further away such as along I-35, you won't even notice there are no windows. The windows on the building according to the renderings appear to be low impact. I don't this is going to be as bad as what we have with The Plaza. They're obviously planning a quality tower and property, and I'm confident they'll design the south wall with facade accents that mask the fact that it doesn't have windows.

And oh yeah, on the parking issue, I really think they're being market specific with this one. I think the idea is this will be a hotel that serves typically younger people who fly into Austin for SXSW, ACL Fest or other events happening strictly in downtown and don't need a car for their visit. They'll take a cab or shuttle from the airport into downtown and stay in downtown for the duration of their visit. If anything this hotel is a plus in that regard since it'll mean that many fewer cars in downtown adding to traffic.

ChrisBBradford · #**123** Posted **Apr 10, 2014, 4:39 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

Still, the windowless argument is kind of dumb. Do windows on a facade really make it that much better? I refuse to believe the owners of those businesses are any sort of architectural critics in the way we are. But who knows. I suspect it's because of meism, the idea that whatever effects one in any sort of way that the person can construe as negative, that they throw a fit and try to highlight the issue to others to gain sympathy/support.

The blank wall is my one concern with what otherwise is an exciting project. It's hard to convey just how nice that corner will be with a restaurant replacing a worthless parking lot and a canopy to match the Stephen F. Austin's canopy. The street design is really very good.

If not handled properly, the blank wall could definitely be an eyesore. There will be some downtown pressure on them to set back 10' and put in windows. The one property owner who shouldn't want the Aloft to add windows, though, is its neighbor, since that would create a deep pocket (Aloft) to oppose the historic demolition permit for their building should they ever choose to redevelop. Put differently, the only way the Aloft will add windows to its southern face is if it's reasonably sure it can prevent the neighbor from building upward.

It will be interesting to see whether an unparked hotel can get funding in Austin. If they can, great.

kingkirbythe.... · #**124** Posted **Apr 10, 2014, 7:24 PM**

If the builders of the Aloft project could purchase the air rights to the building just south, then windows could be allowed. Makes for a very expensive low rise building in the future.

MichaelB · #**125** Posted **Apr 10, 2014, 7:28 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kingkirbythe....

If the builders of the Aloft project could purchase the air rights to the building just south, then windows could be allowed. Makes for a very expensive low rise building in the future.

Ding! Good thinking. They won't, but a great idea. !

KevinFromTexas · #**126** Posted **Apr 11, 2014, 2:00 AM**

I don't see why they don't just do that. Even if another tower were to be built next to it in the future one building over, it would still likely be only 20 feet away. That's exactly how far apart 100 Congress and Ashton are. It's funny how two neighboring buildings can't face each other with windows, but 20 feet is ok. 20 feet is nothing when you're talking about skyscrapers. It's barely the length of a large pickup.

kingkirbythe.... · #**127** Posted **Apr 11, 2014, 4:08 AM**

Fire hazard without an alley.

SecretAgentMan · #**128** Posted **Apr 11, 2014, 10:55 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kingkirbythe....

If the builders of the Aloft project could purchase the air rights to the building just south, then windows could be allowed. Makes for a very expensive low rise building in the future.

I'll bet this is what the complaining property owners actually want. That would explain why they hired Jill Rowe (a Commercial Real Estate Broker) rather than an attorney.

MichaelB · #**129** Posted **Apr 11, 2014, 3:54 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SecretAgentMan

I'll bet this is what the complaining property owners actually want. That would explain why they hired Jill Rowe (a Commercial Real Estate Broker) rather than an attorney.

SAM ( Secret agent man) I love it when you pop up!!!!!

SecretAgentMan · #**130** Posted **Apr 12, 2014, 12:09 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelB

SAM ( Secret agent man) I love it when you pop up!!!!!

I'm always lurking, but like any good spy, you don't always know I am around.

MichaelB · #**131** Posted **Apr 12, 2014, 6:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SecretAgentMan

I'm always lurking, but like any good spy, you don't always know I am around.

Digatisdi · #**132** Posted **Apr 14, 2014, 5:42 PM**

Looks like Kevin made the Statesman on page A13 regarding this project, I hope the people stirring up the controversy will read it but frankly I think they're in it for the publicity--at any rate, I'm glad they've put a thought-out comment in the Water Cooler section for once.

the Genral · #**133** Posted **Apr 15, 2014, 12:27 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Digatisdi

Looks like Kevin made the Statesman on page A13 regarding this project, I hope the people stirring up the controversy will read it but frankly I think they're in it for the publicity--at any rate, I'm glad they've put a thought-out comment in the Water Cooler section for once.

I'm looking at it now. Definately don't see many thought out comments like Kevin's in the Water Cooler section. This btw was the longest comment I have ever seen in the WC section. Longer than the 5 other comments combined.

KevinFromTexas · #**134** Posted **Apr 15, 2014, 3:06 AM**

Ha! That's cool.

KevinFromTexas · #**135** Posted **Apr 29, 2014, 5:09 AM**

The Downtown Austin Blog is saying it'll be 353 feet with 33 floors. That would make it one foot below the main roof of the Hilton. That would put it above the roof of the middle tier of the One American Center. The 31st floor of the One American Center is at 358.58 feet. The 31st floor is the last full floor of the building before you get to the first setback on the tallest tier of the building. So in other words, if you were standing on the 32nd floor of the One American Center you'd be just 13 feet above the roof of this hotel.

http://downtownaustinblog.org/2014/0...-congress-ave/

Quote:

Downtown Austin Aloft & Element Hotel Proposal for Congress Ave

At last night’s Downtown Commission meeting, we heard from White Lodging on their proposed 33 story, 353 foot, 410 key, dual-branded Aloft/Element hotel at 7th & Congress Ave.

One interesting feature of this proposal is there will be zero parking spaces (excluding ADA requirements) and only three valet spots. This isn’t the first Congress Ave hotel concept to propose no onsite parking.

Austin1971 · #**136** Posted **May 3, 2014, 5:17 PM**

Are several guestrooms going to be windowless. I could understand the east facade being windowless but the south, ugly. They can do much better for a highrise on the "mainstreet" of Texas.

austlar1 · #**137** Posted **May 3, 2014, 6:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Austin1971

Are several guestrooms going to be windowless. I could understand the east facade being windowless but the south, ugly. They can do much better for a highrise on the "mainstreet" of Texas.

Looks like the interior space of the windowless facade will be comprised of the south wall of a west facing guest room, an interior corridor (with window facing south?) and the south wall of an east facing guest room. This is the slender part of the tower that is set back from the street. There are several buildings on Congress that will mask most of the lower floors of the windowless facade. It won't be much more noticeable than the windowless portion of the JW Marriott that faces Congress. Actually, I think the windowless portion of the Aloft will look a whole lot like the windowless portion of the JW, but it will be even less noticeable.

The ATX · #**138** Posted **May 25, 2014, 3:55 AM**

White Lodging has just added this project to their website:

http://www.whitelodging.com/about/de...ustin-downtown

LoneStarMike · #**139** Posted **Jun 3, 2014, 8:32 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by austlar1

Looks like the interior space of the windowless facade will be comprised of the south wall of a west facing guest room, an interior corridor (with window facing south?) and the south wall of an east facing guest room. This is the slender part of the tower that is set back from the street. There are several buildings on Congress that will mask most of the lower floors of the windowless facade. It won't be much more noticeable than the windowless portion of the JW Marriott that faces Congress. Actually, I think the windowless portion of the Aloft will look a whole lot like the windowless portion of the JW, but it will be even less noticeable.

I couldn't find a rendering, but I did find the elevation for that south wall as part of a presentation to the Design Commission.

http://www.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=210766

It's on Page 25.

On Page 35 it notes:

Quote:

One concern has been the fire wall that faces south to adjacent lots. This wall cannot have windows, and it is a large wall, due to the height of the
building. The Working Group noted improvements the applicant has made since previous public hearings. The south fire wall is to consist of at least 2 materials with reveal lines to break up the scale. A light well allows units to have light, and the light well includes one window per floor facing south

Just looking at those elevations, it really doesn't look that bad. For a mostly blank wall, it could have been a lot worse.

Something else I noticed:

Quote:

The applicant notes that loading needs are being minimized with on-
site laundry and no event space within the building.

ahealy · #**140** Posted **Jun 3, 2014, 6:52 PM**

gosh, I wanna see this break grounddddd