Austin | Block 185/Google Tower #2 | 594 Feet | 35 Floors | Complete - Page 14

The ATX · #**261** Posted **Dec 8, 2017, 8:41 PM**

I was checking my list of potential projects with CVCs, and the former Carmelo's site might be a possibility.

Geckos_Rule · #**262** Posted **Dec 8, 2017, 9:00 PM**

Man, that would be great to see Carmelo's finally redeveloped.

Or this could just be misdirection, and it really is block 185 or 87, and he doesn't want to tell us. After all, our source for this is just a guy's instragram page.

The ATX · #**263** Posted **Dec 8, 2017, 9:12 PM**

Velocity Tower. Gensler did the vision, and it has a CVC of course.

LoneStarMike · #**264** Posted **Dec 14, 2017, 3:23 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by myBrain

Check this out, the Gensler architect in the interview posted this image on instagram a few hours ago:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BcV75FRj...y=blume_george

Look behind those trusses on the right hand side. Isn't that Ladybird Lake? It looks like that part of the trail where you cross that little foot bridge and wind up on Shoal Creek Peninsula

deerhoof · #**265** Posted **Dec 14, 2017, 1:30 PM**

I’ve given that some thought as well. How about the block with the old La Zona Rosa and this perspective is looking south toward that peninsula. There is a CVC over the southeast corner of the block.

Quote:

Originally Posted by LoneStarMike

Look behind those trusses on the right hand side. Isn't that Ladybird Lake? It looks like that part of the trail where you cross that little foot bridge and wind up on Shoal Creek Peninsula

Jdawgboy · #**266** Posted **Dec 14, 2017, 6:10 PM**

There's also what appears to be the trunk of a giant Redwood on the left side so I'm not so sure we can ascertain which building this is by what's in the background. It's very vague and not enough detail to know. I think it's pretty cool that there's an attempt to guess the location though. Makes reading this thread more interesting.

IluvATX · #**267** Posted **Dec 14, 2017, 6:38 PM**

According to George Blume's Instagram, this is not 185 or 87. Velocity maybe?

lzppjb · #**268** Posted **Dec 14, 2017, 9:40 PM**

Just messing around with the contrast/brightness levels allows you to see the background a bit better. It's not great, and I'm sure a Photoshop pro could do a better job, but you can still see some details coming out on the right side. Looks like a couple of towers. Could it be UT tower?

Sigaven · #**269** Posted **Dec 14, 2017, 9:45 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by lzppjb

Just messing around with the contrast/brightness levels allows you to see the background a bit better. It's not great, and I'm sure a Photoshop pro could do a better job, but you can still see some details coming out on the right side. Looks like a couple of towers. Could it be UT tower?

I think that's just artifacting.

lzppjb · #**270** Posted **Dec 14, 2017, 9:47 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sigaven

I think that's just artifacting.

No, it's definitely not artifacting. Yes, there are artifacts, but there are definitely details that start to pop. You can see them come into view as you play with the settings. The artifacts become really obvious when I pushed the brightness and contrast to their extremes.

Sigaven · #**271** Posted **Dec 14, 2017, 9:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by lzppjb

No, it's definitely not artifacting. Yes, there are artifacts, but there are definitely details that start to pop. You can see them come into view as you play with the settings. The artifacts become really obvious when I pushed the brightness and contrast to their extremes.

How can you tell they're buildings though? If that's the case then it looks like this rendering is located far from downtown.

lzppjb · #**272** Posted **Dec 14, 2017, 10:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sigaven

How can you tell they're buildings though? If that's the case then it looks like this rendering is located far from downtown.

The artifacts you can see are perfectly square pixels and have 1 color. The objects that look like buildings are not perfectly square, and have shading to them.

Sigaven · #**273** Posted **Dec 14, 2017, 10:19 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by lzppjb

The artifacts you can see are perfectly square pixels and have 1 color. The objects that look like buildings are not perfectly square, and have shading to them.

I'm not talking abotu the big square pixels that are 1 shade. I know what objects you're referring to, I'm just wondering what makes you sure that they are buildings and not just some pencil scratches indicating landscape or sky or something?

chinchaaa · #**274** Posted **Dec 14, 2017, 10:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sigaven

How can you tell they're buildings though? If that's the case then it looks like this rendering is located far from downtown.

Maybe the Statesman site? Kind of looks like downtown.

lzppjb · #**275** Posted **Dec 14, 2017, 11:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sigaven

I'm not talking abotu the big square pixels that are 1 shade. I know what objects you're referring to, I'm just wondering what makes you sure that they are buildings and not just some pencil scratches indicating landscape or sky or something?

Ohh, gotcha.

When you put it that way, I don't know for sure. I'm just speculating, which is what makes this place fun.

wwmiv · #**276** Posted **Dec 15, 2017, 10:43 AM**

Maybe this is the electrical substation parcel? That would explain the setbacks as well as the apparent CVC angle and the "hint" of what might be the Shoal Creek Peninsula on the right side rather than the left side (where it would be, in context of the setbacks from the river and Shoal Creek, in a Block 185 rendering). Even if we overlook the context of the setbacks (and assume that the rendering is a reversed image), given the sightline and tower placement, you wouldn't be able to see the end of the Peninsula from Block 185 at all anyway because, being directly north of the end of the Peninsular, the tower would block it from view. However, we seem to see the end of the peninsular here (and I concur that might be what it is). The electrical substation, however, is perfect for that angle to be able to see the end of the Peninsular.

If it is indeed the substation, all of those poor people whose south-facing views in the Independent are f*****.

Ironically, what made me realize this possibility was that uploaded 3D image of downtown right above that area with the superimposed Independent rendering:

https://kuula.co/post/7lcbk/collection/7fWCl

But... again... all speculative and who really knows. Could be anywhere.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer...961562084&z=18

urbancore · #**277** Posted **Dec 15, 2017, 3:44 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by wwmiv

Maybe this is the electrical substation parcel?

I hope you are right.

I don't recall there ever being real talk of developing that lot. What did I miss, besides the chatter about cost/challenges to bury the station?

Sigaven · #**278** Posted **Dec 15, 2017, 4:31 PM**

I still think the substation parcel would make for a great public square rather than another building. The one thing about it is that it's sort of boxed in by parking garages on two sides (seaholm and Indepenent) - but wouldn't it be cool if those were covered in big LED screens or something.

LoneStarMike · #**279** Posted **Dec 16, 2017, 8:06 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by wwmiv

Maybe this is the electrical substation parcel?

The Seaholm substation is what's got the art wall around it. I think what you are talking about is the old Austin Energy Control Center. And yeah, it's supposed to be redeveloped. Good catch!

Image from What is and isn't happening at Seaholm

From a 2010 Austin American-Statesman article:

Developers plan condo towers to replace Austin Energy site downtown

Quote:

The City Council is set to vote today to authorize the city manager to sign a development agreement with a partnership of Constructive Ventures and Trammell Crow Co. to buy the tract for $14.5 million.

[SNIP]

The agreement says the soonest that Constructive Ventures could purchase the Austin Energy property is March 2013. The city must first relocate the control center, from which the entire Austin Energy electric grid is managed year-round.

Larry Warshaw, a principal with Constructive Ventures, said the condominium buildings would be so-called point towers — slender buildings on a wider base like the Spring condominium high-rise, of which he was a co-developer — and would soar between 400 and 500 feet.

"Financing will be the most likely factor dictating a start date," he said.

"The demand for downtown housing remains strong today," Warshaw said. "By 2013, the demand will be even stronger. The unknown factor is whether banks will be ready to lend money for this type of development again by 2013."

There was also a rendering that showed where the two towers would be from the AAS article.

Maybe instead of building two point towers, they'll just do one - only much taller.

lzppjb · #**280** Posted **Dec 16, 2017, 9:29 AM**

That's where the Independent is going.