I would agree. How sad that Sutton will not make an attempt to develop Austin's tallest.

I would have been fine without the tallest, frankly, but this design itself is hideous.

While I too prefer the previous version, I think this version of the towers is going to look a lot better in real life - some of the renderings just aren't doing it justice. And in any case, I wouldn't get too bent out of shape about it because there's a good chance they'll change a few more times again before this project actually kicks off! haha

I don't love it or hate it. It's obviously not as grandiose as the design from a couple of weeks ago, but that design was never realistic. That was just a concept based on a topped-out FAR. With this, I just don't know what to make of that bright blue color. Is that the color it will end up looking like or will it just be a regular bluish glass a la JW Marriott? If it's going to be bright like that, I don't think I've ever seen a building like that before.

Not a fan. Talk about killing the buzz and with bad architecture to add....I will never support something that basically erases the soul/grimy parts of Austin. Chain Drive 4 life.

I have to disagree with the majority of you here, the only portion of the previous most recent design I liked was the office tower, because it was sleek and simple. The towers were uber generic, and seemed like they were plucked straight out of Lakeshore East in Chicago. These are quirky, unique and a little weird, but in a way that says Austin to me. Especially in a city that could still use an iconic building or two. :cheers:

Waller Center
 

I like the new design better. I think the renderings with the bright blue glass are a bit Dubaiesque, but there are some cool design elements as well. The previous design was a little too "Houston office tower" for my liking. This one, with open balconies and more mixture of materials, seems more interesting. I don't like everything about it, but it's sure as hell better than what Trammel Crow has proposed for Green.

Yuck. Those look like some mid-90s Sim City inspired college project.

And actually some of those horizontal windows and the shifting facades with a mix of glass and stone remind me of mid-century design.

Also the color and angles remind me a bit of the Omni convention center hotel in Fort Worth.

Now, I don't want them built. Fugly.

I would be very interested to see a model of this design.

I kind-of like the over-all effect, but the black construction lines of the redering I think make it look more busy/fussy, than the buildings would appear in life. And while I am so glad it's not brown, the blue is a little too vivid for my taste. On the plus side, I see echoes of the Spring Condo's, in the residential tower. If done right, aluminum, blue glass and lime stone could look spectacular. I really like the addition of greenery on some of the terraces.

That said, as "eburress" said above, the chances that this is the finished design are pretty remote.

The two taller buildings seem o.k.. It's the short office building that may be the worst rendering I have seen for a downtown Austin proposal. Absolutely hideous..... and with the limestone base for all the buildings....ugh.

The Waller project looks great! I wish it was taller for sure... but I think this will look really good... Reminds me of One Madison Park which ended up being pretty cool....

http://archpaper.com/uploads/image/o...on_park_04.jpg

I actually prefer Green's current design over Waller. Everything happening on Rainey lately just turns me off.

Crazy how quickly everybody turned on the project. Mostly everybody was real stoked about that last design and now mostly everybody hates the crap out of it.

haha. It just seems so blahh. I want to see more of a unique cluster of towers over there.

God, that new design is hideous. I'd rather see them not get built if that's what we get. Yuck.

yes! Thank you ! I was thinking of that building!

Ditto. What a scar on the skyline these towers would be. They are disgusting and I will go full on NIMBY if this iteration goes before city council. I swear I will actually march my ass downtown to the meeting and make myself heard.

Broadstone at the Lake is a bit more massive and hulking than I expected it to be. I like the large balconies; especially the ones going across the top. That said, I'm not a fan of the raised sidewalk. It disrupts the building's connection with the street and hurts walkability. This is why we need a form-based zoning code. Still, I think this one will affect perceptions of the area even more than The Catherine.

http://i.imgur.com/uALGoh7.jpg

Image courtesy of BuildingATX

I'm fine with the raised sidewalk. Multiple other projects have had them without affecting walkability. It's still a net plus, so keep that in mind.