The thing is companies prefer large floor plates to small ones since it allows for more workers on fewer floors. I suppose that could change, but that's usually been the case in the past. It's why you have office buildings that are typically more bulky than residential buildings. In residential buildings you want the opposite of that. Fewer neighbors per floor means fewer common walls and less noise. The only way we're going to have really tall office towers is with the demand for office space jumping even higher than it is now. I'd actually be ok with fewer office towers being developed so the few ones we do see could be taller. I'd rather have a half dozen really tall ones than a dozen or more that are average height. Of course the residential and office markets are going to feed off each other and benefit each other. I also like the idea of mixing it up and having a diversity of uses in each neighborhood in downtown. I prefer that to "residential districts" and "office districts" in downtown. They should mesh together and be more inclusive. I can understand more about wanting to keep hotels separate because of the hustle and bustle they can create sometimes along with touristy supportive businesses around them. The convention center area of downtown comes to mind here.

Tenant preference for large floorplates is a start, along with the efficiencies of having less exterior skin per square foot and so on.

Skinny residential and hotel is also due to the need for certain rooms to have windows. A hotel is generally the width of room+hall+room. Homes can be long shoeboxes if they don't have enclosed bedrooms, but otherwise each bedroom and the living room need windows, so there's no reason for a deep floorplate. Even the shoeboxes tend to be shallower than many offices.

PS, agreed, I like mixed-use districts the best also.

Yeah, that all makes sense.

It's not necessarily the size of the floor plate that matters but rather the configuration. Companies nowadays want to minimise the distance from the window to the core of the building to provide for natural light, which is resulting in slightly narrower and elongated designs when possible. A really deep floor plate characteristic of the '80s and even '90s doesn't allow for ideal space utilisation anymore.

Is the lighting scheme of the Bowie finished? The northwest side is unusual and looks half done.... Just wondering

Taken this morning.

http://i.imgur.com/mihrhY0.jpg

Thought I'd post this in here to liven things up a bit and just to clarify THIS IS NOT HAPPENING. Simply the result of what some UT students did for a project.

http://i1332.photobucket.com/albums/...psrmpqewvr.png

https://soa.utexas.edu/work/5-towers-west-5th

I'm not sure this was ever posted but I ran across it today. Interesting concept but I wouldn't expect to see towers a 3rd of that size in that area anytime soon.

I wouldn't mind seeing the tower second over from the right built in DT. The middle one looks like a stretched out version of Spring.

...

I lived in NYC for awhile and was always amazed to see high rises literally that skinny and tall, if not taller. I'm wondering what it's like on the top floors- does it feel like it's swaying back and forth during heavy wind or what...

Anyone here cover this area?
http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/bl...ly-retail.html

The Independent's 370 units are almost completely reserved. Reservations began this past Monday (June 8).

Some shots from the other day. My wife and I roller skated around, it was fun.


https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/dT...k=w938-h621-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/is...Q=w938-h621-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Wf...I=w938-h621-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Cc...4=w938-h621-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Ho...U=w476-h621-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/wq...Y=w387-h621-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Gh...8=w938-h621-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/a5...U=w436-h621-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Tq...k=w412-h621-no

A couple from 6/12:

http://i.imgur.com/W8vWPhbh.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/0X6iBGJh.jpg

^^^^Great pictures both of you! That reflection of Frost in the Colorodo Tower is amazing!

Seaholm and GreenWater photo update

http://i.imgur.com/Awgj39ml.jpg

(click for larger image)

http://www.statesman.com/news/busine...8-story/nmg4T/
http://i.imgur.com/SfLIliJ.jpg

Kevin, what happened to the Fairmont? Is it still happening??

Yeah, it's under construction now. They're doing foundation work now, and may even have a few columns up.

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

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

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

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

http://i.imgur.com/IAdGVB2.jpg

Crickets.... Crickets.... Crickets....

The sound of the austin thread ... We need some new blood...

Commence the passive aggressive, " go on the subforum comments" ... You guys know i spit hot truth all up in this forum!

Oh well, guess i will go check out the Danbury Connecticut thread ...