I'm coming around to this building in a big way. It looks like a long block of graphite during the day when the sun hits it, and looks kind of like a spaceship/monolith/thingy in the evening, when you can see utility lights shining on each of the floors.

It's really pretty striking, and nothing else in the city looks like it.

The south side blank wall is T E R R I B L E !

I don't understand why they had to make that section with the precast-EIFS covered white crap... it would look beautiful if they just stuck with that glass pattern for the whole facade. I guess they are saving money with 30% cheap material...

Yeah, this one turned out pretty horribly. The starkness of it bugs me.

Mural? Billboard? Light show? Anything but a blank wall that tall and conspicuous...

The crane is coming down right now.

http://i.imgur.com/yTXTpPw.png
https://app.oxblue.com/open/Tournee/AustinALoft

I like the building just please do something cool with the blank wall, funky art would be cool since this aimed at young modern people and have cool lighting.

Wow, from that photo...Has anyone ever noticed how close Westin is to 6th street? I sure hope they have some good sound-proofing! I'm sure it's a no-brainer though...they probably thought of that. :runaway:

:haha::haha:
It probably seemed like a good idea at the time, being right next to popular 6th Street. Now, not so much...

If 5th and Brazos ever takes off, it's going to have the exact same problem.

As the business interests start pushing that way (and downtown near the river doesn't have a hell of a lot of development spots left, I expect Waller Creek redevelopment to make that part of DT more enticing) you will see two things happen:

1) ARCH will be relocated.

2) Noise ordinances are going to change rapidly for 6th street. I am sure the powers that be in the DTA and the real estate community would love for "Dirty 6th" to give way to higher end bars that are currently in SoCo and Rainey. You can already feel the squeeze as everything around that area is becoming rapidly more upscale with expensive cocktail bars on Congress, 7th and 5th streets. It brings in a very different tourist industry that is going to throw around a lot more money.

I think 6ths days are numbered. I'm sure there will always be part of 6th that will be shot bars, but I think noise ordinances will start clearing off the rooftop decks which are the bread and butter and making way for more high-end restaurants and bars.

Westin was just the first to broach this issue. It's going to continue to push in on the area, and frankly I'm not sure the excuse of "we were creating massive amounts of noise pollution before you were here" is going to win the day.

I agree completely.

The outrage over Westin's noise problems is understandable but seems shortsighted to me -- because that whole district (Dirty 6th/The Arch) is moving inexorably in another direction.

Sad to hear folks so ready to gut the spirt of Austin that created the reason it became a unique attractive city.
I avoid dirty 6th.... but I also avoid Bourbon Street. Just my thang... but I'm glad its there. I play in nearby areas... .it's a demographic thang for me.
And yes.... the same ordinances that kill the rooftop shot bar will kill live venues.
To the opposite... happy to see they are considering extending red river hours ( sound)
I support Fully the need to keep live music core to downtown... AND the sounds levels that need to be in place for that to thrive.
I live downtown and fully expect a vibrant city to make noise.
WTF people. Would you stay a half block off Bourbon street and expect it to be quite just for you??
I certainly gave the Westin my feedback.
The city will be CRAZY to not push back at the shortsighted businesses.
And even CRAZIER to not push back against folks who planned to manipulate the situation .
Thats nutz.

Whos gonna call NIMBY on this? Noise???? Not in my back yard!!
Wheres the outrage?

edit

Yeah, it's an interesting thing to ponder. I imagine there will be a shift on 6th Street as well and that music venues will begin to pop up in other areas....but where? Would there then be multiple, albeit smaller, live music "districts" throughout town? Would that draw the same appeal? I wonder at what point the city needs to come in and truly protect this aspect of Austin's heritage and identity. At the same time, there does need to be room for businesses to grow in ways that are advantageous to everyone. Very difficult to do in this particular instance, I think.

The St. Elmo area of 78745 by 35 & Ben White could become something. It's all industrial right now, so noise wouldn't be as big a factor. That could turn into a really cool, dense entertainment area.

How exactly is SXSW going to survive if that district morphs into upscale cocktails bars?

Surrounded by the inevitable building of new hotels next to it.

Haha, so basically just need to protect the integrity of live music in Austin somehow. So...how to do that?