I heard a rumor that a local developer has control of that slice of the block separately from the Hanover development and the Plaza Lofts. Its supposedly someone who has presented VERY grand plans for downtown towers in the past but hasn't delivered anything (no, not T. Stacy). ;)

Edited to add: Not sure what you can do with that piece of land. Maybe just flip it to one or the other neighbors for some quick cash?

I hope it's not a demo with no function.

Gingerman was demod how long before zaza started going up? I certainly hope it's not some joker trying to flip it to the ajoining addresses without any real interest that winds up costing us a cool building and really good bar and it isn't included in a corresponding building.

Roosevelt room will be a big loss downtown. It's one of the ~10 or so "actually good" cocktail bars that we have in DT proper.

It's got to be Sutton...

or WCCG?

The 307 W. 5th (Roosevelt) Demo permit has the same case reference (SP-2018-0356C) as the 5th & Lavaca tower site plan. Same project.

True. However, I would not consider Nate Paul as "someone who has presented VERY grand plans for downtown towers." He's had only one major proposal - 99 Trinity.

I like the phrase "control of that slice". If you have an option on this one, the time to exercise it is now.

Sure, you are right. I'm just spit-balling.

The difference for me is, this smells like something NP would get into....an option on a bar downtown. He has prolific track record downtown.....Not sure if Sutton would jump on this sliver just to flip, but maybe.

Looks like the current owner has had it for a little over 20 years.

I mean, these aren't exactly works of art, and I know better than to suggest those 2nd story windows are original to that building. Of the buildings on that block, the Roosevelt is probably the least attractive building. Also, painted brick should be a crime. The only building on that block with a nice facade is the Rebels Saloon building, but even it is sort of hodge podge design. What is going on with the entrance?

Anyway, if you really wanna see something that is knock-down-worthy, turn around and look across the street:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/30...!4d-97.7461264

So true Kevin, and btw, I like your tribute avatar for the late great Bert Reynolds.

Yep. That one stung a bit. I grew up watching Smokey and the Bandit. It was one of my granddaddy's favorite movies. Mine, too.

Sorry guys for continuing off topic...
That movie as dopey as it was, it influenced the car I bought, how I drove it, and the cb radio I installed in it. At the time, no one was cooler than he was. The cast was perfect and the high speed "pursuits" were awesome, and Sally Fields came a long way from the Flying Nun. Jackie Gleason was at his best also. I just found out he passed a few hours ago...stunner.

My parents had a '77 four door Cadillac DeVille. It was all white, with a white vinyl roof, black tinted windows that you couldn't see into and barely out of, and red leather interior with a power moonroof and white walls. And it had a CB radio. That was a cool car. It's one of the few ones I wished my parents had held onto. It was such a nice car. It was definitely from that era of CB radios and Americans loving their big cars.

...eastbound and down....loaded up and truckin!

love it, my Dad was a car man, and rolled in one of these! sooooo fly!

[IMG]https://i.imgur.com/NI00HP8m.jpg[/IMG]

Yeah, my parents liked big cars. They had both Cadillacs and Lincolns through the years. The '77 DeVille, an '83 Fleetwood Brougham, plus an '84 Lincoln Mark V, an '88 Towncar, and a '92 Towncar. My mom also had a '72 Thunderbird with power everything. The Lincolns had all kinds of mechanical problems, and the Fleetwood was a diesel conversion with almost no power at all. The one good one of those was the DeVille, but the one we miss the most is probably the Thunderbird. They also had a '75 Chevelle which was one of the better ones.

I'm hella gagged at the fact that you set up that streetview link so we would actually have to turn it around to see what you were talking about. :haha:

None of those buildings are worth keeping. Seems only one has an active business. That 10 story wall must be obscured. Build it!!

I have mixed feeling about losing about half a block of old single story buildings. Sure there is not much left of their original facades and details. But these low buildings provide some great views of some of the taller buildings behind them that would be obscured by even a 15 story building. I wouldn't mind seeing this building on the corner go since there is nothing left of its original character and it would hide the blank wall on the Plaza Lofts as well as the blank wall on Fifth and Colorado. It would also hide what I feel is the best side of Hotel Zaza.

https://i.imgur.com/vxur6rt.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/RMlH5cA.jpg

I would hate to see these ones in the middle of the block go away since they could be restored and they add texture to the area.

https://i.imgur.com/oHjNnIB.jpg?1

https://i.imgur.com/Kyo8oht.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/u6veki3.jpg

The site plan is taking longer than usual to go into review after it was CC approved, so no hint about the tower yet. But the Roosevelt Room building demo is on the agenda for Monday's Historic Landmark Commission meeting. Backup file:

http://www.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=306323