Hanover Brazos Street

https://i.imgur.com/xE0pgygh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/XxtW2Xjh.jpg

River Street Residences

https://i.imgur.com/n3X8btTh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/QGKvc3oh.jpg

Vesper

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

307 E. 2nd

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

https://i.imgur.com/wHDHH6Ch.jpg

415 Colorado

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

https://i.imgur.com/N7FkwrSh.jpg

So anyone got the lowdown on Project Connect? I've heard some details (Downtown tunnel, platform screen doors) that are awesome but not much beyond that. I've seen ridership estimates also vary wildly.

https://austinrailnow.com/2020/01/31...ail-into-lead/

This site suggests that if the 20-mile Orange Line is a grade-separated LRT it will get up to 74,000 riders or 3700 riders/mile! That is a per-mile ridership rivaling Seattle's Central Link pre-COVID! And Austin proper is lower density than Seattle proper!

So will Austin entirely elevate/tunnel the Orange Line?

Outside SF, Boston, and LA, here are the three LRTs I bet will have the highest 2040 ridership:

1. Seattle
2. Austin
3. San Diego

In Phase 1 of Project Connect, which is what is currently funded, the darker portions here will be grade-separated:

https://i.imgur.com/Z3DKZU7.png

Including Phase 2:

https://i.imgur.com/H7qyAoh.png

Editing to add in the commuter rail; the Red Line, which already exists, and the Green Line, which is partially funded in Phase 1 and will be extended Eastward in Phase 2. All at grade - it's only commuter rail, after all.

Site prep is already happening for the 98 Red River supertall. But a long term right of way closure permit for construction was filed today. The scheduled start date is 04/04/2022!

https://abc.austintexas.gov/public-s...rtyrsn=2019189

https://i.imgur.com/4MCCJR1.png
https://i.imgur.com/cUcp1yb.png

Yeah, commuter rail doesn't (and often shouldn't) be grade-separated. Denver's highly successful A Line commuter rail really saved costs by avoiding grade-separation (and several portions are only single-tracked) and they still got 20K+ riders pre-COVID, not to mention have an average speed of 37 mph or so.

A bit disappointing the Orange Line will run mostly at-grade in street medians. But from prelim reports, it looks like the Orange Line will still run 21 miles in 54 minutes for an impressive 23 mph. Austin has the right idea--you don't need to grade separate your entire line for speed, you only need to grade separate the downtown corridor, where street-running LRT runs the slowest.

But imagine if Austin grade separated its LRT as much as Seattle, whose Link Line 1 is 26 miles and only has 57 min travel time!

I'm excited for Austin to get this, but it's just so awkward looking.

^ Ah well, at present growth rate, it’ll be eclipsed by other taller towers.

I agree. I wish there was a more fluid connection between the upper portions of the tower.

Agree...very awkward design. Unattractive, and it is embarrassing that it will be built here.

It reminds me of that weird looking tower from around 2006 that was proposed. Or was that a Denver thing? Trango Tower was the name?

I’ve been on this site too long…

EDIT: it was the T Stacy Tower and the recession killed it.

I actually like the design. It’s different!

Y'all are going to disagree with me but people also disagreed with me about the Google building.
I think it will be a better looking building than these renderings show. It's going to stand out in a very good way.

I was going to say the exact same thing, but Dale beat me to the punch. I personally find it awkward with the massing taking different direction and alignments without an apparent rhyme or reason to why it does it. But migol24 makes a good point - the Google tower turned out way better than the renderings, so there's hope for this one yet.

I agree that this one will turn out better than the renderings. I'm excited about it.

Two high-rises completed recently for the current semesters in West Campus.

Villas on Rio

http://www.rhodepartners.com/projects#/villasonrio/

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/c...g?format=2000w

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/c...g?format=2000w

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/c...g?format=2000w

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/c...g?format=2000w

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/c...g?format=1500w

Torre

http://www.rhodepartners.com/project...re-apartments/

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/c...g?format=2000w

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/c...g?format=2000w

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/c...g?format=2000w

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/c...g?format=2000w

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/c...g?format=2000w

Man, I blinked and this rose up. I had no idea it was this far along.

Put me in down in the opposite column. I love that we're building awkward-looking towers. I think we should make this city as weird-looking as possible.

Anyway, I don't think it will be as "awkward" as y'all are thinking. If you see this angle as the "front", then the top peak is super geometrically/aesthetically-pleasing and attractive. I think it'll end up being one of everyone's favorite buildings.

https://i.imgur.com/cUcp1yb.png

Following the recent announcement by American to serve Cozumel and Montego Bay from AUS I thought I'd put the following together (posted in the Austin thread).


Pretty impressive list being developed by AUS!


14 International Destinations:
-Nassau, Bahamas (AA)
-Calgary, Canada (WS)
-Toronto, Canada (AC)
-Liberia, Costa Rica (AA)
-Punta Cana, Dominican Republic (AA)
-London, England (BA, VS)
-Frankfurt, Germany (LH)
-Montego Bay, Jamaica (AA)
-Cancun, Mexico (AA, B6, WN, NK, SY)
-Cozumel, Mexico (AA, WN)
-Mexico City, Mexico (AM)
-Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (AA, WN)
-San Jose del Cabo, Mexico (AA, WN)
-Amsterdam, Netherlands (KL)


PLUS:
-Honolulu, Hawai'i (HA)
-San Juan, Puerto Rico (AA)


**Sadly, Norwegian's long haul service has ceased operations. They were about to commence AUS-CDG and were heavily contemplating a AUS-BCN route prior to the Pandemic. Ugh... Maybe someone else will initiate a AUS-CDG route soon. Also, I hope a AUS-NRT or AUS-ICN route will be announced in the coming few years.

What's amazing is that those 14 international destinations are served by 12 airlines (seven of whom are foreign carriers). And that does not include Hawaiian's wide-body service to Honolulu 4x weekly.

Both those dorm buildings turned out much better than I had expected. Good stuff! Man, if I ad a rooftop pool in college, I don't think I would have graduated!