I'm really happy with this project. It's pretty much exactly what I've always wanted for that lot. And the use is perfect. It'll add some tourists to Congress Avenue and add pedestrian activity, and it'll encourage more retail on Congress. Plus that lot is perfect for a hotel. It's going to have some great views of the Capitol that are likely safe for a good while.

I took some pics this afternoon showing where it would be.

http://i.imgur.com/6pS3Vr1.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/fFJ80HE.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/lXwQTB5.jpg

I have a problem with such a tall tower with a blank wall facing south. Unless they know the building next door will be developed as a highrise soon, I have a bad feeling that blank wall will be around for awhile. We have yet to see anything built behind the other two buildings with blank walls.

We are talking about the most prominent views of Downtown from the south and along Congress. More people will see the south side of the building than any other side. I think in cases like this, the city should have them build windows on all sides. It will be very visible and wont look good.

The rest of the design looks pretty nice though has some similarities with the W. I really hope they think about the impact of a 300+ foot blank wall. I also hope the city council considers that issue. Im all about tall towers, I don't see why they can't build a thinner tower that doesn't push right up to the property line. Could go up between 35 and 40 floors. Just enough so there could be windows.

You can't put windows on a common property line due to fire code regulations. They would have to set back the tower from the property line, requiring additional property to the south, or an inefficient small floorplate.

Exactly. Could be used for local art...

I'd like to see something on that blank wall, but most hotel developers could care less about local art or blank walls.
I do see this project actually happening though. Michael B brought up a good point mentioning Starwood wouldn't go to all this trouble just for fluff.

Hell, I'd rather see this happen than 416 Congress....and you all remember how much I was obsessed with that one ;)

The blank wall issue sucks.

Check out 21rio in West campus. The northern wall is exactly like this.

Maybe they can put some neon light designs and what not. The raddison did this a couple years back on a much smaller blank wall and it helped a bit.

I think the other issue with this project will be the public minority that cries over the historic loss of the current building. There were some people on the austin subreddit bitching about this.

Are you referring to the 416 Congress failed hotel project or the Aloft project at 7th & Congress? If it is the latter, there is no structural improvement on that property...it's a parking lot.

The Aloft project at 7th & Congress includes that parking lot as well as the building at 619 Congress Avenue where Wholly Cow Burgers is now.

Yeah, they will have to tear down one 2-story building to make room for it. They've already filed for a demolition permit. If you look at the Congress facing rendering of the hotel, there are only 6 buildings shown between the hotel and the Littlfield Building, but if you Google the address and check out the streetview images, there are 7 of them now.

According to Travis County's tax records, the 619 Congress building they're planning to demolish was built in 1904.

http://propaccess.traviscad.org/clientdb/?cid=1

Starwood is probably not the owner or developer of this project. According to Starwood's own website, their hotel portfolio across all their brands is as follows:5% owned by Starwood; 48% under management contract: and 47% franchised. It would be interesting to know what entity is actually the owner/developer of this project since that might give a better idea of the prospects for this project coming to fruition. http://development.starwoodhotels.com/about/

These vertical lines like the other two buildings and the fact it looks like the same tone/color as the W Hotel makes this a copy cat project. The only interesting thing I like is the arch of the canopy on the pool deck. That's it, bland and very copy like of prior projects completed or under construction. Maybe that's stuff is a new fad but its got to stop. Please change the design.

Blank walls are needed as unless they buy that lot next to them they have to have a blank wall forever until someone else build there. You know if they change the design into say an oval or round building, hey you don't have a blank wall. Just think of the view looking up Congress from the south, that blank wall will look like crap.:yuck:

There's an explanation for the similarity... same developer and same architect as the JW and the Westin.

Is that south wall going to be totally devoid of any windows? What about the middle section that appears to be recessed? You can't tell from the above rendering whether or not there might be windows that face south from that recessed portion that runs up the middle.

The north wall of Bridges on the Park is mostly blank, but it also has a recessed portion running up the middle and there are windows in the recessed part of that building that face north.

My bad...y'all are correct. Thanks!

White Lodging is not developing this one; are they?

I don't know if it's the case with this building, but in New York City many buildings can be 600 feet high with a whole wall with no windows. It happens when the lot next door has the zoning rights to build tall, thus blocking any windows on the first building. It may not happen for years or even decades, but it happens eventually.

Some internet sleuthing seems to reveal that the the Aloft development is being done by The Coventus Corporation and the Finley Company. Looks like this is one downtown hotel not being built by White Lodging, but, then again, is that really true? I guess it is either being planned with a Starwood management contract or a franchise agreement to be managed by another entity. The Finley Company apparently was the property owner and landlord who evicted Las Manitas back in the day and did a deal with White Lodging to get the JW built down Congress Ave. Coventus seems to be a Canadian company that is a leading provider of hotel internet services. Somebody must have better information. I hate the way the local media just prints press releases from developers and fails to provide real details about ownership and financing of local projects.

Thanks Hill Country for posting the renderings of the project. :cheers:

Thanks for finding the pdf. That was a great scoop. :cheers: