Not if everyone knows it's an exaggeration, and especially not if it's in an area which wouldn't be served by rail... and is an area which is already served pretty heavily with buses.

Was this guy on Shaggybevo? A regarded poster over there, I'm sure. ;)

Completely regarded.

Hooters. I love their........oh, never mind.

This location is now in a demolition stage, workers are ripping up the deck and started with the facade.

http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/bl...ove-a-new.html

Food trucks at 74 Rainey St have been told to move by the end of this month and the plans have been moved up a year.

Anyone know what sort of developments Fremont is into?

They bought the site from the original developer to develop the 70 Rainey tower.

I'm pretty sure they're talking about 70 Rainey Street.

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=205253

Here is the fair notice review the article mentions. The size of the lot also matches what the article says, 0.5700 acres.
https://www.austintexas.gov/devrevie...erRSN=11246069

EDIT: I see Hill Country already commented. I'm really hoping this one happens. It could be a really nice tower.

Yeah, I know this is the 70 Rainey site. The news is that the timeline was moved up a year and we're seeing some stirring.

So, all of the signage is up on the J.W. Marriott now, including the Burger Bar signage, so I guess that's going to be a real thing.

http://i.imgur.com/vRF4yn4.jpg

The site plan for that awesome little Kimber Modern boutique hotel in the Rainey ST. area was approved and released this past Thursday:

https://www.austintexas.gov/devrevie...erRSN=10989602

Do you have more info about what this entails? I've never heard of it, but it sounds like it will be an enhancement to that area. I'm concerned that over-developing Rainey will end up creating a crowded, sterile, expensive pseudo-neighborhood that completely lacks the soul it displaced. Do you know if there is any sort of brake that can be applied to the demolition of old homes, bars, and restaurants in order to build more apartment complexes? I'm all for highrises and a real downtown but the Rainey area seems like the "wild west" for developers and speculators.

It's been in the works for a while. The one off of SoCo seems to be the definition of what the often bastardized term "boutique hotel" should be. It faces East Ave (therefore I-35). This rendering is from a DAB write up about it. The DAB write up is at the link below the rendering. I think this fits perfectly with the Rainey vibe.

http://i0.wp.com/downtownaustinblog....ney_Street.jpg
http://downtownaustinblog.org/2013/0...ks-incredible/

Thanks! What a great design, fairly unusual for Austin in that most local architecture is on the safe-to-generic side. Good to see something more interesting, and facing the freeway works well for that, I think.

The original Kimber Modern is excellent. Stayed there on my wedding night, before leaving for my honeymoon. Great little boutique hotel.

Here's a new permit for the installation of a tower crane for the 600 block of Davis ST. If the permit was for a tower crane removal it would be for the Hotel Van Zandt. Does anyone have a guess of what this would be for? My first guess is that the filing is a mistake and should be for the removal.

https://www.austintexas.gov/devrevie...erRSN=11260245

You know that old Showbiz/Chuck E. Cheese on Ben White and S. 1st? It's getting remodeled and will now be the Habitat For Humanity headquarters.

https://www.austintexas.gov/devrevie...erRSN=11221519

http://www.statesman.com/news/news/l...port-bo/njQJR/

The last walls of the Old Ambasador hotel came down today. I was watching.... and a homeless guy started chattng me up. Very articulate. Said there was a 38 story building going up there. I immediatly kinda blew it off... but then thought. Hum , maybe after all my digging about this sight, this guy might have chatted up one of the demo guys!!!lol!
(Kinda like Men in Black... you know.... all the real news comes from the tabloids!)
So I'm back on my hunt for whats happening with that hugh pice of property now. More than 3/4 a city block and not a peep.

Note: You can stand at the corner of 18th and Guadalupe and see the Ambasador and Players being torn down at the same time.

I',m Not one to lament often but I did take pause today when I went to lunch and also found out "Veggie Heaven" is closing. Our little quite neighborhood is changing rapidly. In three months time: Dog and Duck, Players and Veggie Heaven all gone.

He may be on to something. Not that I have any confirming info, but I agree with your instinct that he may have some street-level intel.

Where exactly was the Ambassador located? I tried finding it on Google but all I get is hotel search engine spam. Google's assuming that I'm looking for lodging, so naturally it directs me away from the Ambassador. I feel like the postive end of a battery in search of another positive, but they're being repelled so all I get are negatives. Hmm, maybe this is what it feels like to be gay? :shrug: :P

But anyway, it's kind of a big deal if there's a 38-floor building going up anywhere north of 11th. What makes me believe the homeless guy is that he said 38. The universe is sending us buildings of approximately that height in great abundance at this time, for whatever reason. But if would look substantially taller in that location, I'd expect.

I wasn't sure where it is either, but I found out it's at 407 West 18th Street.
https://www.google.com/maps/@30.2808...n2fg5NST9Q!2e0

There is a Site Plan Determination/Exemption permit filed for the building. I'm not sure what that means exactly.
https://www.austintexas.gov/devrevie...erRSN=11139960

Here's the demolition permit.
https://www.austintexas.gov/devrevie...erRSN=11129639