That's a really low cap. I'd prefer a 350 foot cap for that area.

The Lofts at Lake Travis. A 16-story project. Has anyone heard anything about this project? I first saw some renderings for it on the architect's website a few years ago.

It's on page 47 of 53.

http://issuu.com/rhodepartners/docs/...933470/3962130

And it's on this website:
https://www.aiaaustin.org/firm_proje...se-multifamily

http://i.imgur.com/lrPhfme.jpg
https://www.aiaaustin.org/firm_proje...se-multifamily

The Catherine

http://i.imgur.com/OwPcjvr.jpg
http://issuu.com/rhodepartners/docs/...933470/3962130

http://i.imgur.com/NKfOu5X.jpg
http://issuu.com/rhodepartners/docs/...933470/3962130

7th & Rio Grande

http://i.imgur.com/qXIaUkP.jpg
http://issuu.com/rhodepartners/docs/...933470/3962130

http://i.imgur.com/z04cDi2.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/PnGizXK.jpg
http://issuu.com/rhodepartners/docs/...933470/3962130

And this project, which was envisioned for the Hyatt garage and ballroom site. The link says it was a 19-story tower.

http://i.imgur.com/X9lqtTd.jpg
http://issuu.com/rhodepartners/docs/...933470/3962130

http://i.imgur.com/sgn6TGS.jpg
http://issuu.com/rhodepartners/docs/...933470/3962130

http://i.imgur.com/IJn0LLu.jpg
http://issuu.com/rhodepartners/docs/...933470/3962130

Too bad we got the garage instead of that.

Regarding Waller Center. I actually liked the first, most simplistic design the best. The buildings would work straight off height, especially from a distance. Then the second rendering grew on me and I was pretty content with it. After being at war with the third design, I've finally grown into it. Have to say, the darker blue shade is nice. Austin's skyline is increasingly becoming blue, which is a good color. I liked the first design even after knowing it was just preliminary conceptual designing.

Anyhow, while we don't have a lot of developments being proposed these days, it's a shame to see what was one of the most active threads in City Compilation die out like this.

What design of Waller Center did you guys like best?

First one:
http://media.cmgdigital.com/shared/l...oup_050213.jpg
http://media.cmgdigital.com/shared/l...oup_050213.jpg

Second one:
http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/f...allercreek.jpg
http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/f...allercreek.jpg

Third one:
http://i2.wp.com/downtownaustinblog....erspective.png
http://i2.wp.com/downtownaustinblog....erspective.png

One thing I'll say, in my opinion while all three concepts are nice, the tower bases going from glass to lime from the first to third has repeatedly been downgraded after each rendering revision. In my opinion.

Austin forumers post mostly in the separate Austin section of this forum which is why this thread doesn't get a lot of posts.

I definitely liked the 2nd design the most. That shortest building reminds me somewhat of the London City Hall's design.

I loved the second version. The first was good, but not great. The third looks like sim-city and I feel like people who say it's nice are rationalizing it because it's a huge project.

I don't think the third design is all too bad. The two tallest are actually quite nice, even though it's a rendering, the darker shade of blue (almost sapphire like) is also a nice addition to what is/was becoming a skyblue skyline (Colorado, Austonian, 360, Trinity, Fairmont, and so forth).

I do have to say though, the shortest tower, the third tower, is definitely the ugly sister of the lot.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7414/9...e51278f5_b.jpg
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7414/9...e51278f5_b.jpg
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5537/9...54ef99c1_b.jpg
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5537/9...54ef99c1_b.jpg
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7364/9...e13a1c10_b.jpg
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7364/9...e13a1c10_b.jpg
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5337/9...77527568_b.jpg
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5337/9...77527568_b.jpg

^^ That being said, the second design for Waller Creek definitely looked much more "Austin".

My two favorite towers for Austin were the Planetarium Tower and the T Stacy Tower. The Planetarium building looked similar to some Dell or Alienware sort of desktop computer, it would have been quite fitting in Austin. The redesign is much more realistic but also more boring for that. The T Stacy building was jagged and tall.

Here was a fan art rendering of what the Austin skyline was supposed to look like by now
http://2modern.blogs.com/photos/unca..._skyline_2.jpg
http://2modern.blogs.com/photos/unca..._skyline_2.jpg

I think Austin's skyline is on a better trajectory since then. T Stacy and probably that tall building between it and the Austonian wont ever get built but what this skyline doesn't show is Fairmont, Waller Center B, Waller Center A, Trinity Tower, Colorado, Bowie, the other convention hotel, and a few more notable pieces.

I think in the end, it more than justifies the axe given to those two towers in this conceptual rendering. Austin's still getting a plethora of talls. 10 of Austin's projected 15 tallest are either under construction or proposed. This skyline is getting a massive makeover.

I'm still wincing from the 21C tower at 3rd & Brazos not getting built. That was a really great project. Nice height, too, 580 feet with 44 floors. Too bad.

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

Their redesign at the 2nd location wasn't too shabby either.

http://i.imgur.com/yX2j7Ar.jpg

Me, too. That was by far my favorite project of the last decade to go unbuilt. T. Stacy was never a realistic option, and the design was never really nailed in stone so we don't really "know" what it would have looked like, but the version that curved and expanded was up there as well in "too bad that didn't happen"s.

21C Would've been the best damn building. Oh well....Still sticking to my guns on The Bowie being the best looking new one U/C

Marriott Progress
 

Anyone know when the Marriotte should top out? They seem to be about 2 floors from the top, or is it more?

http://venish.com/aps-marriott_dec16.jpg

It's real close. Someone in another thread said January. I hope they keep the webcam for a while so we can watch the Colorado tower rise.

My favorite failed project of this decade so far is the Planetarium tower. That design would have been world class in our skyline.

I agree. But I think the Planetarium Tower was more like an unfunded dream a la T. Stacy, while 21c seemed like a go pre-recession.

yeah, if only they would've waited a few years. 21c could've been the best new hotel project in Austin.

Speaking of the 21c, looks like OKC is getting one. I am surprised that they are not still looking at Austin, be it in a much more limited scale. It seems like their brand and style would fit in with the emerging boutique hotels in Austin.

Yeah, all the cool hotels I wanted to see happen fell though. Imagine if 21c, 416 Congress and Hotel "ONE" had happened!

Yeah, I pretty much don't have a "favorite" among the new hotels, except for the W, but it's part condos also. Hotels to me are almost utilitarian in appearance. Hotels really only have one kind of structural appearance. A large podium area for an amenity deck with the tower rising above it. At least now days that seems to be the case unless it's some small budget hotel or a boutique hotel. Because of the needs of a hotel the buildings can't be very flexible in their structural designs.

Anyway, the skyline looked nice tonight. We went to the Trail of Lights. I gotta say, our skyline is looking great. We parked at the Westgate shopping center and took the bus to Lamar & Barton Springs. There was a woman on the bus commenting on how gorgeous the skyline has gotten. She was commenting on that because as we were passing the park over the river the bus driver turned off the interior lights in the bus so we could see the park. The view of the park with the Christmas lights, plus the moon up in the sky and the skyline rising behind was really pretty. My brother was also saying that our skyline is really starting to look impressive.

And I gotta say, one of the things I look forward to the most when a new building is finished is seeing what the lighting design will be. I really think so far that most of the new buildings have had pretty subtle lighting designs. Sure, there's the Frost Bank Tower and The Monarch with pretty spectacular designs, and I guess AMLI on 3rd that is pretty intense, but most of the others are pretty low-key. I sort of like that actually. I really love the look of a skyline filled with towers with lights on inside the buildings. With all the new residential buildings Austin's skyline is starting to get that look. The skyline looked particularly nice tonight peaking out through the trees contributing to the Christmas lights in the park. Spring, the W and 360 tonight especially had my attention.

Cirrus Logic
 

FYI, it was dark, but I think I saw an excavator tearing down the old Aquarelle restaurant last night. Perhaps Cirrus Logic is getting started with their new building on 7th street across from 7Rio.

The emerging projects poster from October does list Cirrus as Under Construction.

They're also starting the 4 story building at the base of 360 in a few weeks. I WANT RENDERS! Anyone???

Agreed! We want food, I mean pictures!

New library renderings
 

Some updated photos of the library http://austinist.com/2013/12/19/look...ings_of_th.php

So it turns out that the next building in Austin to "break ground" (so to speak) is this beauty:

http://i.imgur.com/8ShqDNk.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/zxv38eNh.jpg

Yep, work has started. It's all boarded up.

Edit: Added second rendering. Not sure which one is newer. I'm guessing/hoping the second one.

I sense some sarcasm. But the Fairmont is only 2-6 weeks away (we hope) from breaking ground!

I really like the building. I just wish it were in the southwest corner of downtown by the Cirrus Logic campus, rather than on Congress.

I don't mind it too much. It's lazy and uninspired but it will add to the street environment on Congress. It's drastically better than what's there now. Walking that side of Congress will be quite a different experience when this and the JW Marriott are finished (I'm guessing right around the same time).

http://i.imgur.com/zxv38eNh.jpg

From looking at this picture, I can envision the Westin right behind it. If the project turns out looking like this, it should help blend in with everything else around it.

The Westin as well as the Magellan project should create a nice E 5th St experience. The lack of verticality in this project is disappointing.... but the street level experience along Congress Avenue and East 5th Street will be drastically improved. I actually prefer this to...for example.... the seven story Finger apartments with no ground level retail being built in downtown Houston. Tall buildings are nice from a distance but expensive detailed street level development is what makes a city great.

Yeah I heard about them breaking ground, I'm excited that it will add residence but a little disappointed that they is no street level retail.

There's street level retail for that project. As for 501 Congress, it's really nice. I hope I'll have time to snap some pics of the renovation progress, and other projects when I'm in town next month.

Awesome! I hope it's a cafe, or a clothing store. :)

We need an affordable clothing store downtown.. maybe an H&M.

When I lived in England, every high street had several clothing stores ranging from affordable to high-end.

We've got boutiques and Urban Outfitters downtown, now we need some stuff you'd find in a mall. Diversity is key.. shopping in downtown Austin right now is pretty much all high-end boutiques

H&M would be nice to have in downtown.

So, is 501 Congress even u/c??

From walking by the site a little over a week ago, I say it's well underway.

Interesting. The outside hasn't been touched at all...but by the looks of it that part shouldn't take too long to change. I really do hope they choose an awesome anchor tenant. :Cough:Apple:Cough:
For a city that is manufacturing Mac products, it's kind of embarrassing that we don't have a Apple store downtown...just box malls.

Ahealy I was thinking about visioning an Apple store for downtown as well. I know we have the Apple tech service off 2nd St. but still we should try to lure Apple to lease a spot off Congress.

That place on 2nd St. isn't part of an Apple. It's just a place authorized by Apple to do some repairs to Apple products. I know someone who took their iPhone there to replace the screen, but they aren't authorized by Apple to do that.

We'll get more stores downtown as more and more residential towers get built. 2nd St. alone has become much more viable just since the W was completed. We're lucky to have the street life that we currently have when compared to other cities of a similar size, and it's only going to get better as thousands of more people move into the towers under construction and planned.

Yep, it has be an amazing journey though out the years and it keeps getting better. Before we know it the GWTP and Seaholm will be complete, which again will drastically change the skyline and the city street level.

Sorry guys, The City of Austin permit site show a parking lot going in:yuck:

https://www.austintexas.gov/devrevie...erRSN=11060534

I choose to call it a demolition for a yet announced future project. :)

Soil samples being done at green site today
 

Could this be for the 2nd st. bridge?
http://i1342.photobucket.com/albums/...ps95da9c5e.jpg

Yes. There has been some recent permit request activity regarding the 2nd St extension.

Yep.

ftp://ftp.ci.austin.tx.us/ATD_AULCC/...TP%20redev.pdf

Kev, when do you think we'll see 1a/1b finished? I would imagine it wouldn't take very long to pave out the roads. East 5th got done in the blink of an eye.

I don't know. It really shouldn't take too long. They don't really have any demotion to do and only some minor grading for the streets. I would think upgrading/rearranging the utilities through the property would take longer than building the streets.

Happy new year!
 

It's been 5 long days since the last post. Someone had to be first...