So how many cranes do we have around downtown?

You should be able to count them from your deck. :)

11 with 3 more on the way.

Future Downtown Arena
 

Looks like UT and the city are in early discussions about building a new arena to replace the Frank Erwin Center......They should build it near the convention center.

By Kirk Bohls

American-Statesman Staff

http://www.statesman.com/news/sports...y-texas/nWFC7/

3. Texas is exploring the idea of looking “down the road” for an alternative site for a new basketball arena if the location of the Erwin Center and perhaps the Penick-Allison Tennis Center are needed for the university’s new medical school. Texas is even considering a joint-use facility with the city of Austin, and men’s athletic director DeLoss Dodds said the school is checking out new arenas at Louisville and Nebraska and in New York. “I think it’s likely” that a replacement arena will be needed, Dodds told me. “No decision has been made, no timetable set.”

Thank. God. If they build it bigger (which is likely) we'll be able to host a DNC or RNC convention!!!

Sounds like this might be the perfect way to increase convention space while not taking out a city block that might be used only occasionally. It could be used for all the things the Frank Erwin Center is now in addition to giving the city the ability to host even more national conventions.

I'd be a bit surprised if whatever was selected isn't a bit more contiguous with the University. I would think repurposing some of those parking lots in the capitol complex would be feasible (desirable even).

The next most obvious place for it is Auditorium Shores - but I get that won't ever happen.

I'm sure most of you have seen the Apple site plan posted on the Austin Tower's blog:

http://www.austintowers.net/Austin_D...g-unveiled.php

If you want to read the whole permit submittal and see the site plan rendering and other materials, it's posted on the City of Austin's permit site. Click on the link below, scroll down to the bottom of the page, and click the very first "View Attachment" button for the 37-page PDF that includes the site plan on Page 16.

https://www.ci.austin.tx.us/devrevie...erRSN=10856594

Most of you have probably already seen this, but here are the links if not. Not Austin, but WOW what a view. I know it wouldn't be as spectacular but it would be cool if someone did a formal interactive pano from the Austonian. I've seen some stills and some still panos but not interactive. If there's one out there let me know. :)

Panoramic View From The Worlds Tallest Building (article and link):
http://skift.com/2013/01/30/the-360-...lest-building/

Burj Khalifa Pinnacle Tower Panoramic View (direct to the interactive panorama):
http://dubaimap.hipa.ae/index.html

I thought this was a cool picture from today on Statesman.com:

http://media.cmgdigital.com/shared/l...ro-Rail-06.jpg

http://www.statesman.com/news/news/l...hen-hit/nWFB8/

Let's aim for DNC much more so than the other.

By the way, the picture above is certainly cool. This skyline, if you take a picture from 2000 and then one when we get to 2030, it will look so dramatically different. It would be an unrecognizable city.

The Erwin Center is actually large enough to host the RNC (we also meet the hotel room requirements for that convention), but we meet neither the arena size requirement nor the hotel room minimum number for the DNC (though the hotel room minimum should be passed within a few years given the number of rooms under construction and proposed).

Good. The FEC sucks for basketball.

Here are a few shots this weekend from the West Campus area

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-f...4/DSC_0827.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-8...4/DSC_0828.JPG

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-N...4/DSC_0846.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-u...4/DSC_0841.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8...4/DSC_0794.JPG

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-D...C_0798-001.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-W...C_0848-001.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-w...4/DSC_0870.JPG

I'd rather UT build an arena that is a bit smaller and more intimate. The FEC is absolute crap. It's too cavernous. I'd also rather the city not be involved at all.

I don't give a damn about hosting either the RNC or DNC.

I'm with Izppjb. Rather the city not be involved.

I also don't really care about it or things like the RNC/DNC or whatever. I'd rather the city not shoot for those sorts of thing, but things that will stay around. Like SXSW, ACL, F1 and ROT are the sort of things that could (and likely will be) around every year for a very long time.

... the economic impact of having a larger arena able to host events like that is worth it, but I do agree that the city probably shouldn't be involved. Yes, events like SXSW stick around, but there isn't any harm wooing events that are one-offs.

Where exactly was that crane? Is it by any chance at the southwest corner of The Triangle?

There's a project at 4527 North Lamar at that site that is 6 floors. The building elevation shows it being 79 feet 4 inches to the main roof.

Site plan here, the file with the height/rendering is 011.

The site plan calls the lot "The Triangle Tract 5"

https://www.austintexas.gov/devrevie...erRSN=10715409

Thanks Kevin, also the location is right off Lamar close to the training course they have out there, you can't miss it.

Update on 214 Barton Springs:


STREETLIGHTS RESIDENTIAL, HUNT COS. BREAK GROUND ON APT. TOWER

AUSTIN, TEXAS — Affiliates of StreetLights Residential and Hunt Cos. have formed a joint venture to break ground on a 300-unit, high-rise apartment tower, located at 214 Barton Springs Road in Austin. The project's ownership group consists of Hunt Development Group LLC and Hunt Barton Springs LLC (both affiliates of Hunt Cos.), along with SLR Residential at Barton Springs LLC, an affiliate of StreetLights Residential.

http://i1072.photobucket.com/albums/...ps55d27b21.jpg

Austin-based Rhode Partners designed the 19-story glass and brick tower. The interior of the property has been designed to emulate a boutique hotel with an expansive lobby, resort-style pool deck, fitness center and rooftop lounge. The high-rise will feature views of Lady Bird Lake, the downtown skyline, the State Capitol and the West Hills. The high-rise tower is scheduled to open by August 2014, with pre-leasing expected to begin in the summer of 2014.

http://www.rebusinessonline.com/main...5&region=Texas