http://downtownaustinblog.org/wp-con...5311878482.jpg

Above is the pic and below is the link to the article from the Downtown Austin Blog about what is and isn't happening on at Seaholm.

http://downtownaustinblog.org/2013/0...ng-at-seaholm/

They have open the newly 3rd street between Hyatt Place & The Whitley building.

https://photos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphoto...00128349_n.jpg

https://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbi...ser=1145904752

http://www.austintowers.net/Austin_D...t-birdseye.png

The Austin Towers blog has some thoughts and an update on the Fairmont Hotel. Above is the pic from the blog (I haven't seen that one before but I may have missed it) and below is a link to the blog post.

Fairmont Hotel To Break Ground This October
http://www.austintowers.net/Austin_D...in-october.php

I am an idiot, I JUST realized this is you, John :haha:

That link doesn't work.

It does for me.

The link works for me and my colleages, but it's a blog so maybe your security settings are blocking your access? If you can't get it to work for you, visit the Austin Towers main page (link below) and then click on the 2nd tab at the top called "Blog."

http://www.austintowers.net/

Thanks. It's been working now. It must have just been my browser.

Once this thing gets built, it would be awesome for Austin having two buildings with spires on it.

Here are some more images of the Manchester from that PDF linked to in the Austin Towers article. I hadn't seen these before.

http://i.imgur.com/Jnqq5KG.jpg

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

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

http://i.imgur.com/el0oAR7.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/G0WgPYZ.jpg

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

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

http://i.imgur.com/6Rdg8Tb.jpg

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

http://i.imgur.com/q8TIQoc.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/d0oqVan.jpg

I believe these are old schematics & renderings.

says that it will rival the Austonian in height. Does that mean that the roof height will actually be in the 600 foot range or is that just including the spire? The drawing render has the spire but the color renders do not have it. I have not seen those either so if they are old, they sure were not posted on here.

It's cool...:cheers:

Heli port?
 

Hey guys, do you think the Fairmont will have a helipad? It sure looks like they are planning for that possibility.

The building wouldn't be the first in Austin with a rooftop helipad. Pinnacle Campus has one and so does the Southfield Building at I-35 & Ben White.

And those of us who have been in Austin since the 80's remember the Intel building - then known as the Temple-Inland building - at 1300 South MoPac had a helipad that annoyed the crap out of the neighbors. Noisy as hell. It's still there but they converted it to parking.

Is the Fairmont Austin is turning its back on Austin.
 

Looking at the info for the Fairmont Austin...the street facade on Caesar Chavez will be a blank wall with stair well exits...nothing more. OK two windows at the corner of Red River [correction: not Rio Grande] for the seating area for the lobby, but nothing more.

The "Front Entry/Lobby" will be facing north to Waller Creek;

indoor and out door seating at the lobby/bar will face west onto Red River [correction:not Rio Grande];

garage entry/exit will face east on "Sabine Street" Palm Park;

and the emergency exits for the conference area will face south on Caesar Chavez.:shrug:

I am eager to see this hotel rise...however, why is the blank face of the hotel facing the MOST traveled street of the site?!? A blank wall on Ceasar Chavez seems against all that the City of Austin is trying to create with the Great Streets program. Am I missing something with these drawings?; Or is the Fairmont Austin turning its back to a MAJOR entry street into our downtown?

What am I missing?

Travis County approves $1.3 million in tax breaks for National Instruments

http://www.statesman.com/news/busine...eaks-fo/nWqJJ/

Just that the aforementioned Rio Grande is actually Red River Street for the west facing side. Additionally, I don't see a completely helpless looking south side facade in the renderings. It appears great streets will be implemented on the part in compliance with the construction code. Logistically it makes sense the lobby entrance is to the north even if south might be more visually trafficked. With the improvements to Palm Park and development of Sabine Street alongside the Waller Creek plan, I expect the isolation of such a striking building (albeit with the 'bad' side facing traffic) to be nicely marginalized with the surrounding upgrades and infill. Hard to project that now without more comprehensive renderings. Remember this project is 3 years from being complete. I expect that entire area to look markedly different by that time.

What's not to love? :shrug: (Love it when emoticons appropriately capture syntax btw)

Maybe the renderings just aren't complete?

This rendering pretty much explains everything.
http://i.imgur.com/Jnqq5KG.jpg

They obviously want a place where people can safely pull in and, yeah, their entrance is going to be facing the park and the trail. A nice, relaxed situation as opposed to the hecticness and, perhaps, danger of Cesar Chavez. It fits their identity. According to the sign in the rendering, they plan to call it "The Grand Austin Hotel at Waller Creek". So it makes perfect sense, though I do wish they would do more to spruce up the side that's going to be facing Cesar Chavez.

I think the building is going to be so big and prominent that it's going to stand out no matter how bland that side looks.

Man, I can't wait until this one gets under construction.