AUSTIN | Modern Austin Residences | 658' | 56 FLOORS | Complete
 

This is the Container Bar site at 90 Rainey. A pre-devlopment tree permit was filed which is a common practice prior to a site plan submittal. From the filing:

Permit:
https://abc.austintexas.gov/web/permit/p...sn=12117794&t_selected_propertyrsn=92534

There is a parking lot directly behind The Container Bar which would allow for a sizable project if that is part of this. I hope this is just an update to The Container Bar or a new bar/restaurant and not take down of part of the entertainment district.

Edit: The parking lot is part of the 93 Red River project.

I wrote down a rant before I noticed the edit lol. Glad the Container Bar is not going anywhere.

But some type of re-development is still going to be submitted once the issues with the trees on the site is resolved.

So is this part of Endeavor’s 93 Red River or not? If it’s not, then how cool would it be if a developer partnered with Container Bar and built a boutique container hotel as part of an umbrella destination. Not saying this is at all likely, just think it would be a cool idea.

It has nothing to do with Endeavor. It looks like we'll have to wait for the development permit to be filed after the tree stuff is settled. Maybe they just want to add more containers, and trees are the way. :)

Just walked by this lot on my lunch break. It's small, and not really a candidate IMHO for much additional height. Probably just trying to free up more space for revelers.

It's CBD and neighboring properties have traded recently (possible assemblage)--seems like a great candidate.

Can you share any more info? This is the heart of the Rainey St. Entertainment District.

Yep, I’d definitely like to hear more, too. Not that it’s not possible but there’re like 4 individual lots on that side of the block, all filled with exceptionally popular bars. I’m running on the assumption that it would be a relatively heavy lift to pull enough lots together for a break-even building.

And of course aside from that it would be a huge blow to Rainey-as-entertainment district . . . Though as we’ve seen with the Warehouse District, without formal protections any district is pretty much up for grabs....

Would be terrible to see another section of Rainey's bars disappear. I say fight it. We don't need a bunch of highrises taking out what has become of of the coolest entertainment districts in the city.

I ran across this site plan today for a 48 floor residential tower for the Container Bar lot.

https://abc.austintexas.gov/web/permit/p...sn=12147973&t_selected_propertyrsn=92534

I'm gonna go ahead and say this but I don't support this and I hope the city shuts this proposal down. The only way I would be on board is if they are able to move the Container Bar to another location, preferably on Rainey plus aside from Millennium, the residential segment of Rainey needs to stay closer to the river and not eat away at the bars and restaurants further north.

Yeah, I'm not crazy about it. There are at least 8 other vacant lots in that area that could be redeveloped first.

I've been working on doing some building massings in Google Earth to show the location and height of all of the new buildings - built, proposed and under construction, and the density in that area is insane with what is being planned so far.

If this tower, plus the WeWork/Waller Park Place and Ihop blocks get developed, 91 Red River (The Quincy) will be completely boxed in by taller buildings on every side except to the south where the Hotel Van Zandt is. Seriously, it's like another sizable downtown just happened over there. Between Cummings Street and Cesar Chavez, I'm counting 19 high rises. This includes Windsor on the Lake and all of the others that are complete. That does not include anything south of Cummings Street. It's crazy, but there could eventually be as many as 30 high rises in that area including south of Cummings Street.

Being that the Container Bar is fairly newly built, instead of being an old bungalow, this isn't a huge surprise. Also, I believe this is owned by Bridget Dunlap. She already moved the old Lustre Pearl to east Austin to make room for the Millenium development.

They went through a lot of trouble to get Container Bar built, so I imagine it won't close forever. I bet it'll be moved to the east side also. I doubt it will be possible to find another available location that is actually on Rainey. I can't think of anywhere it could fit without tearing down something else anyway.

Rainey is getting pretty heavy in residential development. It needs some office buildings to even things out a bit and help activate it during the day.

The site plan application also states this:

It would be really cool if the container bar was some how incorporated into the new building, is that even possible?

I’m about as pro development as they come, but this project fazes me. Container Bar epitomizes the character of Rainey - or at least what it had become, which was a trendy entertainment district. I get that East Austin is becoming a hub for micro-entertainment in its own right, but I think we’d dilute the city to have Rainey just become a residential outpost.

82 Rainey’s proposal is a really good model of what I hope continued density off Rainey looks like - bungalows to activate the street and the high rise set back. It’s one thing to take out run down bungalows or vacant lots, but to supplant a hip bar?

Hey, if it were up to me, a developer would build a boutique, low-rise Container Hotel in that space between the bar and The Quincy, but a hotel high rise to wipe out that whole corner...

Maybe there’s a best of both worlds. It lists cocktail bar in the plans. I wonder if they can’t incorporate the texture of the existing bar into the base, have containers jut out from the core for the first couple floors and maintain the integrity. Would be pretty sweet to keep that look going the rest of the way. Think 56 Leonard but with glass and container facade for overhangs.

I need more details. Right now, I’m upset. Build off of East Ave.. this North end of Rainey is better served at its current program.

This is the sixth ~550'-625' proposal for the area. That would make for a nice cluster on the eastern edge of downtown.

Okay, I'll come out and say it. Container Bar doesn't epitomize the character of Rainey in any way. It is just an extension of the tightly packed clubs you originally saw on dirty 6th, then West 6th and finally found a niche on Rainey. I have no problem with it being taken down from an entertainment district perspective.

Architecturally, it is interesting and got some attention. Personally, it made me realize containers had something to be desired for habitation. But it does look cool and there was a lot of effort to get it approved, so it seems like the building itself is the most important thing.

But there is no need for Container Bar to occupy part of downtown that ought to have high density housing. Housing density is the most important thing for Austin right now.

heard.

Well Rainey St. did become an entertainment district, a popular and distinct one at that. It’s filled with converted bungalows and unique, hip bars. It’s not just some bar you’d see at the base of a high rise, so I disagree that it has no character.

This whole neighborhood, at least Rainey St. specifically, does have a specific program. You can argue the merits of it but not the fact that it exists. And Contsiner Bar is very much in the context of the character of what exists.

There are plenty of vacant lots or underutilized buildings not on Rainey St. in which a 48-story tower like this could go. Even some off East Ave.

If you don’t have a problem with standalone bars being razed for high rises, then I’d say you care very little about this area as an “entertainment district” which is a valid opinion. What’s not valid is to say this specific Bar is not woven into the fabric and function of Rainey. And I’d say West 6th is indeed similar, and I feel the same way. Just like I hope SoCo doesn’t become generic 5-story midrises. These are draws. These are activations, and an open-air entertainment district not built into the bottom of high rises is a unique function. You can remove that but then what are you left with? Another 2nd Street? Not that 2nd Street is bad, it’s great, but I believe cities should maintain the vibes and culture of each neighborhood, not go for density at the cost of diluting downtown into one image and shape.

You’re right, we need more residential density in Austin. Why this specific street though when it’s already utilized and activated. Why is this where that density has to go? What about just a little north, in gap between downtown and West Campus? What about all those surface parking lots by the Omni and Westin, the ones not in a CVC. Let’s increase height overlays, if there are restrictions, in those parts of town, not bulldoze sections of an existing Austin nightlife hub.

IMO this is a natural urbanization process for Austin and one that we can observe being replicated in other areas. The process goes something like:

1. Entertainment businesses find relatively cheap property in central Austin that will sustain their business models and cluster together.
2. The area becomes a well known hot spot and almost a brand in and of itself with demand from the the young hip crowd.
3. Developers take note of demand (e.g. people that have decent money to spend) and start building residential and some retail to take advantage of it.

This happening on Rainy. It is happening on east 6th street. It is happening on west 6th street. It is happening on south congress...

I'm thinking bars will find the next cheap turf to build into a thriving entertainment spot... and that will be the next decade long urbanization hot spot. Perhaps off Riverside?

I would like to the city to protect historical entertainment areas (dirty 6th, warehouse, etc) via rent caps or other mechanism.

ABJ now has an article on it:

https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/news/...tories.html?iana=hpmvp_aus_news_headline

Initial renderings look promising.

From the ABJ article:

https://i.imgur.com/bc9o81Q.png

Holy crap, that thing's huge.

293 key hotel, eh? Maybe that's where I'd put a Virgin.

From the ABJ article:

I think this one is over 600 feet. 70 Rainey is 419, The Shore is 257, and the Hotel Van Zandt is 197. It sure does look to be about three times the height of those 200 footers.

Also, this caught my eye - from the ABJ article:

Someone mind posting the entire article?

https://i.imgur.com/zfQxMX5.jpg

Worth noting there’s a ghost massing there of something on the Lustre Pearl site as well....

I believe it's just massing for The Quincy.

I was beaten. This happens when browsing on work computers that block img hosting. Ha.

Looks like a nice bldg.

I just opened the link and hit the escape button over and over to view it.

That's the Quincy/91 Red River.

-

Rendering of 90 Rainey from KXAN's story on it:

https://scontent-dfw5-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t...1f4bc8de868e7c4094cd9c389cb7&oe=5D21A012
https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/n...lIqN6ZPpga-jMZpLeLDIUkhjgyXJ9gV_gzrqT5Ok

The tower does look very nice, it has a little Austin Proper baked into it. And knowing the developer is Kevin Burns and UrbanSpace makes me more excited about this project.

UrbanSpace has been at the forefront of some pretty major developments on the sales and marketing end in Seaholm and The Independent. It's cool to see them leverage that design and branding experience and go across the table. This is obviously an exciting step for that Group.

It would be awesome to see The Container Bar's facade molded into this, but it doesn't look like that's the plan. I'd imagine they'll just move, why lease ground floor retail when it eliminates the whole essence of the original concept. I hope to see it spring up in a new neighborhood.

In the meantime, I'm changing my attitude on this one. WeWork, The Quincy, this, and development of that parking lot off Driskill will make this section of Rainey very dense. And density along East Ave. is welcome as well.

My hope is that the integrity of the rest of Rainey Street can be preserved on both sides, starting at Clive Bar and then on down to that River St. circle.

A core part of 70 Rainey's marketing was the draw of this little open-air entertainment strip, really trying to fit into it. And I'm sure it will be a sales element for the hotel and apartments that Burns is developing.

It is the unique element of this particular neighborhood and I hope at least some essence of it remains.

Overall, pretty amazing that Rainey has outgrown itself in less than a decade. The growth that spurred the initial viability was more accelerated than one would anticipate.

Nothing says "Historic District" quite like a wall of towering modern glass boxes.

Taking a unique entertainment environment and replacing it with first and second floor retail in a giant tower is about as sterile as it gets.

:cheers:

I don't mind the tower itself, I just don't think it should take away from Rainey Street. We already have the Millennium that took out some cool spots and now this. What ever happened to these towers going up around Rainey but not along Rainey itself? There was a conceptual rendering of a future DT Austin and Rainey was left intact with greenery and the towers were around the edges. I know it was conceptual but would be much better than what is happening now. Reality is the Rainey Street Entertainment District is being torn apart piece by piece. What makes Austin special is having these sorts of entertainment districts. We are losing that aspect which is a real shame.

Well, hey, we could always swing the wrecking ball in the direction of The Millennium. I still have no idea why that building was built. It's not even up to snuff with what's being built in West Campus, at least, density wise.

I hate that Millennium building. It's an ugly low rise in the CBD that took out a huge swath of bungalows - see Streetview from 2014. I believe only one of the bungalows was a bar - the original Lustre Pearl - but so much potential was lost. I believe this is the first project since Millennium to take out a bar or restaurant.

The Millennium is an insult to that entire district.
Looking at to Google Street View prior years and the photos of all the houses it wiped out, what a shame.

As out of scale as 70 Rainey is, since it fronts the street, at least that was built on a vacant lot (or at least it was in 2007, can't see street view earlier than that) and didn't tear down an entire block.

Check out the Container Bar and Bungalow in this rendering. This would be cool. Google credits it back to the original ABJ story, but I don't see it there.

https://i.imgur.com/OB0KPjM.png

Meh, hard to argue with a building this tall, especially if they have nightlife on the ground level. The millennium on the other hand is a fucking disaster. Hopefully that is razed within the next 10 years.

I think it’s kind of sad that they’re taking out some of the things that made this a cool part of town. And that’s coming from someone who hates going to Rainey. Any character that area has now will be gone in a few years. I think we have a serious problem with tearing down a lot of buildings in this city with a little bit of history. This city will feel like a plastic city in the future with hardly anything left of value from the past. Not saying container bar is something that should be celebrated, but Bungalow? It’s part of why Rainey is a unique spot.

*steps off soapbox*

See the posts above. The article notes that the developer wants to integrate Container Bar and Bungalow into the project.

They'll get push back from the HLC for the Bungalow displacement (but obviously not for the shipping containers.) It'll be interesting to see if hoisting the Bungalow up to the second floor of the tower will fly with the Commission.

Regardless of how well or quickly this proposal runs through the entitlement process...if Burns is really going to develop this site into something similar to what is currently proposed, he will require a pretty sound development/equity partner. As this is his first (major) development project, I do not see how he can secure a construction facility for something like this without a big-name, successful development/equity partner.

Or, on the other hand, is Burns trying to maximize his investment and secure the highest/densest possible entitlements to his property and sell it off to someone else (analogous to Tom Stacy's Congress & Sixth tower, Mac Pike's Waller Park Place, and many others)?!?

We shall see...it is a pretty sexy looking tower!

I did see it. It doesn’t matter really. It will completely change the vibe, be that good or bad.

Change is the only constant in this world.

Every thing is along a parallel along the Lake. This will be another tooth of our teethy skyline. Ha Ha they didn't include the Fairmonts spire?

Now that’s what I’m talking about! That rendering with the Container Bar and Bungalow takes this to a different level imo. I think features like that are a “Keep Austin Weird” homage. I mean what other flashy high-rise literally carves out a section to integrate programmed elements like that?

If they can actually execute this, then that should be commended. I like when architecture and buildings tell a story, and what this communicates is so interesting. It’s blending the future with the past. Any onlookers unfamiliar with Austin, maybe someone visiting the city for the first time and staying at this hotel, will immediately wonder why a Bungalow House is sitting on the second floor of a new high-rise building.

And it delivers authenticity. It’s not a developer taking a white box retail approach. I’m surprised how little love the Container Bar is getting, I know the versatile use of Containers as food carts, pop-up shops, and micro-living are a thing now, but when this was built, that trend was far from mainstream.

This is a very ambitious project by Burns. As others have noted, he’ll need a seasoned developer to partner with, especially when it comes to securing the requisite financing. I’d think the partner would be local, maybe Endeavor or Aspen Heights.

Holy crap, when they said Bungalow would move into the second floor, I didn't think they literally meant they would actually put the entire Bugalow building into the second floor of the new structure.

Pretty cool that they are trying to preserve both bars but I am not sure how I feel about moving Bungalow. The cool thing about these bungalow bars is their outdoor spaces and open air feel. You'd totally lose that in this new building. I really like this new tower but I wish they'd find another solution for Bungalow (I don't mind Container so much being built into the new structure). I wonder if there is another lot on Rainey they could move Bungalow to?