Austin | The Travis | 594 Feet | 52 Floors | T/O
 

http://www.statesman.com/business/st...ZhqpLgpONXWIL/

Here is the site.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/30...28!4d-97.74004

For reference, here was the old proposal that Sutton had planned.

This article from last year details the old proposal that Sutton was pursuing that would have had two towers with one of them being 60-stories. These renderings also include the three-tower project, Waller Park Place, to the north of this one.

http://www.statesman.com/business/pr...geJ8JiUYHPKgJ/

These were the renderings we saw for it.

http://i.imgur.com/5hcmkS7.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/5XOrroe.jpg

Cool! Good to finally see some movement in this area (even if it's going to destroy my view of downtown...). Does this developer own all of the WPP land? Or just the Villas? Moreso than villas on town lake, I'd love to see those 3 vacant lots/parking lots developed into something...

After reading the article in the $1 short and 2 days late AAS, I'm not that optimistic about the design of any building going up. The IP of Genesis stated that they have "No desire to build the tallest building in Austin", (which I'm ok with) "nor does it aspire to be the hippest property". They want to build something that's "respectful and appropriate". That worries me. We have too many "respectful and appropriate" (for Austin) buildings already. I see earth tones and stucco. I see one, maybe two decently tall buildings there designed with minimalism in mind but high price tags for the views and access to the lake. I suppose I should wait to see the renderings before I pass judgement, but I am bracing for a 40 story meh.

Stop draggin my heart around!

I can't take another bullshit downsize.

This should be a HIGHLY designed building by someone with soul, and they can charge and will get a grip of money for those west facing units.

70 Rainey is getting up to $1200/ft, and they are 50% sold (per the sales agent).

We are too young of a city and filled with neophytes.

I'm starting to dislike this proposal. What do they even mean by "respectful and appropriate"? Specifically the appropriate part. In this case appropriate can be subjective depending on the person. You can be respectful and still push the boundaries on design.

Also another 40 story range building? In that location??? Another 400-500ft boxy flat roofed residential in a prominent location is not acceptable. We get these initial announcements that claim that we will see some of the tallest buildings in the city ~60 floors was mentioned for this if I'm not mistaken only to downscale and diminish the final product. If they are designing the buildings even remotely close to what's in those renderings then the second tower will be the shorter of the two. The readings are out of scale as it is, no way will a 40 story residential be that tall.

Developers might as well start off announcing the most bland, dull and boxiest buildings in the 400-500 foot range so at least we don't get excited over nothing because that's what we end up with now.

Is it respectfully appropriate or appropriately respectful?

Too bad about Rainey. About the only things attractive about this neighborhood now are Hotel Van Zandt, the old residential bars and 70 Rainey (if it ever gets completed). Another ugly box is going to make everybody driving into Austin on I35 South wonder why we have such an ugly, drab downtown. I guess we can just hope that someday we can have a vibrant WPP project along an attractive Waller Creek.

The two renderings I posted are of the old project that Sutton was planning. Sutton stated that one of those towers would be a 60-story tower that would have been the tallest in the city. I'm willing to be patient. Sutton had said a year ago that they'd be starting construction right about now, but now their project has been bought out. So nothing is a done deal. I would even take the stated size of the project at the moment with a grain of salt. It could be larger or smaller. Either way, I sort of thought Sutton's plan was a bit tacky. Those towers looked like they landed there in the middle of the night hoping no one would notice. They looked like a modern interpretation of 1970s international style architecture. If that's the design they really were going with, then I'm ok with getting something else. Those would have been better suited on the other side of downtown a few blocks north of the river on a lot that is in the middle of the grid, not fronting the curving natural character of the river. I'd rather have something with a little more shape and personality if it's going to become the face of our skyline. I've always admired Corpus Christi's Shoreline Plaza towers. I'm not saying we have to copy that style, but I have always loved the way the towers face away from each other looking out over the water. I have always wanted something like that for our waterfront. It's pretty much the only way I'd ever agree to have twins on our skyline.

As for the Waller Park Place design, I'm not a huge fan. The designs seem gimmicky and too fanciful, but not in a playful creative sort of way. They just don't feel "real" somehow. I don't know. Maybe it's the renderings. I did like the plan they had for the curved towers that would have included one really tall one, but they went and changed it again. I hope they change it again before it moves forward.

I like how the new developer is underselling the project. Everybody can now get their bitching out of the way up front. Then when it's later revealed to be a decent looking 44-story tower everyone will be pleased. :)

Either beige, or glass box. :yuck:

Gotta be appropriate to the other beige and/or glass boxes in the area! Don't want to make them feel bad!

Edit: or perhaps a Craftsman-style skyscraper?.....

"Respectful and appropriate" -- as weird as they are -- are marketing words. They're pitching this project to a specific demographic that would appreciate a "respectful and appropriate" condo building on a lake.

A certain type of moneyed retiree, maybe?

The Amish?

The residents of the Villas got their sale proceeds last summer, and the developer of the site (Genesis Real Estate Group) indicated that development of the site was not happening any time soon.
I know we have some posters living in the area. So I was wondering if the Villas are abandoned? If they are still occupied, I suspect Genesis is just renting them out until they are ready to move forward with the project.

This means they sold enough units to build a cheaper building and move on.

I don't live at the Villas, but we share the same driveway. Honestly I hadn't noticed it, but there does seem to be less people going in and out. I'm inclined to believe you that the residents can rent until demo, but many have just decided to take their bundles of cash and leave

Here we go. Some movement on this project. A demo permit was filed today to demolish the condos and make more condos:

https://abc.austintexas.gov/web/perm...ertyrsn=524421

Would be nice if they released updated renderings. The current ones are most definitely preliminary. Hopefully the next version that comes out looks much more polished and realistic. Also I would expect the Sutton towers will no longer be shown since its safe to say the origional plan won't happen. I wouldn't hold my breath either for the second proposed tower.

Yeah, I hope we see some real renderings soon. The previous "renderings" were just massings by the previous owner - Sutton - who had no intention of developing the site. The demo permit is actually a site plan which implies they might be moving more quickly now. Also, the permit says the future development is condos which I believe is a switch from previous references to to this project as apartments.

This project just got better. It's called The Travis and will consist two 55-story towers. An all residential tower (Phase I) will be 595' and a residential and hotel tower (Phase II) will be 695'. Here's the info from AULCC:

ftp://ftp.ci.austin.tx.us/ATD_AULCC/...avis_PLANS.pdf

If we can get one building supposedly breaking 800 feet (800 Guad) surely we can have at least one building break 700. Lol this is comical to the point of disgust. Still glad to see things are moving with this project.

Well being that it's phase II, the plans for the second tower could either increase or decrease, and that's if the 2nd phase moves forward at all.