Oh yes, Crescent. They owned Austin's Chase Bank Tower up until last year. A building that is 1/3 the height of Wells Fargo Plaza in Houston. I remember once a friend and I cut through the lobby of the building during the summer because we were parked on the other side of the building. We both had cameras. We had been out taking pictures around downtown during a forum meet. Well, the woman at the front desk quickly jumped up and told us "No photos inside the building!" We said we were just passing through, which we were of course. Luckily now, Crescent sold every Austin property they owned last year including several high rises.
With Austin pushing for more residential in downtown and trying to bring more retail to the street level, I don't see how they can develop that atmosphere of openness and welcomeness to pedestrians with property owners treating everyone that walks through their doors as a potential suspect. Even in New York, even now after 9/11 they don't act that way. Of course there are certain buildings where there is plenty of security, checks and whatnot, but for the most part it remains open to all.
__________________
Conform or be cast out.
|