AUSTIN | Projects & Construction III - Page 87

GoldenBoot · #**1721** Posted **Feb 20, 2013, 11:29 PM**

[QUOTE=wwmiv;6016597]Another good bit of news today:

http://www.austintowers.net/Austin_D...ndbreaking.php

And a new rendering, which honestly makes this look like a great project:

I respectfully disagree. The Ovation tower would have been much more of an aesthetic feature in Austin's developing skyline!!! The current design is for a short, stubby, un-inspired little building with minute architectural value.

ahealy · #**1722** Posted **Feb 21, 2013, 12:30 AM**

[QUOTE=GoldenBoot;6022537]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wwmiv

Another good bit of news today:

http://www.austintowers.net/Austin_D...ndbreaking.php

And a new rendering, which honestly makes this look like a great project:

I respectfully disagree. The Ovation tower would have been much more of an aesthetic feature in Austin's developing skyline!!! The current design is for a short, stubby, un-inspired little building with minute architectural value.

Agreed! But I don't believe this is where Ovation was going to be built.

KevinFromTexas · #**1723** Posted **Feb 21, 2013, 12:59 AM**

^It's not. Ovation was for the other side of the block. It actually could still be built if Novare decided to.

And Ovation would have been one of our nicest buildings. It's one of the ones that hurts the most not seeing it happen. It would have been a beautiful building.

ahealy · #**1724** Posted **Feb 21, 2013, 2:50 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

^It's not. Ovation was for the other side of the block. It actually could still be built if Novare decided to.

And Ovation would have been one of our nicest buildings. It's one of the ones that hurts the most not seeing it happen. It would have been a beautiful building.

I think something is still going in there around 2015. The developer told me that last year.

Chicago3rd · #**1725** Posted **Feb 21, 2013, 3:10 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Syndic

Whoa, no way. Because I've driven by there many times and didn't see anything. In fact, someone just posted on reddit a few months ago asking why nothing was open there and I cross-posted to here about it and no one said anything back then. Maybe they closed it down for a while and then opened it back up? Oh well..

From March 3, 2012

KevinFromTexas · #**1726** Posted **Feb 21, 2013, 3:17 AM**

http://www.kvue.com/home/Austin-join...192094341.html

Quote:

Austin invited to join 2024 Olympics bid

by ASHLEY GOUDEAU / KVUE News and photojournalist DOUG NAUGLE
Bio | Email | Follow: @AshleyG_KVUE
kvue.com

Posted on February 20, 2013 at 1:42 PM
Updated today at 6:42 PM

AUSTIN -- It is the event, that for 29 days, seems to bring the world together. When political and religious differences are forgotten and the human spirit is celebrated. And in 2024, it could be held in Austin.

The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) is sending letters to 35 cities to gauge interest in hosting the games.

"Being able to have that here, in my home, that'd be awesome," said Austin resident Jeromy Lopez De Castilla.

Local business owner and community leader Paul Carrozza agreed.

"I think it's about time," Carrozza said. "Austin would be the greatest host in, I think, the history of the Olympics because you think about the town, people love to come here. I think we're the right size market now to host it, especially with the Austin-San Antonio corridor."

-

http://www.statesman.com/news/sports...-olympi/nWTxX/

Quote:

Posted: 6:49 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2013
Austin willing to consider bidding for 2024 Olympics

By John Maher
American-Statesman Staff

“Our objective in this process is to identify a partner city that can work with us to present a compelling bid to the IOC and that has the right alignment of political, business and community leadership,” USOC CEO Scott Blackmun stated in the letter.

If it sounds like Blackmun is trolling for a city, that might be the case. The last two U.S. cities to carry the U.S. Summer Olympic hopes, Chicago and New York, took a beating.

By some estimates, Chicago spent about $100 million on a one-and-done bid to host the 2016 Olympics, getting knocked out in the first round of the process; the Games were eventually awarded to Rio de Janeiro. Still, it appears some Austin leaders are willing to at least consider bidding.

“It’s an intriguing possibility,” said City Council Member Kathie Tovo. “I would certainly support some of the exploratory research.”

JoninATX · #**1727** Posted **Feb 21, 2013, 4:36 AM**

Speaking of the W I wonder if they have any leads in weather what retailer's will be occupying the northeast corner of the building?

JoninATX · #**1728** Posted **Feb 21, 2013, 4:51 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by East7thStreet

Are they really tearing down all that retail at 38th/Lamar and putting up a 3 stories of apartments over ground level parking? Or does this rendering leave the ground level retail blank?

I think it would be a big mistake if the developers didn't put any ground floor retail at the bottom.

P3FE · #**1729** Posted **Feb 21, 2013, 5:02 AM**

I've said this before, I think no other building downtown has integrated into its surroundings as well as the Cirrus Logic headquarters has. In light of that, the story as reported by the Statesman today is exciting news.

http://www.statesman.com/news/busine...usland-/nWTtT/

ahealy · #**1730** Posted **Feb 21, 2013, 7:44 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoninATX

Speaking of the W I wonder if they have any leads in weather what retailer's will be occupying the northeast corner of the building?

A big giant ugly STARFUCKS. This has been confirmed. It's such a huggggge slap in the face to all the local coffee shops that waited patiently for the W to open in hopes of getting way more business. Having worked at several of the coffee spots on 2nd (and violet crown) this is very crappy news.

wwmiv · #**1731** Posted **Feb 21, 2013, 7:46 AM**

I love Starbucks. I'm fine with it.

ahealy · #**1732** Posted **Feb 21, 2013, 7:49 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by wwmiv

I love Starbucks. I'm fine with it.

Not when you have Medici, Houndstooth, Jo's, Juan Pelota, and A-Java all in a 5 block radius. I can think of so many more useful things that could've gone into that spot. Totally idiotic.

NYC2ATX · #**1733** Posted **Feb 21, 2013, 7:51 AM**

Fortunately, I think there's enough loyalty to the local places that everything should even out...plus I love Starbucks too. I feel like that happens when a city further urbanizes. You want big buildings, the chains follow.

...also, really is nobody going to comment on the Olympic bid thing?

ahealy · #**1734** Posted **Feb 21, 2013, 7:58 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by StatenIslander237

Fortunately, I think there's enough loyalty to the local places that everything should even out...plus I love Starbucks too. I feel like that happens when a city further urbanizes. You want big buildings, the chains follow.

...also, really is nobody going to comment on the Olympic bid thing?

Olympics -- Austin -- 2024

wwmiv · #**1735** Posted **Feb 21, 2013, 8:00 AM**

Of all the cities in Texas, Austin has the most pre-existing facilities that are usable in an Olympic Bid. We, for instance, have an Olympic sized swimming pool centrally located. I'm not sure any of the other cities invited to bid in Texas do.

I honestly think Tulsa will get the USOC endorsement for 2024, though, given the symbolic nature of their bid and the idea to have the theme be Native American and the torch relay come in along parts of the Trail of Tears.

The ATX · #**1736** Posted **Feb 21, 2013, 8:24 AM**

Of the 35 U.S. cities to get the invite to participate in the IOC road trip around the world I vote for Detroit.

Syndic · #**1737** Posted **Feb 21, 2013, 8:54 AM**

It's far-fetched, but suppose Austin did win the bid for the 2024 Olympics. What impact would that have? For one thing, it would cement Austin's reputation as a distinguished city, placing us alongside the likes of Sydney, Athens, Beijing, London, and Rio De Janeiro. That may sound absurd. But think about Atlanta. They were a big city back in 1996, but nowhere on par with those other cities. The best thing about American cities is that we're advanced. No sprawling slums. Our infrastructure isn't bad. It may be highly suburban, but that's not as bad of a problem as some that Rio might face.

It would spur development of an Olympic park (the state government would go crazy on this and manage a lot of the details, probably provide a lot of the funding). It would increase demand for hotels, entertainment. It would say to developers and lenders that Austin is a safe bet. A lot of projects that are teetering on the edge of possibility would be pushed over the top and get built. It would be huge. The entire world watching our city, the heart of Texas.

It won't happen, but it's fun to dream.

The one thing we have going for us is amble room to build relatively close to the city.

migol24 · #**1738** Posted **Feb 21, 2013, 9:10 AM**

How did Starbucks end up getting that spot on none other than the W? Why didn't the community lobby against it the way its done here in San Francisco like the Mission where there are zero starbucks? Its going to take business away from all the other coffee shops if people are seriously head over heels for Starbucks. Its bad for neighborhoods. I don't understand how people can't see that. It's like Wal Mart, or McDonald's for coffee. If you like disgusting coffee drinks go get yourself a Turbo at Jo's Hot Coffee. At least its more tasty than anything you'll ever have at Starbucks AND your adding to the local economy. After all, isn't that what Austin is about?

audiomuse · #**1739** Posted **Feb 21, 2013, 4:15 PM**

Wow that sucks. We do not need another Starbucks downtown.

MichaelB · #**1740** Posted **Feb 21, 2013, 7:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ahealy

Not when you have Medici, Houndstooth, Jo's, Juan Pelota, and A-Java all in a 5 block radius. I can think of so many more useful things that could've gone into that spot. Totally idiotic.

yup.... agreed.

I will add that I do visit the Devil Woman from time to time..... but even if you were going corporate, I'm surprised the W settled for the 'bucks.