AUSTIN | Third + Shoal | 389 FEET | 29 FLOORS | U/C | Complete

[Sigaven]

I'm still holding out hope that our downtown parking podiums could one day be converted to habitable/conditioned space sometime down in the future

[the Genral]

Originally Posted by GenslerATX

"Poverty siding."

Usually, stucco is what is considered poverty siding. I've seen this grey material up close and it looks like a cost saving alternative.

[The ATX]

Originally Posted by the Genral

Usually, stucco is what is considered poverty siding. I've seen this grey material up close and it looks like a cost saving alternative.

The first item on GenslerATX's list about that siding was "cost". So you're both in agreement.

[the Genral]

For Austin, its seems it almost always comes down to cost, second best. I guess we're not worth the extra to make us world class. Build it as cheap as possible or not at all. Oh well, I shouldn't complain, its not my money...Perhaps Austin is considered laid back enough to handle the cuts in quality, I mean, what do we know?

[StoOgE]

Originally Posted by the Genral

For Austin, its seems it almost always comes down to cost, second best. I guess we're not worth the extra to make us world class. Build it as cheap as possible or not at all. Oh well, I shouldn't complain, its not my money...Perhaps Austin is considered laid back enough to handle the cuts in quality, I mean, what do we know?

Cost rules the day everywhere, not just Austin. Or did you miss what happened to 1WTC regarding it's base and spire?

[MichaelB]

Originally Posted by StoOgE

Cost rules the day everywhere, not just Austin.

[the Genral]

Originally Posted by StoOgE

Cost rules the day everywhere, not just Austin. Or did you miss what happened to 1WTC regarding it's base and spire?

I didn't miss it, in fact I saw it in person, its still beautiful. The grey panels on 3rd and Shoal are not.

[Jdawgboy]

Agreed, Kevin, Genral and yours truely saw it in person this past Wednesday, they could have done much better. Austin needs to step up on building design and quality.

[the Genral]

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

Agreed, Kevin, Genral and yours truely saw it in person this past Wednesday, they could have done much better. Austin needs to step up on building design and quality.

And it can get dents as we also saw. But seriously, we saw the early renderings, picked them apart, then at the black tie event (breaking ground and construction) they show up in a tuxedo (top part) but with khakis and flip flops on the bottom. So if I was the designer of this building and wanted to describe it to someone who hasn't seen it, I'd just tell them to go to 3rd and Shoal, look for a boxy greenish glass building with grey Sears aluminum siding around a good portion of the bottom 1/3, especially along the creek. Sorry but we had to shave a few dollars off the cost, but we got a shit ton of 'Shop Your Way' points!!
I so wish developers would stop cutting corners on the exterior aesthetics. How about 1 or 2 less parking floors instead....for future reference...

[IluvATX]

I think the balconies and those vines will break up the monotony of the blank wall. Also, maybe some signage or art could go on the blank wall. I'd even be happy with a big Facebook logo.

[Sigaven]

Originally Posted by IluvATX

I think the balconies and those vines will break up the monotony of the blank wall. Also, maybe some signage or art could go on the blank wall. I'd even be happy with a big Facebook logo.

If the building ended up looking like it does in this rendering it would already look better tenfold. With the glass wrapping around to the Shoal Creek side, and then the gray panels only tucked in the back corner against the Proper. I get that the designer wanted the 3rd/nueces corner to look the best but I don't think they realize how prominent and important the other corner - that of Shoal Creek and 3rd - is. It's highly visible from the newly burgeoning pedestrian area that is around Seaholm.

[freerover]

Originally Posted by Sigaven

If the building ended up looking like it does in this rendering it would already look better tenfold. With the glass wrapping around to the Shoal Creek side, and then the gray panels only tucked in the back corner against the Proper. I get that the designer wanted the 3rd/nueces corner to look the best but I don't think they realize how prominent and important the other corner - that of Shoal Creek and 3rd - is. It's highly visible from the newly burgeoning pedestrian area that is around Seaholm.

What makes you think you wouldn’t be complaining about the Nueces side if they would have put glass on the creek side instead?

[Sigaven]

Originally Posted by freerover

What makes you think you wouldn’t be complaining about the Nueces side if they would have put glass on the creek side instead?

that's not what I was saying - I'm saying I just wish they ALSO put glass on the creek side as well. I get it that maybe it was cost prohibitive, but that doesn't mean it doesn't still look bad.

[The ATX]

This project is close to topping out. One of the cranes is scheduled to come down the last weekend of the month. The 5th & West crane is scheduled to come down this weekend. The crane count for this area has peaked and is winding down.

[GenslerATX]

Hey guys, we respect your concerns and would love to have a civil dialogue.

Obviously it would've been better as all glass, but we can't always get what we want.

And no, it is not poverty siding.

And no, it is not from Sears.

[GenslerATX]

Originally Posted by Sigaven

If the building ended up looking like it does in this rendering it would already look better tenfold. With the glass wrapping around to the Shoal Creek side, and then the gray panels only tucked in the back corner against the Proper. I get that the designer wanted the 3rd/nueces corner to look the best but I don't think they realize how prominent and important the other corner - that of Shoal Creek and 3rd - is. It's highly visible from the newly burgeoning pedestrian area that is around Seaholm.

"The designer." Hey, we're right here! We'd love to be friends! We'll buy you guys a coffee!

[AustinGoesVertical]

Originally Posted by GenslerATX

"The designer." Hey, we're right here! We'd love to be friends! We'll buy you guys a coffee!

I’m down for coffee. Btw, what’s the material on the siding? Is it metal? I do think some public art on there would be really cool. What would you guys do?

[the Genral]

Originally Posted by GenslerATX

Hey guys, we respect your concerns and would love to have a civil dialogue.

Obviously it would've been better as all glass, but we can't always get what we want.

And no, it is not poverty siding.

And no, it is not from Sears.

I don't mean any harm or disrespect, but I do like to poke a little humor in now and then. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, and cost savings has no boundaries. But you have to admit, the Sear's comment was a teensy weensy bit funny.

[Geckos_Rule]

Originally Posted by Sigaven

If the building ended up looking like it does in this rendering it would already look better tenfold. With the glass wrapping around to the Shoal Creek side, and then the gray panels only tucked in the back corner against the Proper. I get that the designer wanted the 3rd/nueces corner to look the best but I don't think they realize how prominent and important the other corner - that of Shoal Creek and 3rd - is. It's highly visible from the newly burgeoning pedestrian area that is around Seaholm.

This might be mildly tangential, but are there any plans to have shoal creek renovated or cleaned up at all? Honestly I'd love for the city to support a private effort by the developers of these buildings to do it...since I've seen from waller creek how difficult it is to get the city to do anything in that area

[ahealy]

Welcome, Gensler!
Can you shed any light on the...lighting? Specifically those vertical lines running the building...Still happening?