AUSTIN | Projects & Construction III - Page 134

The ATX · #1 Posted **Dec 14, 2013, 8:42 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by N90

...it's a shame to see what was one of the most active threads in City Compilation die out like this.

Austin forumers post mostly in the separate Austin section of this forum which is why this thread doesn't get a lot of posts.

KevinFromTexas · #2 Posted **Dec 14, 2013, 9:21 AM**

I definitely liked the 2nd design the most. That shortest building reminds me somewhat of the London City Hall's design.

wwmiv · #3 Posted **Dec 14, 2013, 9:26 AM**

I loved the second version. The first was good, but not great. The third looks like sim-city and I feel like people who say it's nice are rationalizing it because it's a huge project.

N90 · #4 Posted **Dec 14, 2013, 10:41 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by wwmiv

I loved the second version. The first was good, but not great. The third looks like sim-city and I feel like people who say it's nice are rationalizing it because it's a huge project.

I don't think the third design is all too bad. The two tallest are actually quite nice, even though it's a rendering, the darker shade of blue (almost sapphire like) is also a nice addition to what is/was becoming a skyblue skyline (Colorado, Austonian, 360, Trinity, Fairmont, and so forth).

I do have to say though, the shortest tower, the third tower, is definitely the ugly sister of the lot.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7414/9...e51278f5_b.jpg

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5537/9...54ef99c1_b.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7364/9...e13a1c10_b.jpg

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5337/9...77527568_b.jpg

N90 · #5 Posted **Dec 14, 2013, 10:54 AM**

^^ That being said, the second design for Waller Creek definitely looked much more "Austin".

My two favorite towers for Austin were the Planetarium Tower and the T Stacy Tower. The Planetarium building looked similar to some Dell or Alienware sort of desktop computer, it would have been quite fitting in Austin. The redesign is much more realistic but also more boring for that. The T Stacy building was jagged and tall.

Here was a fan art rendering of what the Austin skyline was supposed to look like by now

http://2modern.blogs.com/photos/unca..._skyline_2.jpg

I think Austin's skyline is on a better trajectory since then. T Stacy and probably that tall building between it and the Austonian wont ever get built but what this skyline doesn't show is Fairmont, Waller Center B, Waller Center A, Trinity Tower, Colorado, Bowie, the other convention hotel, and a few more notable pieces.

I think in the end, it more than justifies the axe given to those two towers in this conceptual rendering. Austin's still getting a plethora of talls. 10 of Austin's projected 15 tallest are either under construction or proposed. This skyline is getting a massive makeover.

KevinFromTexas · #6 Posted **Dec 14, 2013, 8:11 PM**

I'm still wincing from the 21C tower at 3rd & Brazos not getting built. That was a really great project. Nice height, too, 580 feet with 44 floors. Too bad.

Their redesign at the 2nd location wasn't too shabby either.

ahealy · #7 Posted **Dec 15, 2013, 10:01 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

I'm still wincing from the 21C tower at 3rd & Brazos not getting built. That was a really great project. Nice height, too, 580 feet with 44 floors. Too bad.

Their redesign at the 2nd location wasn't too shabby either.

21C Would've been the best damn building. Oh well....Still sticking to my guns on The Bowie being the best looking new one U/C

Kotliz · #8 Posted **Dec 16, 2013, 2:23 PM**

Anyone know when the Marriotte should top out? They seem to be about 2 floors from the top, or is it more?

The ATX · #9 Posted **Dec 16, 2013, 2:29 PM**

It's real close. Someone in another thread said January. I hope they keep the webcam for a while so we can watch the Colorado tower rise.

wwmiv · #10 Posted **Dec 14, 2013, 8:25 PM**

Me, too. That was by far my favorite project of the last decade to go unbuilt. T. Stacy was never a realistic option, and the design was never really nailed in stone so we don't really "know" what it would have looked like, but the version that curved and expanded was up there as well in "too bad that didn't happen"s.

wwmiv · #11 Posted **Dec 16, 2013, 2:44 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by wwmiv

Me, too. That was by far my favorite project of the last decade to go unbuilt. T. Stacy was never a realistic option, and the design was never really nailed in stone so we don't really "know" what it would have looked like, but the version that curved and expanded was up there as well in "too bad that didn't happen"s.

My favorite failed project of this decade so far is the Planetarium tower. That design would have been world class in our skyline.

The ATX · #12 Posted **Dec 16, 2013, 3:01 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by wwmiv

My favorite failed project of this decade so far is the Planetarium tower. That design would have been world class in our skyline.

I agree. But I think the Planetarium Tower was more like an unfunded dream a la T. Stacy, while 21c seemed like a go pre-recession.

ahealy · #13 Posted **Dec 16, 2013, 11:39 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hill Country

I agree. But I think the Planetarium Tower was more like an unfunded dream a la T. Stacy, while 21c seemed like a go pre-recession.

yeah, if only they would've waited a few years. 21c could've been the best new hotel project in Austin.

Myomi · #14 Posted **Dec 19, 2013, 4:38 AM**

Speaking of the 21c, looks like OKC is getting one. I am surprised that they are not still looking at Austin, be it in a much more limited scale. It seems like their brand and style would fit in with the emerging boutique hotels in Austin.

KevinFromTexas · #15 Posted **Dec 19, 2013, 6:41 AM**

Yeah, I pretty much don't have a "favorite" among the new hotels, except for the W, but it's part condos also. Hotels to me are almost utilitarian in appearance. Hotels really only have one kind of structural appearance. A large podium area for an amenity deck with the tower rising above it. At least now days that seems to be the case unless it's some small budget hotel or a boutique hotel. Because of the needs of a hotel the buildings can't be very flexible in their structural designs.

Anyway, the skyline looked nice tonight. We went to the Trail of Lights. I gotta say, our skyline is looking great. We parked at the Westgate shopping center and took the bus to Lamar & Barton Springs. There was a woman on the bus commenting on how gorgeous the skyline has gotten. She was commenting on that because as we were passing the park over the river the bus driver turned off the interior lights in the bus so we could see the park. The view of the park with the Christmas lights, plus the moon up in the sky and the skyline rising behind was really pretty. My brother was also saying that our skyline is really starting to look impressive.

And I gotta say, one of the things I look forward to the most when a new building is finished is seeing what the lighting design will be. I really think so far that most of the new buildings have had pretty subtle lighting designs. Sure, there's the Frost Bank Tower and The Monarch with pretty spectacular designs, and I guess AMLI on 3rd that is pretty intense, but most of the others are pretty low-key. I sort of like that actually. I really love the look of a skyline filled with towers with lights on inside the buildings. With all the new residential buildings Austin's skyline is starting to get that look. The skyline looked particularly nice tonight peaking out through the trees contributing to the Christmas lights in the park. Spring, the W and 360 tonight especially had my attention.

WestAustinite · #16 Posted **Dec 19, 2013, 2:20 PM**

FYI, it was dark, but I think I saw an excavator tearing down the old Aquarelle restaurant last night. Perhaps Cirrus Logic is getting started with their new building on 7th street across from 7Rio.

lzppjb · #17 Posted **Dec 19, 2013, 3:43 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by WestAustinite

FYI, it was dark, but I think I saw an excavator tearing down the old Aquarelle restaurant last night. Perhaps Cirrus Logic is getting started with their new building on 7th street across from 7Rio.

The emerging projects poster from October does list Cirrus as Under Construction.

ahealy · #18 Posted **Dec 19, 2013, 7:25 PM**

They're also starting the 4 story building at the base of 360 in a few weeks. I WANT RENDERS! Anyone???

JoninATX · #19 Posted **Dec 19, 2013, 10:09 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ahealy

They're also starting the 4 story building at the base of 360 in a few weeks. I WANT RENDERS! Anyone???

Agreed! We want food, I mean pictures!

Homecreek · #20 Posted **Dec 24, 2013, 7:09 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by WestAustinite

FYI, it was dark, but I think I saw an excavator tearing down the old Aquarelle restaurant last night. Perhaps Cirrus Logic is getting started with their new building on 7th street across from 7Rio.

Sorry guys, The City of Austin permit site show a parking lot going in

https://www.austintexas.gov/devrevie...erRSN=11060534