AUSTIN | Projects & Construction III - Page 63

KevinFromTexas · #1 Posted **Jan 18, 2013, 5:28 PM**

I'm sure the Nimbies gasped, though. They probably assumed Dallas means to annex the land between it and Austin and pave it with skyscrapers.

The ATX · #2 Posted **Jan 18, 2013, 6:10 PM**

Dallas is evil.

Syndic · #3 Posted **Jan 18, 2013, 7:32 PM**

Speaking of Dallas being evil, I recently came upon this interesting bit of history about how Dallas came to be.

Keep in mind, before this, Dallas was just another little Texas town.

From Wikipedia:

"In 1871, railroads were beginning to approach the area and Dallas city leaders did not intend to stand idly and be left out. They paid the Houston and Central Texas Railroad US$5,000 to shift its route 20 miles (32 km) to the west and build its north-south tracks through Dallas, rather than through Corsicana as planned. A year later, Dallas leaders could not pay the Texas and Pacific Railway to locate there, so they devised a way to trick the Railroad—Dallas had a rider attached to a state law which required the railroad to build its tracks through Browder Springs—which turned out to be just south of Main Street. The major north-south and east-west Texas railroad routes intersected in Dallas in 1873, thus ensuring its future as a commercial center."

As you can imagine, the population exploded at that point. One railroad passing through wouldn't have been enough to have this effect. It had to be two intersecting railroads. So Dallas's very existence as the biggest metropolis in Texas is the result of some shadiness, which seems fitting, in a way. If they hadn't done anything, the biggest metropolis in Texas would likely have been 20 miles to the east of Dallas and probably a bit to the north or south.

I do love me some Texas history. So, yeah, Dallas is evil. Still, I want the best for it. I want it to urbanize and densify, because it's a city in Texas and I think it's worth fixing.

AviationGuy · #4 Posted **Jan 19, 2013, 3:41 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

I'm sure the Nimbies gasped, though. They probably assumed Dallas means to annex the land between it and Austin and pave it with skyscrapers.

Considering the stretch of I-35 between Dallas and Austin, if Dallas paved it over with skyscrapers it would be a huge improvement!

actham · #5 Posted **Jan 19, 2013, 6:06 PM**

Walked by 3 Eleven Bowie this morning and saw there are two crane bases on site.

KevinFromTexas · #6 Posted **Jan 19, 2013, 6:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by actham

Walked by 3 Eleven Bowie this morning and saw there are two crane bases on site.

Yep. We just drove by there 30 minutes ago. I snapped a few pics that I'll post later. I got some of the Streetlights at Barton Springs site, too.

wwmiv · #7 Posted **Jan 19, 2013, 7:14 PM**

I thought it was Streetlights

KevinFromTexas · #8 Posted **Jan 19, 2013, 8:14 PM**

Blah. It is. That was a typo.

JoninATX · #9 Posted **Jan 20, 2013, 8:56 PM**

The Corazon site.

JoninATX · #10 Posted **Jan 21, 2013, 4:32 AM**

Lone Star Court at The Domain

Streetlights at Barton Springs

2900 Manor

Infill at Mueller

KevinFromTexas · #11 Posted **Jan 21, 2013, 6:57 AM**

3400 Harmon Avenue - 73 FEET - 5 FLOORS

Callaway House - 205 FEET - 17 FLOORS

3 Eleven Bowie - 423 FEET - 37 FLOORS

Crane bases.

Gables Park Tower II - 223 FEET - 18 FLOORS

12 floors up, so 2/3s of the way topped out.

Streetlights at Barton Springs - 209 FEET - 19 FLOORS

Hyatt Parking Garage & Ballroom - 85 FEET - 7 FLOORS

wwmiv · #12 Posted **Jan 21, 2013, 8:59 AM**

I don't know if anybody has seen the newest Emerging Projects poster:

ftp://ftp.ci.austin.tx.us/DowntownAu...r_2013_jan.pdf

Notables:

23. They still have 416 Congress as a project, despite that lot having been sold to another developer. Perhaps that developer is moving forward on the same project?

41. Rainey Towers are listed as being up to 20 stories, which means that this project has been substantially downsized.

Given that they're starting to include smaller VMU projects like Corazon and Post Riverside on this poster, it is my opinion that they should expand the size of the poster itself to include more of South Lamar on this poster and expanded north to include the rest of the Capitol Complex and West Campus and also, perhaps, to create a second one dubbed "Emerging Projects Outlying" for projects in the Triangle area, in the North Lamar and North Burnet corridors, and in the Riverside corridor. I petition all of us to call the city office responsible for this duty to request that they do so. We all keep very good track of the projects happening downtown, but alot of times projects happening further out in the core slip past us. Hell! They even slip past Kevin sometimes. Including them in an Emerging Projects poster would be very much appreciated not just by us, but by developers, the citizens of Austin, neighborhood groups (although perhaps negatively on their part...), advocates, and others.

Edit: even here in the poster isn't there a missing residential project in the north Waller Creek area that's like 4-5 stories on a hilly piece of land? I can't remember what that's called but isn't it under construction?

wwmiv · #13 Posted **Jan 21, 2013, 9:30 AM**

As for further development opportunities (blocks/parcels), these are likely to see projects in the near future that are east of 35:

The biggest target that should be painted is on the trash yards at 3rd and San Marcos, also extending further at 4th and Waller. There are five in total and they all need to go. All of them. The quicker the better because those parcels are paper made for projects.

The two mostly empty parcels surrounded by 35, 8th, Embassy, and 9th. There's a house here at the corner of 35 and 9th (well... really at the end of 9th), but I don't think that'll last long.

This parcel is smaller, but it's empty land nonetheless: just in between the above land and the Shell at 7th and 35, bounded on the east by 5 story complex. This isn't going to be a multi-level project is anything happens with it (it'll block the views of the people next door), but I expect that something productive can go here.

I'm not a fan of the crappy gas stations downtown, in that vein I really hope the Shell is replaced by a more updated gas station. Frankly, the Valero the street down does just fine and is nicer. The shell should be replaced by residential.

Weren't there plans to develop the land straddling the railroad at Plaza Saltillo? What's going on with that?

The empty lots at 7th and San Marcos could probably support a 5-7 story VMU project.

The empty land at 11th, Curve, and Juniper is ripe for a project.

There's also an empty small parcel at 9th and Waller where some street front retail could be located.

Those are the closest in to 35. In order to find decent re-developable land you have to go further out. Are the three empty parcels at the corners of 8th and Concho (NW, SW, NE, and SE) parks? If not, those are great opportunities. Wasn't Huston-Tillotson looking to redevelop part of their land at 7th and Chalmers into a dormitory? That'd be good.

Other than that, there's nothing worth it in east Austin on empty land. Everything else would require tearing down older stock, which I'm against in this area for environmental justice reasons.

BevoLJ · #14 Posted **Jan 21, 2013, 11:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by wwmiv

The two mostly empty parcels surrounded by 35, 8th, Embassy, and 9th. There's a house here at the corner of 35 and 9th (well... really at the end of 9th), but I don't think that'll last long.

If the house on 35 & 9th that you are talking about is the one I think you are, that is a well known house that they refuse to sell. Many have tried to do something there, but they don't want to sell for any amount of money.

wwmiv · #15 Posted **Jan 22, 2013, 12:10 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BevoLJ

If the house on 35 & 9th that you are talking about is the one I think you are, that is a well known house that they refuse to sell. Many have tried to do something there, but they don't want to sell for any amount of money.

In other words, they'll die and then someone can do something because their kids will probably sell.

AviationGuy · #16 Posted **Jan 22, 2013, 1:28 AM**

Well, the neighborhood listserve debates continue regarding Burnet Rd. development. Some of the posts have been pretty testy. There are a lot of people against change but a lot of people who are embracing it. I don't see much of a consensus one way or the other.

I saw the article in the paper today regarding Little Woodrow's on Burnet Rd. The article said bordering neighborhood associations oppose it, but plenty of people in my neighborhood are fine with it. I guess it's the naysayers who tend to speak the loudest.

LoneStarMike · #17 Posted **Jan 22, 2013, 3:32 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BevoLJ

If the house on 35 & 9th that you are talking about is the one I think you are, that is a well known house that they refuse to sell. Many have tried to do something there, but they don't want to sell for any amount of money.

Is this the house y'all are talking about?